I received my German shepherd pup on a New Year's Eve via the airport! Best package I ever got. I love labs, too. Congrats.
I like German Shepherds too, friends of mine do obedience with two very fine German-bred Shepherds . . . but as a first-time dog owner with two small children when I got my first dog, I went for a Lab as "Least Likely to Take Offense At Little Terrors", and now I'm hooked on Labs!