Dear Emmett

My dear Emmett,

On Saturday we  celebrated the seventh anniversary of the day we picked you up from the shelter.

At the shelter he jumped right on my lap!

Seven years! But it feels like you’ve always been here. You’ve always been by my side, a part of our narrative.

I know I tend toward hyperbole, but it’s no exaggeration to say that you have literally changed our lives, Emmett. Your larger-than-life personality and your kind soul inspired us to volunteer for other animals. We adopted Lucas and, later, Cooper because of our love for you.

I joined the humane association board, trained to be a therapy dog team, and started this blog all because of you. Think of all the things that evolved from your adoption, the friends we’ve made, the lives you’ve changed.

And you have, Emmett. You’ve changed lives. You’ve taught untold numbers of people not to be scared of you and to be more thoughtful about bully breeds. As a therapy dog, you inspired kids who’ve had a rough go of it to be positive and learn how to care for animals. On our last day of “work” with the residential kiddos, one of them said that you taught him that it’s possible to rely on an animal to be your friend – which is huge for a kid who hasn’t had a family to rely on.

Recently, a good friend called you my “right-hand dog.” What a perfect description! If I could, I would take you everywhere with me because I love having you next to me – and you love being out and about! You have a bomb-proof disposition, buddy. Nothing fazes you, and you adore meeting new people. In fact, we were just talking about how wonderful it must be to be Emmett because you go through life assuming that every single person you see wants to be your friend. You just assume you’ll be loved! What a phenomenal outlook on life!

For seven years, Emmett, you’ve been right next to me – or, sometimes, curled up on my lap. You’re my friend, my protector, my companion, my cuddlebug.

My favorite thing that you do, the thing that melts me into a puddle every morning, is when I get into the shower. You curl up on the bathmat and wait for me. I drip water all over the floor when I step out because you’re taking up the whole bathmat, but of course I don’t mind. And you lay there while I get ready, then we head out and start our day together.

For the last seven years, starting my day with you by my side has improved my life immeasurably. You could never understand, Emmett, just how much your presence has changed everything about our lives – in amazing ways we never could have imagined.

Happy anniversary, best friend.

We love you!