Chekhov Adoption 2019

After waiting for years until I felt like everyone in our little family was ready, and then following dogs on Petfinder like I was on an extra painful dating app for over a month, we finally found and adopted "Colton" from Dolly's Legacy Animal Rescue in Lincoln, Nebraska on Sunday. We promptly renamed him after one of Kevin's favorite authors Chekhov.

His original glamour shot in December, but he came home much bigger

Chekhov is 4 months old, about a month older than his profile said, and he's 18 pounds. We're not sure of his breed, because he's a mix and his profile said smooth fox terrier, but we're starting to think he's a black lab mix, maybe with a chihuahua or some other small dog. (Or maybe more than two breeds.) He was originally rescued in Oklahoma with lots of health issues, Parvo, a hernia, and an ear infection. We took him to our new vet on Tuesday, and he's very healthy.  He had a few outrageous accidents the first few days, but I suspect more from nervousness about a new house, because he's been almost perfect with potty training since then.

Arrival at our house

Ready to play

Tug-a-war with James

James thinks Cheks is hilarious

 

Baby faces

Posing with their new bestie

Duck hunt

First walk with us!- we have a nearby trail and he doesn't tug on his leash

Miranda pretending to read Cheks a bedtime story

 

Getting to know each other

 

A toy he basically begged/requested from Dolly's volunteers

Snuggle time

Baby James 2018!

The fifth perfect little member of this wonderful family has arrived, baby James! Congratulations to parents Sarah and Donald, and big brothers William and Robert!

 

James is home already!

Snuggling with big brothers Robert and William

Baby Blake 2017!

Chrissy and Jason had another beautiful baby! Their 4th baby and 2nd son is named Blake and he's the cutest smooshiest little guy.

Blake is my new guy


Hi little buddy.


Six awesome peeps!

Baby Alexander 2017

Jon and Becky had a second gorgeous baby boy! Can't wait to meet him soon! Congratulations, Jon, Becky, and brother Ben!

Alexander is so cute!

Baby Brielle 2016!

Jen and Damian had a beautiful baby girl! She was born a few days before Jen's brother's wedding, making this week one of the most exciting ever for the family! We can't wait to meet Brielle! And I can't wait to see James and Miranda splashing around on the Cape with her once she's old enough.

Brielle Ruth!

What an amazing gorgeous photo!


Happy family!

Baby Claire 2016!

Josh and Anna had a beautiful baby girl! Congratulation to dad, mom and bi brother Max!

Claire Elizabeth

Baby Ellie 2016!

Janice and Darren have a daughter!! This is especially remarkable because they only found out about her August 5, and she came a month later! That would make anyone's head spin! The little lady already knows how to make a dramatic entrance. And she's crazy beautiful! Welcome to the family Ellie! You have super awesome parents!

Ellie and her mom, Janice

Look at Darren's face; Daddy is already wrapped around her little finger!

Going home! Well to a hotel! Even better!

Baby Billie 2016!

Our friends Jim and Lisa had their second baby together, Billie Elizabeth! She is so precious! Congratulations!

Billie Elizabeth

Billie and her brother Otto

Baby Leo 2016!

Jamie and Emily had an adorable baby boy Leo! He wasn't due until July, but Leo has announced to the world that he does as he pleases and he didn't want to miss summer. He's little but he's mighty and healthy. For now he spends a lot of time in the NICU with his fun-loving parents, but I'm sure he'll be home soon. Leo's parents are passionate about their loves: bicycling, medicine, dancing like no one is watching, and their cat, but Leo is sure to be their biggest and most fabulous obsession.

Congratulations to all three of you!

 

Leo and mom Emily

Jamie, Emily, and Leo- first family selfie!

Baby Dakota 2016!

Dakota is such a gift! She entered the world the third beautiful baby of two exceedingly amazing parents, Chrissy and Jason.

Their babies have the best lips. I want to smooch her so much.

You can tell by looking at their family that she was meant to be with them. Not only will she have amazing parents, a wonderful brother and sister, but a huge village of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I hear that three kids can be challenging, but if anyone can handle it- and not just handle it but excel at it- this team can. Welcome to the world, Dakota! You are very lucky!

Five beautiful people- inside and out!

The cutest three siblings: Dakota, Hailey, and Owen. This picture makes me squeal with glee.

• When Owen was born, and when I met him!
• When Hailey was born, and when I met her!

Baby Sylvie 2016!

Allison and Dan had the most gorgeous little baby girl. Babies are not actually supposed to be so good-looking this early on, but here's the proof.

Sylvie. For when people ask later, yes, she was born that beautiful.

And she's going to have the best life! Her parents are the doting kind, just ask their two fur babies. There will be so many fresh blueberries, hikes, intelligent conversation in her life.

Baby girl and mama

Peekaboo dad! 

I think I've been waiting for this baby longer than anyone else has, sometimes not so quietly as I should have, haha. And she's here at last! I can't wait to meet her!

Baby Theodore 2016!

Jeff and Caroline had a second baby! This is baby Theodore, the adorable little brother of Christopher. Congratulations!

Hi Teddy!

• Baby Christopher 2013
• Visit from Jeff and Caroline in 2012

Baby Jasper 2016!

Dear baby Jasper, we've all been waiting for you for almost 5 years! You are here at last! You are very dearly wanted and loved by so many- and especially your super awesome parents Cory and Robin. You really lucked out there little buddy. Clearly good things come to those that persist! We can't wait to meet you!

Jasper Henry- brand new and super adorable



With his hardworking happy mom Robin

With his dad Cory

Miranda is super excited too- A baby! A baby!

Congratulations Cory and Robin!

Michele and Brandon's Wedding 2016

Brandon and Michele during their wedding ceremony

I wasn't able to go to Michele and Brandon's wedding- to my own great unhappiness- but I interrogated some of the guests to try to get some early pictures and I have multiple sources that say that it was the most beautiful and romantic wedding of all time. Thanks for rubbing it in, trusted sources! Let's back up for a moment, the wedding took place in Mexico, here:

This place is beautiful...


It's ridiculously beautiful.

There were welcome drinks before ceremony. Then they had a super intimate candlelit circle of people who love them so much. I can speak from experience on this as I also love them so much and know many of Michele's friends and family members. Then those amazing loving people gave personal blessings to Brandon and Michele.

I love this picture of the ceremony.

And I've talked about how much Brandon and Michele love each other before, but it's worth repeating: it's the sexy, affectionate, self-sacrificing kind of awesome delicious love that makes people better individually too.

Brandon and Michele loving each other and their wedding guests

There was a cocktail hour, which is always even better when the bride and groom attend. They did. Sources say the margaritas were especially amazing.

Michele's brothers: Matthew, Arthur, Alejandro


Michele with her brothers' great loves: Emily, Avery, and Sama

Michele with her grandmother

The picture above and below are also a good time to reflect on how beautiful the bride looked. Kevin said that a man considers a wedding successful if there's a beautiful bride and an open bar. Check and check.

Kendra, Michele, and Yael looking spectacular together

Watching Brandon watch Michele is like reading a Jane Austen book!

They had dinner in this gorgeous setting. And my trusted sources said dinner was super delicious. 

Splendid from this angle

Equally splendid from this angle

Even more romantic in the dark

The happy good-looking couple

Michele and Angela about to hit the dance floor.

TIME TO DANCE!

This is how Arthur breaks it down.

Brandon and Michele's boys having a great time!

Dancing with David

Kirsten breaks it down!

This happened: Arthur, Matthew, and Michele

This also happened.

At this point, you're probably thinking, well, that wedding couldn't possibly get any better. This is when weddings wind down usually... well you're wrong. So wrong. There was a mid-wedding pool party... and then more dancing.

Kate, Michele, Kendra, and Kirsten in the pool

Post-swim dancing is fiercer.

Apologies to everyone reading all this for my overuse of every superlative, but I had to be accurate. Michele and Brandon, congratulations, and I hope that all your life together feels like this:

Love.