our new little family member.

let me just start by saying i'm not a dog person. i'm really not an animal person of any kind. i've always secretly (and sometimes not-so-secretly) mocked those people who are obsessed with their pets. you know, the ones who make photos of their dogs their facebook profile pictures and put their animals in human-like clothing... i've never understood it.

(does this make me heartless? maybe.)

but husband has recently talked me into getting a puppy, something i've always put my foot down about with a firm "no". how he sweet talked me into getting one now i'll never know, but let me tell you this... in 3 short days i've become that person i've never wanted to be! i've become a dog person! (or at least, a "my dog" person... let's not get too crazy here.) i really love our new little guy, so much so i'm about one step away from dressing him up in a matching outfit and making an entire photo album of him.

dog lovers, i'm sorry i ever judged you. i'm one of you now.

so, without further ado, let me introduce you to our newest little family member, our tiny maltipoo, mr. feeny (a la "boy meets world.)

chad grew up with/wanted a big dog, i didn't want a dog at all, so he represents the perfect compromise. and he could keep us entertained all day! he's he the cutest!?

happy birthday sister.

happy 20th birthday to the prettiest, smartest, most witty little sister in the world.

i love you and i miss you everyday.

check out her magical blog while she studies in italy and see lots of pretty pictures and hear lots of beautiful stories that will make you want to get on the next flight to florence.

isn't she gorgeous?!

ciao bella.

this is my baby sister leah.

she is tall and gorgeous. she has style to kill. she is smart and incredibly driven. she's a fantastic story teller. she is a fantastic photographer. she is hilarious (always has been.)

and today she leaves to study abroad in florence for the semester.

my jealously is only curbed by my excitement for her and the adventures she is going to have and the people she is going to meet and the beauty she is going to take in and the food she is going to consume.

follow her blog postcards from italy to live vicariously through her. i know that's what i'll be doing.

thankful for.

hello blog world,

after a few unsuccessful attempts at a blog, hopefully this time we're here to stay. we are erin and chad mcneely, a newly married couple figuring this whole "life" thing out together.

and today is thanksgiving (!!) and today we start our blog, thankful for so much. thankful for the chance to spend the holiday weekend with the most wonderful family, and the knowledge that we have the very best and most loving friends. thankful for the fact that we have food on the table and won't have to worry about where we will find food next. (and the fact that the food on the table is the most delicious food!) thankful for our beautiful God and His grace, and thankful for the fact that we have found each other, and that we get to do life side by side. and thankful for cheesecake, too.

we are just loving being married, and our hope is that this blog will let you in on the little world we've begun to create for ourselves. (marriage is fun!)

and now i leave you with some lovin' from a magical thanksgiving a few years back (when i lived in a beautiful place we called "the womb"... but more on those beauties later.)