It's our AMBER-versary!

Amber has officially been a Morrison for a year now! And she couldn't be a better addition to our family. She is much different than Rory was, but our family is much different than it was when we had Rory. Everything happened the way it was meant to be -- Amber is perfect for our family at this point.

She is gracious with the kids and puts up with their unpredictability. She's incredibly laid-back for a 2-year-old dog, and spends most of her time lazing around in sunbeams or in her bed upstairs. Every night around 8:00, she puts herself to bed upstairs. She's an old soul, according to MJ.

In the last few months, she's been getting a bit more brazen with food, occasionally jumping up onto the counters right in front of us to swipe food. But she's also particular about food, unlike Rory -- whose motto was, "When in doubt, eat it."

When we first got Amber, Sweet Pea was scared of dogs. I admit I had a pang of guilt -- why were we adding a large dog to our family when our 5-year-old was terrified of dogs? But from Day 1, Sweet Pea had a special connection with Amber and will hug and kiss her without hesitation.

Amber is hands-down the quietest dog I've ever known. Sometimes she ends up being in the backyard for more than an hour, because she's just quietly standing at the back door to come back in and no one notices! She's learned what the doorbell is, and she'll give quiet little "huffs" when it chimes.

She loves to ride in the car, and will jump in if a door is left open: like if I'm unloading groceries, I'll find her standing in the back amidst the milk and vegetables. If she gets loose, she doesn't run away or play chase, which is such a relief ... because these kids let her out at least once a day! She doesn't flinch anymore when someone moves quickly, and she's less wary of strangers. She doesn't panic from separation anxiety anymore. In general she is a much more relaxed, stress-free dog than she used to be.

We love you, dear Amber! And we pray for many more years with you.