Bruno

I feel like the newest member of our family deserves his very own post! Meet Bruno! 

Well, that was him when he was 6 weeks old! He is a lot bigger now! He is a boxer/lab mix, or a mutt! And he has the cutest dog face ever!

We officially adopted him a week before Christmas, but he has been in the family for a while now! My parents adopted him when he was just a puppy. Although my parents REALLY loved him, they just couldn't give him the attention or time he needed, and since we were talking about getting a dog they asked if we would take him! 

We wanted to adopt a dog for a few reasons; Mack needs some responsibilities, and the girls need to get over their fear of animals! Both Carmen and Leighton were absolutely terrified of dogs, cats, birds, you name it! It's been a challenge. 

The night we brought him home all the kids were pretty excited, the girls were timid but thought the "idea" was a great one! We stopped at Walmart on our way to pick Bruno up and let the kids pick out a few necessities: dog food, collar, dog chew toy, dog bed.  Then we picked him up from my parents house and brought him home. At first he was pretty timid, he would sit under our trailer and not come out for anything! But after a few nights in his new home that Randall built and a few days of Mack coxing him with ham he has warmed up to us all pretty well. 

He is no longer on a chain and just roams around our place as he wants. In the evenings he sits on our front porch in front of the door, it makes my heart happy. So far we haven't had any issues with him running off or getting into to much trouble. However he does like to harass our cows! 

The best thing that has come of it all is watching the bond he has with Mack and especially Leighton. She ADORES him. She comes home from school and will sit on the step and talk and play with him for hours. She puts his paws in her pockets to keep them warm! She sings, dances, kisses and hugs him all day long. At night she has to tell him goodnight and give him a kiss and she has already said multiple prayers for him, it really the sweetest thing ever. Mack has also been awesome with the responsibilities of feeding him every morning and cleaning up after him- after he tore apart his new dog bed!! Mack- thus far- hasn't complained and loves to come home and play with him. 

I never thought we were dog people- we aren't really! But Bruno has changed that, we all have grown quite attached, well- all but Carmen! She is slowly warming up! She still runs away whenever he is near and shakes if he gets close to her! But each day she does just a little bit better. She even fed him  treat yesterday, that is a big deal for her! But mainly she just likes him for a distance!

Leighton calls him her "protector!"

 My only complaint so far is the occasional barking at night, which is something I'll just have to get used to! It just makes me nervous! But I'm excited to watch the kids grow up with him and hope he is here for a very long time!