Happy 4th Birthday to Our First Born

I'm 2 days late, but Happy 4th Birthday to our sweet and lazy Darwin! 

Loves sunbathing

Thinks he's human

Still hates car rides

 Thanks for being our training wheels for parenting and sorry you are no longer an only child.

A Darwin Update

I haven't done an update on our little guy in awhile, so I figured it was time to take a break from food to post about him.

Darwin had his 2 year old visit this past winter and did fantastic! His issues with Red Mange are long gone and his stomach issues seem under control.  Turns out the grain-free food we fed him was just too much for his stomach. He's saving us a bunch of money now that we are using the regular stuff!!  Every now and then he still has an upset stomach - but we can't always prevent him from chewing on things in the back yard or drinking water out of puddles.

Our vet was so proud of us at his visit. Six months before the most recent one, he weighed about 60-62 pounds and the vet thought that was a little too high.  So, we cut his food back a little and now he's perfect at 55-57 pounds!

Here are some of my favorite recent pictures...

Darwin trying to make himself a chocolate lab by rolling in the dirt

Sniffing something in the air

Relaxing and enjoying the sun on the deck

Sporting his new green reflective collar and leash

Making himself comfortable on the couch

He's been doing great with his commands. The only exception is that he doesn't always come when called - especially if he's distracted (like today when he had to alert the whole neighborhood that there was a baby possum in the yard). He's still frequently shy around new people, and some things make him a bit nervous (like kids). He doesn't always greet us when we walk in the house cause he's too busy in the backyard, sunbathing, or relaxing, but he has brought us great joy often.  My favorite is when he cuddles with me on the couch - which he did a lot during this cold winter!

We are still working on making the car enjoyable - taking him on short trips to day camp - which he loves.  But, sometimes he still shivers because he's scared to go for a ride. We've realized he is better in one car than the other.

He is such a sweet dog and a really good boy.  And, I'm probably biased, but I think he's pretty good looking too!  We are so glad we went to the Petsmart Adoption event 2 years ago and I look forward to many wonderful memories together.

1 Year Ago Today we Added a Member to the Family

"Let's go take a look and see what kind of dogs Petsmart has for adoption" one Saturday morning turned into the adoption lady telling us, "I'll be back here tomorrow if you just want to take him for the day - I bet he'd love a trip to the park."  So, we borrowed a leash and a collar, left our contact information, and took a sweet little lab/beagle, then called Bubba, to the park.

We went back to Petsmart the following day, not to take him back, but to complete the adoption paperwork and return the leash and collar.  The sweet little 18 pound pup, Sir Charles Darwin, became an official member of the Miller family on May 1, 2011.

An introduction to the rest of the family, came in the form of an e-mail,
"Sir* Charles Darwin, who does not yet recognize his called name "DARWIN" was officially adopted on May 1, 2011. He is the largest of six children born on January 4, 2011 to a 30 pound Beagle mother and 40 pound Labrador father. As his features show, he has received more of his father's characteristics, but does have some white accents on his chest that come from his mother. While his temper is very good so far, a few of his alerting barks have been that of a Lab while some have had a bit of a howl to them. It didn't take long to get comfortable in his crate and he is starting to learn how to sit. Potty training is still a work in progress, but it helps that he can learn from his model cousin Phoenix. So far his favorite activities include being Phoenix's sidekick, chewing on sticks and pinecones, sleeping, and exploring. He doesn't mind his feet, ears, and teeth being poked and prodded, and can sit pretty still when he wants to.

His new mom and dad are staying up late and getting up early with him and are patiently trying to teach him the skills he will need to grow into a well-behaved dog. We all look forward to the day when you can meet the little guy - who may not be this little when you see him next!"

 May 2, 2011 - Darwin practicing his sit at 18 pounds

 As a pup and a 1 year old, he prefers sticks to toys, 

but could certainly enjoy a toy when sticks are not available.

In the first month, Darwin's model "cousin" Phoenix 

taught him how to behave at home and how to play.

The first few months were difficult since we didn't know if he could hold his pee for an entire night or an entire day at work.  After about a month, we learned that he could - which was a relief for us.  Then he went through a bout with Mange, a skin condition common in rescue dogs.  He was on some medicine for part of the summer, but the discoloring and hair loss around his eyes disappeared after 2 rounds of medication.

July 2011 Weighing in about 35-40 pounds

August 2011 Weighing in about 40-45 pounds

Starting around September, we had a seemingly chronic problem with soft stools and upset stomachs.  After 2 rounds of antibiotics and probiotics (an effort to restore balance to his gut), several food changes, and about 5 months, Darwin finally seemed to have overcome his problem.  We are not 100% sure of the reason, but we have stopped using "high quality, grain-free" food and that seems to work better for him.  He still has an upset stomach every now and then, but it seems to correlate with drinking water from the lake or puddles - which we can't always avoid.

This video (on the longer side) is amusing. Check it out to see Darwin hiding his bone in the couch cushions.  This was back in December 2011.

1 year later, Darwin weighs in at 60 pounds (on the dot!).  Potty training was very easy with him, as was teaching him to sit and lay down.  But, even after a full year, we still struggle with "come" and getting his attention if there are more exciting things around.  If you have treats, and there are no major distractions in the house, Darwin responds to sit and down in oral and silent commands.  He can also stay when told to do so, and when he walks at your side, he stops and sits when you stop.  

It's difficult to get on video, but I tried to show how great he is at listening and paying attention to silent and verbal cues when it's just us!

We've been working with him off-leash in the park, and sometimes he is really good at staying near us.  Every now and then, a squirrel or rabbit is just too tempting and we have to spend about 1-2 minutes calling him to come back.  Thankfully, he has come back each time (but only when he's ready).  We plan to keep working on that.

 May 1, 2012 Weighing in at 60 lbs.

He still loves sticks, but knows they are "outside toys"

He loves the few bones he has for inside.

He's so smart, he can differentiate between his "ball" and his "toy."  "Bone" is confusing - I think it sounds too much like "ball."  

While having a dog has been a big responsibility, and has greatly changed how we've been traveling, he has brought great joy to both Colin and I over the past year.  Now that he is getting older, he enjoys "cuddling" with me and will paw at anyone who tries to stop petting him.  He doesn't mind going to fetch a ball or a toy, but the best part for him is fighting you for it.

This month Darwin goes back to the vet for some 1 year follow-up shots and an exam. We are hoping all the health problems are behind us and he can continue to grow into a calm, loving, and devoted companion.

What are your fondest first year memories with your pet?

Or, what are your fondest memories of Darwin in this first year with us?

Darwin thinks the newest house project is the greatest!

Last weekend, we were able to buy a door with a "doggie door" on craigslist, and spent much of the weekend getting it installed.

On Friday, we drove almost an hour to the rural town area north of Durham called Bahama to check out the door.  I had been told by the owner that the door was in decent condition, but many of my questions about wear and tear were left unanswered.  At a price of $25, we were really hoping the door would be what we've been looking for, but we were also set our expectations really low.  Most of the doors we had looked at new were well over $100, and it wasn't going to be much cheaper to install the dog flap ourselves.

Thankfully, our trip was not a waste of time.  The door was in great condition, matched the dimensions we needed for our back entry, and had a dog flap large enough for Darwin.

On Saturday afternoon, we tackled the task of installing the door.  It would have been very easy if the hardware and door frame were in good condition.  Unfortunately, a few of the holes were stripped - a problem that did not look very new.  When we got the door on the hinges, we couldn't get it to close.  After educating ourselves on youtube, Colin was able to get a better grip from the stripped holes and I was able to adjust some of the hinges.  Alas, the door would close (with a little extra effort)!

I wish I could say that was the end of the problem.  Once we installed the door handle and deadbolt lock, we again could not close the door.  The hardware stuck out too far from the door.  With no patience left for the project, the solution was to remove the deadbolt.  There is a lock on the handle, so we aren't too worried about leaving the deadbolt off the door.

Once we finally installed the door, we had to start on phase 3 of the project  - training Darwin to use the door.  I wish I had taken a picture of Colin teaching Darwin through "modeling."  I'll let you imagine him crawling in and out through the dog door!  While the flap did scare him a few times, Colin's modeling and our generous use of treats got him practicing.  In the beginning, he would stand a the door, unsure about going through, but after 5 days of experiencing the freedom it provides, he has become a pro.

Darwin loves being able to go in and out as he pleases!

I managed to get him coming through the door via my phone's video camera feature!

Last night he was running in and out through the flap when the neighbor's dog was out.  If I can get that on video, I'll be sure to upload it since it is much more exciting to watch.  It has been so much easier on us since we no longer have to get up and close the door every time he pushes it open.  I've definitely noticed fewer flies in the house!  While we haven't had the A/C or heat on, it will certainly help keep the house cool (or hot) better than having the door open and close all the time.

The best part is that we only spent $25 + the cost of gas to drive the hour each way.  Even with gas prices as high as they are, we still saved well over $75.  And, there is always an opportunity to get some of the money back if we can sell the door that was removed on craigslist.

I had to share this picture of Darwin hanging out with me on the couch yesterday.  He wasn't feeling well, so he spent most of his time looking out the window and "checking up" on his back yard.  If any rabbits, squirrels, or birds thought they could hang out there, they were wrong and he let them know it.

Darwin sleeps with one eye open to make sure no animals invade his yard.

A Darwin Update

Someone continues to be petrified of riding in the car ... even on the way to fun doggie day care.

Check out the video I took of him shaking on our way to camp!

He isn't so bad on the way home... probably because he's so tired.

And after a full day of playing with his buddies, he's out for the evening!  And yes, this lasts for a few hours.

Here's a recap of the routine after a day at camp:

1. Nap for 30 minutes -1 hour,

2. Get off the couch and stretch in "down dog" and "up dog" poses,

3. Check things out, go to the bathroom, etc. (play time occurs for a bit if he can muster the energy),

4. Get back on the couch for another 30 minutes - 1 hour nap,

5. Continue the process from 7pm - bedtime (11ish).

It is so funny to see him during his "REM" sleep.  Sometimes he breathes real heavy, and then gives short huffing noises through his jowls.  You can usually see his eyes moving under his closed eyelids.  And his body typically experiences some serious twitching.  Like a baby, it's amusing to watch him in deep sleep.

Day camp is worth the $23 to have a day where puppy energy is released and we have an "evening off."  

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - our puppy is our child.  I've cleaned up his vomit and diarrhea, been woken up in the middle of the night with his barking, enjoyed snuggling on the couch together, and look forward to picking him up from day care once a week!  I know children give people great joy (even through the tribulations), but there are so many similarities between children and dogs (especially puppies)!

PS - I don't want to jinx it, but 1 week on new dog food and we haven't experienced an upset stomach.  Keeping my fingers crossed that this pattern continues!!

Any suggestions for improving his comfort in the car??

Four rainy days with Darwin

When Colin went to New Orleans for a conference last week, I was left by myself with Darwin for 4 full days.  It would not have been so bad if it wasn't for the bad weather.  I'll admit, it could have been worse (like getting the snow all our family and friends received up north).  But still, having a dog tracking wet, muddy paws in the house (a house that still has carpeting) is a challenge.

I kept trying to get him to sit still to wipe his paws each time he came in, but he loves to run full blast from outside - slamming the door open and bringing those wet paws with him.  I did a lot of vaccumming, and spot treating the carpet and exhibited a great deal of patience each time a paw print showed itself on the floor.  My type A personality was definitely put to the test!

I've also been trying to walk him in the mornings and after work to tire him out.  We have gotten into a routine of taking a 15-20 minute walk in the morning (the "take care of business" walk), and then a 3 mile (about 45 min-1 hour) walk in the evenings.

Darwin loves to carry the biggest stick he can find on our daily walks

Even with those walks, Darwin has what Colin and I refer to as "crazy time" in the evenings (usually closer to 10-11pm) no matter how much exercise we do during the day.  Our common joke when Darwin is passed out on the couch is that he is "resting up for crazy time."

The "resting up for crazy time" hour.

If you've followed the blog before or read some of my posts on Facebook, you know that Darwin has experienced some stomach issues on and off since September.  We think he's eating acorns in the back yard.  He loves to chew on elements of nature (sticks, acorns, pine cones), and he loves drinking water from puddles and the bird bath.  With the sticks and pine cones, he leaves a chewed up mess, but with the acorns we only find the outer shell. With all the rain, I also tried keeping him away from pooled water.  Although his stomach was upset 1 or 2 days while Colin was away, I am so grateful there were no messy crate cleanups.  A cleanup is definitely a 2 person operation. Colin's responsibility is to clean the crate and I give Darwin a bath.  For the past 9 months, I have frequently felt like we are caring for a young child!

On that note, I'll also share with you that Darwin just celebrated his 1st birthday on January 5th!  We hope this second year brings him out of the high-energy puppy phase.  I'm ready for the crazy time that includes chewing, barking, and sprinting to be reduced to a minimum (or at least earlier than bedtime).

One element of crazy time includes chewing. 

While Colin was away, the chew toy was the towel I used to wipe his paws.  I've been trying to get it on video, because it's actually pretty funny to see him grab the towel and jerk his head side to side with it in a very rapid motion.  I will admit we aren't the hardest disciplinarians.  While crazy time can be really annoying, it is often very amusing.

It's so hard to discipline this face too often!

A Quick Road Trip North - Starting With NYC

The Millers were back "on the road" in August for a trip north to visit some family and friends.  The last time we were in NYC was New Year's Day and we hadn't been to Rhode Island since Christmas.  It was about time to introduce Darwin to our favorite people and places!

Leaving Raleigh after work on Friday has worked out for me in the past, because you get to DC after rush hour and into NYC at a somewhat reasonable time.  To our dismay however, we encountered some issues in Raleigh that had to be dealt with before we left and then hit traffic in Richmond, VA!  

 This is not what you want to experience 2 hours into an 8 hour drive!

Instead of burdening friends with a 3am arrival in NYC, we decided to find a dog-friendly hotel along the way. Our options were either the Red Roof Inn or La Quinta Inn.  We opted for a Red Roof Inn in Delaware, resulting in a poor first hotel experience with Darwin.  Not only was he clearly uncomfortable (even in his crate), but the hotel was pretty gross.  After talking with family who has stayed in a La Quinta Inn in northern Maryland, we will likely try that next time we are in a pinch.

Needless to say, we were back on the road as soon as possible Saturday morning.  With the terrible night's sleep behind us and a lovely morning, we were optimistic about the day.  We started the awesomeness 30 minutes into our drive with a stop at the awesome Amish Market in Mullica Hill, NJ for some breakfast.  They have the best breads!!

 The Amish Market breads are amazing!

Getting from Delaware into NYC on Saturday morning was a breeze.  I have never gotten into the city nor have I found a parking spot in Battery Park (lower Manhattan) so quickly! 

No traffic going into the Holland Tunnel

We got into the city by 9am and had the whole day to enjoy our favorite spots.  The first half of the day was spent in lower Manhattan.

Showing Darwin where we would take our lunchtime walk 

along the Hudson River and Battery Park

 

On our way to the World Trade Center site 

(in the distance behind Colin) 

We were amazed at how much has changed in and around the World Trade Center site since we left just  8 months ago!

 Picking up some delicious donut peaches 

from a Farmers' Market near Whole Foods 

Looking south but walking north along the Hudson River 

Taking a break from walking to enjoy the Hudson River on the newly renovated Pier 25.

While living in Jersey City, we sometimes played sand volleyball on pier 25. It had been under construction for the past 3-4 years, and now boasts mini-golf, sand volleyball courts, a small turf lawn, viewing stations to Jersey City and Hoboken, and the permanent seats you see in the photo.

Enjoying the best sustainable burgers and custard shakes from 

Shake Shack's newest location in Battery Park!

After lunch, we headed north along the West Side Highway to meet up with my friend Christina!  It was great to catch up with her and see the changes in her 2 year old daughter Layla.  Darwin also found a buddy in Christina's dog Reilly.

 Here you can see that Darwin's features are not completely that of a true Labrador.  

Darwin's eyes are much rounder.  Aren't they adorable!?

All morning we had stopped at several dog parks in lower Manhattan to allow Darwin to make friends, but he was not interested in any of them until he met Reilly.  When we let the two of them play in the dog park on the Upper West Side, he finally had some fun!

It was also Darwin's first time in elevator!

 Poor Darwin is freaking out in the elevator!

To end a wonderful day in NYC, we ate dinner at the vegetarian restaurant, Quantum Leap, in Greenwich Village with our friend Wei and our hosts for the evening, Colin's cousin Jon and his lovely girlfriend Temple.  Unfortunately, there was no outdoor seating, so dining with Darwin posed a problem.  Ordering food and eating in nearby Washington Square Park was an option, but when we noticed a table at the window we decided Darwin would be okay sitting outside if we watched him.  

The staff at the restaurant was enchanted with our little guy and accommodated his every need.  They even took this photo of him trying to get away from the open sidewalk by sitting on the flower pot.  We were able to make him comfortable by moving the pot away from the building so that he could fit in the space between the wall and the flower pot.  From that spot, he could watch people passing, but not be too close.  So many people stopped to check out his cuteness, take his photo, or even pet him.  What a guy!

Darwin trying to escape the open sidewalk 

at Quantum Leap in Greenwich Village.

The stars aligned for us on this day, allowing us to enjoy every bit of the best NYC has to offer.  We couldn't have asked for better weather, uncrowded streets, great people and delicious food.  Thanks to Veronica and Aldo for offering us a place Friday night and Temple and Jon for being great hosts on Saturday night!

What is your favorite thing to do or place to eat in NYC?

Check back soon to read about our adventures on the Islands of Long and Rhode - even though Rhode Island is not actually an island.

Camping on Ocracoke Island, NC (OBX) in June

Millers on the Road did not have a rest during the month of June!  First, we moved into our new house, then my dad and brother visited and we all went to DC, and the subsequent week had us camping on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks (OBX) of North Carolina.  Why would we do this to ourselves?  Well, an out of town friend had made travel plans back in March to visit the third weekend in June.  We had planned to camp on the beach during his visit.

As you probably already know, we Millers love the beach!  It's probably our favorite place to go.  We wish we could be closer to both swimming beaches and the mountains, but alas we are not fortunate enough to live in California.  Ocracoke Island is probably the farthest beach from our home, a 5.5 hour drive from Cary.  You have to go all the way out to Manteo, and follow route 12 south along the coast for 70 miles and take a ferry across the Hatteras Inlet.  We chose a second option, to drive 3 hours to Swan Quarter and allow the 2.5 hour ferry to transport us across Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke.

The weather was almost perfect for the trip.  Temperatures were in the 80's during the cloudless days and dipped into the upper 60's/low 70's at night.  The "almost perfect" was due to lightning storms the second night in the tent.  The flashes of light and humid air made it difficult to sleep.

Darwin did fantastic on the trip.  He was very nervous on the loud ferry, so his tail stayed wrapped under his legs most of the trip.  We are also having a difficult time breaking him of his fear of people who want to pet him.  It doesn't matter if it is an adult or child, his tail immediately goes under and he tries to get behind me or Colin.  When he meets other dogs, he has no problem going to greet them, but runs away the minute the owner tries to pet him.

Do you have suggestions to get him more comfortable around strangers and while in loud places? 

The national park service campground on Ocracoke is amazing!   There are a variety of campsites to choose from - grassy, wooded, or sandy areas and tents or RVs.  Our late arrival on Friday meant all the sites along the dunes were taken, so we chose a grassy site.  I would have liked to hear the rolling sounds of the waves, but I'm not sure anyone could hear waves over the strong winds that were prevalent.  In addition, it is so much nicer to lay on a grassy area than a wooded area!

 Darwin scoping out the campsite

Arriving late on Friday and leaving on an early ferry on Sunday meant we really had one full day at the beach.  Our morning started with a 3 mile trip to downtown Ocracoke.  We people rode bikes while Darwin trotted along with Colin.  By 11am it was really hot and the trip back for Darwin was difficult.  We had to make a few stops along the way.  Our little guy also gave us quite a scare when he tried to chase a bird out into the road and Colin lost his grip on the leash!  Thankfully, cars drive very slowly in this area and they stopped to let us get him out of the road.

The remainder of the day was spent on the beach - and oh how splendid it was!  I could have enjoyed calmer waters, but the air and water temperatures were perfect.  Darwin's first experience with the ocean was sub-optimal, but it was only his first time.  As much as he wanted to be in the water with us, the waves would always force him back out.  It was okay since he was so tired from the morning run! He spent most of the day napping beside us.

I love this adorable little face!

We love going to the beach and very much enjoyed Ocracoke.  It is a place we will definitely go back and visit when the air temperature cools back down to the 80s (and 60s overnight) late summer or early fall.

There were definitely some challenges as well.  Taking a visitor and a puppy camping for the first time means you have to plan ahead.

Here are some tips and lessons learned from our beach camping trip with a friend and a dog:
1. Secure a tent, sleeping bag, mattress pad for your out-of-town guest so they don't have to travel with these.  I am lucky to be able to rent these through the University.
2. Ask about your friend's dietary preferences.  Our friend is a vegetarian, so we included vegetarian friendly foods in our grilling options and stopped at a grocery store on the way to get any last minute choices.
3. Bring extra bug spray and sunscreen. North Carolina beaches have lots of people-eating insects.
4. If you plan to do something fun, be sure to include your friend in the planning process.  We wanted to ride our bikes so we brought a 3rd bike for our friend to use.  During the planning process, the main goal was to go camping on or near a beach and go to the beach, so that's what we did.
5. Decide how your dog will sleep when you are camping.   Darwin normally sleeps in his crate at home, so we tried to make a "den-like" area for him with a tarp.  He was not a fan of the strong winds that resulted in loud noises from the tarp.  He did sleep well in the tent with us, but we did not because it was too crowded.  We'll likely get him his own tent for next time.
6. Pack cool and refreshing things to eat during the heat of the day - lunchtime.  We tried grilling portabello mushroom/vegetable sandwiches on the grill and it just felt too hot to eat them. Take a cooler and ice to keep cold foods cold.
7. Don't plan to do work while enjoying vacation!  It never works for me.  I didn't get to enjoy this trip much because I had a final paper for my summer class due the Monday after the weekend.  With a 5 hour trip to and from the beach, I planned to get some done while driving and some down while hanging out at the campground. Needless to say, the work I did was minimal and not very good.  I should have just enjoyed my time at the beach and settled down to work when I got home instead of not enjoying myself and still working 12 hours when I got home!

Next time I go to the beach, I plan to enjoy the sun, sand and water without distractions!

Do you sometimes take work with you when you travel for fun? 
How do you manage to get your work done?

The Millers Experience Big Changes

The month of May brought so many new and exciting changes for the Millers.  On May 1st, we adopted an almost 4 month old Beagador (Beagle/Lab mix).  He is the cutest thing and has brought us so much joy!  From the photo, you can see that he looks like a black lab, but he's howls like a beagle once in awhile.  Some people have said his face resembles a Pitbull when he smiles and is panting.  Colin and I would agree.  His name is "Sir" Charles Darwin, named after the famous naturalist because of his preference for chewing sticks and pine cones over dog-approved toys.  We also thought it was appropriate since Charles Darwin did his research on the USS Beagle.  While the naturalist is not knighted, we expect our Darwin to do great things!

 

"Sir" Charles DARWIN at 4 months

Darwin was a good luck charm from the get-go.  After having him for just 4 days, the offer we made on the house we loved was accepted!  And just a few short days later, our roommate was offered a really amazing job.  We credit the new puppy, but I think it was also a matter of perseverance.  We had made an offer on this same house back in April, but it was rejected.  After a month on the market, the seller's agent was more willing to negotiate.

We spent the month of May taking care of the things that needed to get done.  Our first few weeks as parents were exhausting.  Darwin slept in a crate in our room and every time he would whine or paw at the crate, we'd wake up to take him out to the bathroom.  Needless to say we were exhausted for most of the month.

With a new puppy and working out what we needed to do to close on our house, we didn't spend much time traveling.  It didn't matter though because we had fun exploring all the Triangle had to offer with Darwin.  The first day we had him, we enjoyed a day at Falls Lake Recreation Area, and subsequently took a few hikes in Eno River and Umstead State Parks.  While none of these areas can compare to the Appalachian, Catskill, or Green Mountains, they are all nice and convenient spots to hike.

Thankfully, our puppy has been excellent in the car, the house, and on trails.  He learned a bunch from his roommate Phoenix (the Golden Doodle), and has learned that not all dogs want to play from his other roommate Gadget (the Lhasa Apso).  There were a fair amount of peeing accidents in the apartment the first few weeks, but thankfully he seems to have learned to communicate his need to go with us.

Darwin's favorite spot in the car - resting his head on the center console

Learning valuable lessons from his roommates

 

 Hiking with his best bud, Phoenix

Darwin's stash of his favorite toys - sticks and pine cones

Neither Colin nor I knew much about home buying, so we depended on our real estate agent for most of the process.  Thankfully, she did not lead us astray.  With 5 weeks scheduled from accepting the offer to closing, we were able to do everything necessary to close on time.  We had to get a mortgage (which we had already been discussing with various lenders) and homeowners insurance, and schedule and pay for an appraisal and all the inspections.  We also decided to do a survey.  Surprisingly, the most stressful piece was trying to get our down payment transferred to a local bank so we could get a bank check for closing.

Our new house

 

Colin and Darwin relishing in the moment of buying our first home!

The Millers do not plan to stop traveling now that we have a puppy and a house.  There will likely be challenges to taking Darwin with us, but that will not stop us from going where we want to go.  In addition, while a house affords us an opportunity to enjoy the space where we live, we still very much enjoy "being on the road."  It is certainly true that apartment living, no pets, and no children allowed us to live more spontaneously, but we will continue to seek opportunities to travel with our new situation.  I'm looking forward to some day and weekend trips to local areas and possibly some bigger trips in the late summer and fall!