Together is better!

Change can be spaventoso (spa-vent-o-so) scary, but anything becomes less scary when you have someone by your side. Last year was pieno (pea-a-no) full of changes for me. I was abandoned and then lived in a shelter before I was taken to a foster home. Not long after, the most wonderful thing happened. I was adopted! I moved to a new home nel paese (nel pie-a-zay) in the country and learned something new every day. I was a bit malizioso (mal-e-zee-oh-so) mischievous because I had to explore tutto (two-toe) everything!

While mamma and papà worked I would grab le loro scarpe (lay lor-oh scar-pay) shoes and try to play with them before they caught me, or I would try and eat il tappeto (eel tah-pet-toe) the carpet.

I loved running in my big backyard, but I was solo (sole-oh) lonely! Mamma told me Natale was coming and if I was good Santa would bring me new toys. Although I was excited to hear that, what I really wanted was a new sister or brother!

So, I tried to behave and to help around the house. I decided to guard my domain and I would sit by the windows and watch for cervi (chair-vee) deer, or marmotte (mar-mo-tay) groundhogs or other animals that live out here. Ho abbaiato (o ah-by-ya-to) I barked if I saw them, and mamma would say “buon lavoro” (boo-wone la-vor-oh) good work Maverick!

I must have been good because un giorno (oon joor-noh) one day we all got in the car and drove to a place near i miei nonni (e me-a no-knee) my grandparents. I was taken into a strange yard with una recinzione (oon-nah ray-chin-zee-oh-nay) a fence and a beautiful border collie ran up to me.

Che divertimento! (k dee-vair-tee-men-toe) What fun! Abbiamo corso insieme dappertutto (ah-bee-amo cor-so in-see-m-a dah-pair-two-toe). We ran all over together and nipped and rolled around in the grass. I was so sad when we left.

Then just two weeks later we went back to nonna’s house, and I played with her while mamma and papà went out. Then the door opened, and they walked in with my new friend. Only now she would be la mia sorella (la me-ah sor-el-la) my sister!

I was so happy and so was she. Santa was good to both of us, and we share all our new toys. We love playing fuori (foo-or-e) outside with our big ball. Now we will share new adventures together and I won’t be lonely.

I hope this new year brings you good changes and that you learn more Italian as I tell you stories of my life here and the stories mamma tells us about Italy.

Buon Anno Nuovo a tutti!