I knew the moment I saw you that you were mine. Your mug shot appeared on the rescue site and even though I’d never met you, at that moment, I knew. I drove to Delaware to meet you. You seemed so happy in your foster house, I wasn’t immediately sure you even liked me. We went on a walk and you were the worst dog on leash that I had ever walked. It didn’t matter, I made the call on the way home that I wanted to adopt you. Five days later, you walked into my front door. That was almost five years ago.
Our first months together felt, impossible. You were, for lack of better words, a handful. We spent day after day at the vet and you were also a behavioral nightmare challenge. Let’s face it, Max was nearing the end and I don’t think I was fully able to bond with you while I was preparing to say good-bye to him. The day we let Max go, you spent the day at the vet so that we could do it at the house. I remember saying out loud to someone that I wasn’t sure about you. I worried I’d never love you the way you deserved. That was the grief speaking. The grief was wrong. When we went to pick you up that night, as everyone at the practice was hugging and crying and sharing their love of Max, someone brought you out. You broke free from their grip, zigged and zagged through the crowd and leapt into me, literally. All at once I felt horrible sadness over Max and unimaginable happiness that you ‘found’ me.
Very early on in our life together I was asked if I wanted you to have ‘quantity of days or quality of life’. My response was that I wanted your life to measured only in joy. Through every health issue, you remain happy and resilient. Max was a dog who made me stop and take the moment in; you are the dog that teaches me to move forward, no matter what. How many times have we sat with the vet while I cried, and true to form, you lick the tears away. You don’t dwell, you move on. And you drag me kicking and screaming as you go!
Your presence in my day is a mish-mash of lovely, crazy, joyful, aggravating and hysterical moments. I wake up smiling every morning because of you. It’s usually the moment when I realize I’m on the edge of a king size bed, clinging on for dear life to the sheets so I don’t fall to the floor because you are consuming the entire space behind me. That’s OK buddy, space is overrated if you’re not in it.
You are the best dog, even on your worse day. You are pure loveliness, a shockingly awesome big-brother and a wonderful keeper of my heart. You’re eight this week. You were three when we became family. I love you, forever.
Three:
Four:
Five:
Six:
Seven:
Eight!
“That’s OK buddy, space is overrated if you’re not in it.” <– The exact moment I started sobbing at my desk. You have a way with words, lady. Happy Birthday, Melvin!
I have had your post open for an hour and can’t bring myself to read it for fear of tears so I guess this makes us even!!
So beautiful!! Happy birthday, sweet Melvin!!
-Kendra
You need a dog and dog blog, chop chop!!!
This is the best gift we can give our dogs: “I was asked if I wanted you to have ‘quantity of days or quality of life’. My response was that I wanted your life to measured only in joy.” Nicely said!
Happy Birthday Melvin!
And honestly, easy words to live by! Thanks for following along!!
Oh I love this birthday post, Happy Birthday sweet boy, you are loved.
Now I have to go hug and smooch all over Boomer and Dottie because your Mama made me all weepy.
Boomer and Dottie paid me to post this so they could get EVEN MORE smooches!
Sneaky little buggers… it worked!
What a beautiful tribute to an amazing pup! Happy Birthday Melvin!
Thank you!!!
Happy Birthday, handsome! As if you and Rufus couldn’t be any more alike, I had to see your 3-yr. old pictures! OHMIGOSH! I lovely a sad, sappy face so very much. You are so lucky to have such a wonderful mama, good boy.
Those two really have the frowny face perfected! Your 2nd dog will need to have a shocked expression so that we can continue to be twinsies!
Happy Birthday Melvin. Oh I know how you felt at the beginning. Before I got Litchi, I had lost the dog I was closest to in my whole life. Litchi, like Melvin, was a handful but boy do I appreciate her now and, if it weren’t for her, I’d never have studied animal behaviourism. Thank you for rescuing and Melvin and giving him such a wonderful home.
Aw, love this! Thank you for reading along!
This has to be hands down my favorite post of yours…I always look forward to reading your blog…Sniffles and extremely big hugs are being sent your way…Melvin…Happy Happy Birthday Sweatheart!!!!
This was probably my fave post to write and it came very easily! Thanks for reading along!
Happy Birthday, Melvin! Not only do you bring tons of joy to your mom, but you also bring joy to my life every day when I get to read your silly stories and see your cute pictures!!
Love this, thank you!!!
What a stunning Birthday post! I love reading your posts, and seeing both smootchy faces. Happy birthday Melvin!!!!
Thanks so much!!!!
What a heartwarming birthday message! “You are the dog that teaches me to move on, no matter what.” It’s amazing the things dogs teach us. Melvin sounds like a wonderful handful 🙂
“a wonderful handful”, I love it!!! Perfect!
aw, this made me cry! With everything we have going on I can’t help but feel a connection to what you wrote. Melvin is a special lucky happy dude!! Happy Birthday big guy!
I think the more special their needs, the more special our connection to them. We both know how long the road traveled can be!
Happy Belated Birthday Melvin! Here’s to many more years of cuteness. 🙂
Happy Belated Birthday!
Stop on by for a visit
Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com
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