This is Jake’s gotcha week. Below is my letter and Melvin’s can be found here. 

Dear Little Man,

You were not what I was expecting.  When I envisioned the dog I would rescue next, she was big and well, she was a she. The story of how you came to live here is one of you finding me.  When your foster-fairy-godmother texted me a photo of her newest foster (you) I thought, how cute is he… I’m sure he’ll make someone very happy.  I didn’t think that person would be me.  But then I met you and, well one year later, here we are.

This past year has been most certainly been shaken, not stirred!  You are my little firecracker (noisy and wild).  Each of the past 365 days has been new and different and I am not absolutely sure where we’ve come to land but I know that 1. it’s been fun and 2. I like it here.

You were a tough nut to crack, pea-nugget.  You would run away when I reached out to pet you, you had me believing that perhaps you were in fact not house trained and you seemed to prefer alone time, which I can relate to but which is the opposite of your brother.  You would just sit, for hours, in the same spot.  I didn’t know if I should move closer to you or let you come to me. You were indifferent to me.  You generally seemed to not give a crap about anything (not in a good way).  I think someone forgot to love on you during your first life.

Really quick, in regards to those eyes, did you know that at first, I didn’t even notice that they were…askew?  In fact I had to go back and look at pictures of you from foster-fairy-godmom to be sure that I had not caused your eyes to do that! Like maybe you were so overwhelmed by my beauty that your eyes spun around and almost popped out!

Jake, you are the biggest little dog I have ever met.  Since your arrival, I have never had one doubt about you being part of this family.  I knew that more than anything, you needed a promise of forever.  Something about you needed anchored. It’s like you expected to not bond with us or us with you (side-note: if the peeing on Melvin’s bed or random turds you leave lying around are to test our love, we are obviously keeping you so please stop). Love seemed foreign to you. But now, you are no longer that stoic gargoyle.  You have learned to leap into the day.  You wear emotion on your face, you show joy and your whole body wiggles when you’re excited. You have faith in your family. That is all I could have wanted for you and from you.  Most importantly, you have come to realize that you are loved. You are part of our forever.

Where Melvin is my Dali Lama, you are my Zach Galifianakis.  My little comedian. I welcome your oddness (yes I’m talking about your relationship with Rug) unconditionally.  I love you, always and forever, no matter what.

Love,

me

The very first photo I saw of Jake…

And some of my personal faves since…