Puppies!

Yes, that's right...seven adorable new puppies to add to our menagerie of animals. Libby had given birth to eight little puppies, but one was stillborn. The kids were able to watch a few of the puppies being born...they were pretty enthralled with it all but a little grossed out, too. The puppies are adorable...most of them are completely black, like Libby, who is mostly Black Lab. A few of them have small spots of white on them...either on the tips of the tail or a triangular patch near the neck. Cute, cute, cute! All day today the kids have made several trips out to the shed to take peeks at them and touch them. Libby is taking her role as new mama very seriously.

Colter and Wayne built a little wooden box to bury the stillborn pup in. And then they fashioned a little wooden cross out of some old trimboards. They buried the pup in our little "animal cemetery" near the edge of the woods. Wayne presided over the little funeral...saying the Our Father as well as another little prayer. Over the years the kids have buried various animals and pets in that little corner.

This afternoon the kids and I brought out a few blankets and pillows and placed them on the living room floor, turned on the fireplace and rested quietly while listening to the first CD from "The Chronicles of Narnia" series. We read the book series aloud a few years ago, and the kids loved them. I found a great deal on these CD's...made by the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre...we will have put in about 22 hours of listening time by the time we finish listening to the whole set. That'll keep us busy for a little while! It was a cozy and quiet afternoon---something that rarely happens around here. In fact, little Emma (2) fell asleep on the floor in front of the fireplace...and slept for almost 2 hours! Now *that* very seldom happens!