Many years ago we adopted a chocolate lab puppy. We named her Millie, after my favorite great-aunt. She was my husband and my eldest son’s first dog and we all loved her dearly. This is a picture of her in her teenage years. I suspect the photographer quit after this photo shoot.
Several years later we brought John home from the hospital. We sat him in his carrier on the floor and before we knew it his pacifier was in her mouth. They became fast friends – he’d drop treats to her from his highchair and she’d run in circles around him and bark when he was doing something dangerous (which was about every 3 minutes between the ages of two and four). A few years later we added Saminda to the family, another chocolate lab, named after my great-great-grandmother. Millie wasn’t entirely pleased, but playing with Sam kept her perky for much longer than we’d hoped.
A couple of years ago Millie passed away, and it broke all out hearts. I resisted adding another dog to the family, even though Sam was obviously a bit lonely and bored. Then along came Boss. He’s not a female chocolate lab, the dog my husband had insisted we would be getting, but when we heard his story as a rescue dog, hard to place because of his size and his energy, we knew he had to come home with us. Aaron brought him home when he came home from college for Christmas break last year, and we’d kept his arrival a secret from John.
He is a sweetie, terrified of storms, helium balloons, and strangers, but as loving as a dog could be. And, yes, another big brown dog (although I have my suspicions about his real identity). So when I sent my teenage son and his girlfriend out shopping for a new sofa for us this past Spring (Yes, I felt lousy enough to send teenagers furniture shopping for me and bought their selection without ever seeing it in person) I specified only two qualities: It must be big, and it must be brown. We have the biggest, brownest sofa on the planet. It holds the whole family, dogs included, and doesn’t show fur (not much, anyway). So I suspect our family will always include something big, brown, and cuddly.
I’m linking this up to Capture the Everyday at Adventuroo since this week’s prompt is “everyday color”. And since I adore any excuse to share pictures of my dogs I’m also linking up to Share Your Awesome at Momma Made It Look Easy.
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
What a cute post! I love the picture of Aaron and Millie. I didn’t reallize she was named after Aunt Millie, my favorite aunt.
Aunt Millie was super-cool! She had such a great sense of humor, she could make anything she put on look clever and stylish, and I’ve never heard a more beautiful accent. I always loved when she came to visit.
(Heading over from adventuroo)
Our family’s color would have to be red for the Phillies or navy for Penn State. I love the picture of your two dogs on the brown sofa! We have a brown sofa, too, although no dogs
It’s good for messy kids!
ANgie,
Your blogs always make my day! I love your brown dogs! OUr Hershey is 92 lbs. of Chocolate lab. I usually call her “Brown dog”. of course now we have the other two, Daisy and Chief, so there is always plenty of dog hair and slobber to go around. Anyway, I love that big brown couch! i need one of those.
Take care!
TIna
Yep, you’d need the multicolor version of our big brown couch for your fur babies! I swear the thing takes up the entire room, but everyone can snuggle together, so it’s all worth it
Aw, cuties! I wish we could have a dog, but my husband says we need a yard first. We do have a big brown sofa though so you and yours are welcome to come over and lounge about:)
Awwww labbies. My sister has a chocolate lab who’s a “cousin” to our yellow lab.
Great job on this week’s assignment!
So cute! I love that they look so comfortable in every picture.
Those dogs are nothing if not comfortable – all the time. They’ll sleep in the bed, but not unless the thread count is over 300 – seriously.
Brown is an excellent theme color. Neutral and forgiving. There is a shade that works for everyone. And it is so versatile;))
I am not sure we have a theme color.
And now, I know why you love my fellows so much ….. they look so much like Aaron! (he looks totally mischeiveous in that picture!)
That was his “trying not to laugh” look. We’d chased Millie all over the photographer’s studio, wrestled her to the ground, and bribed her with treats to hold still for a split second for that picture!
Sweet, sweet babies.
There is something about that first family dog that you can never seem to replace.