August 1 marked one full year for us in Las Vegas, but what a year it’s been! Two fantastic new jobs, one successful writing career, homeownership, travel adventures and the general knowledge that we might actually be adults now! The final piece of our Las Vegas transition was made complete a couple weeks ago when Butch Mbwa, the dog who adopted us in Kenya, made the journey from Wisconsin to Nevada and officially moved back in with his mom and dad.Butch Mbwa has always been a sun dog. He loves the heat, and we have to force him to take “cool breaks” throughout the day to come inside where the air conditioning is set to 80 degrees. The backyard is still in a state of flux, but he does like the fake grass and he’s taken up his old habit of digging holes to lie in—unfortunately he likes to dig those holes where the irrigation tubing is buried. We take two or three walks a day. For a lazy dog this isn’t a lot of fun, but he’s up to speed on the latest neighborhood news and frequently leaves pee-mail for his fellow canines.
The cats took no time at all to adjust to life with Butch Mbwa again. He’s so laid back that they barely even notice he’s around. He has a special spot in the living room and every night we take some time to canoodle. Last night I was reminded of how sharp his little doggy elbows are when he laid across my chest—it was a welcome recollection of how lucky we are to have Butch Mbwa at all. What better way to mark our one-year anniversary in Las Vegas than with a homecoming and reunion of the final member of our family?
With licks and kisses,
JoAnna
