November First

Dear Marley,

Today is your tenth birthday! We should probably just call October and November your birth-season because we don't actually know your real birthday. November 1st is just the day that we picked for you to make things more simple. 

Your life is drastically different because we adopted you a decade ago! You and your brothers and sisters were found under a freeway overpass somewhere near Mexico, and you ended up at our local humane society. I was the first one to see you there, all cuddled up in a puppy pile, and I sent Austin and mom and dad to see you too. It took some convincing but we all agreed that we would adopt one of the puppies as a family. You were still too little to be adopted, so you lived there for a few more weeks. During that time we knew we would get one of the puppies but we didn't know which one. I visited you all the time and stuck my fingers through the bars of your cage so you guys could all chew on them. Finally the day came to pick a puppy and when it was our turn the rest of us were too overwhelmed to choose so Austin picked you for us. You were such a ball of cuteness, we just snuggled you and smelt your puppy breath for days. It is so hard to believe that was ten years ago! 

You are so strange and have such a unique personality. I think it's safe to say that you never would have survived in the wild, and especially not in the mean streets as a stray. You are fragile and easily become nervous. You have to eat special (expensive) dog food. You sleep a lot these days and you are really scared of babies and small children. Maybe you would have adapted to a less cushy lifestyle, and maybe you are the way you are because we made you that way (sorry). But even though your life with us lacks the adventure, the mystery, the danger of the life you would have had without us, I think you are one pretty lucky dog. And we are so lucky to be your family! 

Happy Arbitrary Birthday! 

love, 

Leanna 

Sometimes I do things like this to you and you don't like it but I do. 

You destroy most toys, but some you choose to keep as friends.

Even though you don't like new things very much you love adventures! Walks are your favorite. 

You are my shadow around the house. You like to sit right next to me, but you don't seem relaxed.