So about the dog....

Hazel came home last week, right after we returned home from London.  She's a 3 or 4 year old chocolate lab (no one knows for sure) that we adopted from the Kentucky Lab Rescue.  We've been talking about getting a dog for about a year and, admittedly, I was the one holding us off.  I wanted to wait until the weather was nicer and the kitchen construction was finished.  We've had labs before and I was pretty set on finding a dog that needed a home.  I'd been visiting the rescue website about once a month and when I saw the photo of Hazel, I filled in the application.  It's not that there weren't other dogs that would have fit well with our family.  It was because she was about the right age (not a puppy, but still young) and she had the right name.  I know, it sounds crazy.  It's just that Fatty loves the name Hazel.  He would have named a child Hazel if I didn't feel so strongly that Hazel Harris just doesn't work (Go ahead, say it aloud).  When I saw her and her name, I knew it was a sign.  It was meant to be.

She's sweet and gentle and has adjusted pretty well to our life.  We had a rough first night, but since then, it's been great.  Well, the 4th was trying with the fireworks, but that's to be expected.  She's good with the kids, follows me around wherever I go, loves to go on walks and is a happy house dog.  Scout was not happy at the beginning.  There was lots of hissing and big tails, but I think they are coming to an understanding.

I call this feigned indifference.  They were purposely ignoring one another, but it gives me great hope that the two of them will be buddies after some time.

I also have a ridiculous notion that I need to sew one or two things for this dog.  Stay tuned.

Comments

[sarah]

she looks very content erin. sounds like a match! i'll bet the girls love her. enjoy!

[Mama Urchin]

I think her name was a sign. I'm so glad she found her home with you and I can't wait to hear about her adventures.

[betsy]

Hazel was on our short list for #2. I love this photo, E. xo

[Liz Provo]

LOVE the photo...it is perfect.
;) liz

[Kristin]

She is so cute! I'm so glad you finally got a dog. The girls seemed thrilled.

[RosaMaria]

she is beautiful and I think is a very great adition to your family! congrats!

also she looks like my dog, Gumaro... andother very kind adorable chocolate lab...

[Beth]

I also love the name Hazel. I bet she's happy to be a part of your family.

[minnesota:madre]

Hazel Harris is a great dog name. Perfect.

[Katrina]

I hope you have many long happy years with Hazel. Alliteration works with dog names as our new addition Minnie Morrison (Minnie Mo for short) proves.

[Tracy]

that picture is hilarious. And I can't believe it was all about the name! It MUST have been a sign!

[julia]

i love hazel.

i fell in love with the first dog we looked at because her name was opal and jared and i both have october birthdays (opal is the oct. birthstone). he talked me down. and i'm so glad he did, because we ended up with freddie. (whose name was freckles when we got him. thus proving that, ahem, it doesn't have to be about the name :) )

[Sue]

Wonderful picture. We were owned by a Siamese and a basset who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but when they were with us they were best buds. Except when the Siamese would leap over the Basset's back as the basset came into the room.

I think we have the same rug -- isn't that Karastan's Williamsburg Palace rug? Love, love, love it.

[Steph]

We have a rescue lab mix (chocolate lab and pit bull, we believe) named Hazel too! They look very similar, but out Hazel has a white blaze on her chest and one white sock. She is also 3ish. We love her very much. Congrats on your new addition.

[Lindsey]

Congrats on your new family member! The story about finding her were great. And the 'feigned indifference' also great. May it come to be a relationship like our dog has with one of our cats: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasogden/4241208015/in/set-72157612259510767/

[Erin]

julia, i know! when we went to pick up hazel from the rescue, the lady told me that they had changed her name. it was mocha. ;)

[Erin]

another reason why fatty likes you, b.

[Erin]

thanks kristin! see you saturday.

[Erin]

i can only hope they will get along that well!

[Kay Snyder]

Awww! I had a chocolate cocker named Hazel, it's a perfect name I must say! I think she's beautiful and the cat will definately come around in it's own time, it must be Scout's idea though. Congrats on your new girl!

[Jennie]

One of the best things about animals (kids too) is that they make you laugh. Glad Hazel is fitting in,

Oh, and Hazel is part of my address :)

[Mary Beth]

Congratulations, Erin! What a sweet post about a sweet doggy. I love her name too. We are holding off on getting a dog because my husband and I both work but in 2 years (or so) when my husband retires, then we'll be getting a dog. Enjoy her!

[Angie]

Hazel is beautiful!! =)

[claire]

What a beauty. She looks very content in her new home.

[blair]

oh what a sweetie! I love to see cats and dogs make peace with each other. One day you'll walk in and they'll be napping alongside each other.

[Mary]

We have a lab mix rescue dog named Jeffrey who also found the 4th pretty trying--so much so that he had to have a little pharmaceutical help for the occasion. Congrats on getting such a beauty of a pet.

[Mary]

Oh I definately think her sweetness Hazel needs her own home-sewn dog bed.... Something cozy to call her own... She's beautiful. Enjoy your new family member...

[peanut]

Congrats :) She is a beautiful dog.

That's such a great picture. We've had our pup for about a year and a half (I can't imagine our house without her). She'll be two in August and despite frequent evidence (though less than before) to the contrary I'm still hopeful that she and our cat will become more friendly as she gets older.

[Pam]

such a pretty animal. Rescue dogs are the best!

[Dag]

congrats! she does look like a sweetie!
and the picture... just perfect!

[vanessa]

ah, Hazel Harris works for a dog name- but I am totally with you on the kid name :) tee hee.

I think by the end of the summer Hazel and Scout will be hanging tough with each other- look at that photo!

[Katie]

She looks like an older version of my Hazel!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpypixie/4466512190/in/set-72157606854309252/

[Julie Alvarez]

You know what? I love the sound of Hazel Harris! (Maybe it is because english is not my mother tongue, I don't know... But I like it!

[Kari]

We also have a lab rescue and he is the best. Enjoy Hazel!

[Erin]

she sure does!

[Erin]

so maybe you need a dog for gracie?

[Vintage Chica]

Love, love her name...although Ian and Zane said that you should have named her Reggie (our cat) so that you would be the opposite of the pets in our house.

[aseemlylife]

I'm interested to see what you are going to sew for this beautiful dog named Hazel.
Please oh please don't let it be dog clothing. I will have to call Dog protective services on you. Take care

[Erin]

don't worry - no doggie clothing planned!

[Erin]

i can see their point...

[Susan Moore]

Our rescue dog will arrive in CT on Sunday. We have decided to rename her Daisy and hope she won't mind. She is an approx 1 year old yellow lab.
We are all so excited. I am so glad that we decided to adopt a rescue dog, their stories are so sad.
Hazel is beautiful.

[Erin]

best wishes to you and your new pet! daisy is such a cute name.

[Grace]

Oh, I'm so happy for you. There's nothing like a doggie!
Also, I wondered about the name ... I mean, if you guys were the ones to give it to her because it just fits your family so well! And now I know why!

[Grace]

PS: You know our last name and I believe our dog's name, and why we could never name a child that. ;)

[Grace]

PS #2: I know I've mentioned how much I love your current banner before, but every time I see it, I think about how perfect it is. I love that the tag is the name of the blog (you've done this before and it's awesome), and the stamps tie it together so perfectly. You're a sewer, an artist, and a person who does ordinary things, too. It's really good.

[Krista]

She's lovely!!! That photo in the living room is a classic (and, killer chesterfield!!! I just can't call it a sofa).

[Erin]

thank you, grace. my smile is covering the whole bottom half of my face right now. xo.

[Mary Ann]

Sweet dog and what joy they bring to our families. I do hope Scout comes around too!

[Account Deleted]

hazel harris. nice.
i am not showing this post to my kids, who are both angling hard for a dog. "but mom, the house on hill road family did it, and you LOVE them!"

[leslie]

oh, how i wish we could walk our sweet girls together!!!
(all 5 of them) :)
welcome, hazel!!!!

[Danna Snider]

She is pretty.....BTW that last photo is so cute.

Thanks for sharing
Danna