baby face

Awwww.

 She's tiny, but loved it outside, chasing Maria and Kari around in the snow.

 Dan, who said puppy, in his mind?  Equals work.

Yes, indeed, true.

 There was a camp out with her in the family room last night, so the puppy wouldn't be scared.  Kari said part of the night she slept inside the kennel, and part of it she slept with her on the floor.  And she jumped on Kari's face one time when she was sleeping and scratched her nose.  That's okay.

 Okay, cousins, in December, without shirts, eating ice cream.  Yep.

 It took her a little while to be brave enough to touch the dog, but the soft, buttery, warmness of that fur, and the way she smells like pine cones--won out.

I told James, "Every time you touch her, you smile."

He said, "She feels just like Sam."

No doubt she's her own person, and we'll be finding that out as we go, but today she feels like a balm, familiar and sweet.

Love, Val