Dear Emmett,
Ten years ago, you came home.
After spending almost two years of your life in shelters, we found you. So, today we celebrate a decade of our best friendship and your 13th birthday!
While I try to write your adoption letters about you and all that’s happened in the last year, well, this one is going to be about me. Because here’s the thing, Emmett: On this day ten years ago, when we drove out to Friends of Homeless Animals in Northern Virginia, I couldn’t imagine the epic shift you would cause in our lives. Even if I could imagine it, I couldn’t have understood it because, if someone had told me that day that picking up a dog from a shelter would alter the foundation and purpose of my entire life, there’s no way I could have believed it.
Everything will change?
Yes. Everything. How could I have grasped that then?
It’s evolved slowly. It started with a question, “Why did you adopt a pit bull?”
We loved you so fiercely from the moment we laid eyes on you. And I think you felt the same way because you just jumped right into my lap before we’d been properly introduced. It was a perfect fit. Meant to be.
Now, I’m not one of those “everything happens for a reason” types of people. (See: cancer.) I do think, though, that everything happens with a purpose.
Your purpose? Well, only you know that, but I will say that you’ve changed so many lives… and touched so many more… in your life already.
You are my light, Emmett. You guide me and my work in ways you could never understand. If it weren’t for falling in love with you, we never would’ve gotten so involved in pit bull advocacy. If it weren’t for falling in love with you, we never would’ve adopted Lucas or, much later, Cooper.
If it weren’t for falling in love with you, I never would’ve started the blog that led me to changing my entire career. Literally, Emmett, you changed the direction of my work completely. You changed how I spend my time–instead of, like, wine tastings with friends, I walk dogs at the animal shelter.
If it weren’t for falling in love with you, I never would’ve applied for Pinups for Pitbulls. I never would’ve gotten involved in anti-BSL initiatives. I never would’ve gotten to know the children residents of the mental health facility where you brought smiles and better days. I never would’ve been hired by Pet Age or BlogPaws. I never would’ve gotten to spend a week at Best Friends. I never would’ve road tripped across the country with my best friend in the backseat or made some of the dearest (human) friends who have made my world bigger, brighter, and kinder.
I never would’ve had a heart so full that your snores became magic.
My life is better in every single way because of you. I truly love my work. I love volunteering with animals. I love walking you and your brother. I love the community you’ve brought me to, which is full of warm, big-hearted people who are happy to discuss things like poop and leashes and kibble for hours on end. And you brought all of that and so very much more into our lives.
Ten year ago, Emmett, we picked you up from the shelter in Virginia. We drove you home to our condo in DC. We brought you inside, sat on the couch, and looked at you. You looked back.
John asked, “Now what?”
Who knew it would be this.
Happy 10th Gotcha Day, Emmett, and happy 13th birthday! You are my light and my love, and I’m honored that you chose me to be your guardian all those years ago.
Emmett through the years! I did this in a strange order by accident: Start in the bottom left corner for the year he came home at just over 2ish years old, then counter-clockwise in chronological order ending with the biggest pic at almost 13ish years old, which was from hiking a couple weeks ago!
He’s aged gracefully! What a beautiful post Maggie! My heart feels all warm and fuzzy!
Thank you!! I keep saying he’s going through his George Clooney phase… handsome salt & pepper! 🙂
He’s so handsome! What a lovely letter, and a great way to really show how much your sweet guy means to you. Pets really do change lives.
Thank you so much, Leigh. I’m so grateful for the kind words!
What a beautiful sentiment and expression of all the love that surrounds all of you… Past and present! Emmett is a godsend and has done some pretty remarkable things… Some difficult and some not… But the easiest is loving you and John and he is just as grateful as you for sharing your lives together! ??
He really, truly is a godsend. Thank you so much!
My heart is smiling.
Thank you, Rebekah! 😀
Happy Birthday Emmett! Dogs change our lives and give us that unconditional love and lots of fun!
YES! So, so true, Sharon!
What a beautiful tribute!!! It is amazing how one change can ultimately change a life, Emmet definitely was your catalyst, and a lucky dog for sure.
Lucky lady, I think! 🙂 We are so incredible touched and blessed and honored that he was entrusted into our care!
What a beautiful companion you have there, such a sweet looking dog. He’s lucky to have you as his guardian and you’re luck to have him x
Thank you, Jason! Definitely lucky all-around!
Thank you for sharing Emmett’s story and his beautiful photos with the world. Happy Birthday to this wonderful boy. I especially appreciate seeing the pictures as he’s aged, because, as you may remember, I am looking at my boy, Cole, as he would have been today, also.
This is a rare and unusual circumstance, to be able to “see” Cole as he would’ve aged since he was the same age as Emmett and was identical in every way, physically, from those lovely ‘flying nun’ ears, down to his cute little white toes. If ever there were two brothers from the same litter, separated at birth , it had to have been Emmett and Cole. Two peas in a pod, at least superficially.
It has been my pleasure to have enjoyed your blog and your ‘family’s’ stories and photos for the last three years. I love to see Emmett still doing so well as a senior dog. His smile lights up my heart.
Best wishes for continued good health for this wonderful boy.
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Leslie, that is so touching… you brought tears to my eyes sharing your love of Cole. I like to think they were separated at birth! It’s so fitting! And I’m thrilled that I’ve had a chance to get to know YOU over the years. Your kindness shines through every comment, and I’m so glad to know you. And to think Emmett brought all these online friendships together just touches my heart! Hugs to you!
What a really great letter.
Thank you! He makes it easy to write!
Happy Gotcha Day and birthday, Emmett! You truly have enriched your family’s lives and the lives of many others as well. ?
Thank you so much, Jan!!
Beautiful! I may or may not be crying ugly tears 🙂 Happy gotcha and birthday, Emmett!!
Awww! Ashley, thank you!
what a wonderful story – i loved reading this – my boy is certainly my life!
How sweet, Kristian! And thank you!
What a beautiful post and a lovely dog 🙂
Thank you so, so much! 😀
Happy Love and Life day to your whole family.
Thank you so much, Debra!
Yes, thank you Emmett! If you hadn’t come into Maggie’s life I never would have met her or had her talk me into taking up blogging about my own pets. I keep meaning to do this with my guys and I keep forgetting! The trouble is I’ve forgotten exactly when their Gotcha Days are, and it doesn’t help that they’re all roughly in April! Maybe I’ll do it for their estimated birthdays instead!
Either way, I don’t think they’ll mind! 😉 I think I’ve always done Coop’s on his birthday, though I need to go back and look. We brought him home as our foster on Halloween, which doesn’t lend itself to a mushy letter, and I don’t know the exact date we adopted him. AND, horrors, I realized I haven’t written Newt a letter yet… watch for that soon!
But, YES, thank you for sharing that… I love thinking about just how much he’s affected so many lives. I’m so proud of my guy!
Happy birthday Emmitt! What a wonderful tribute to a beautiful dog. Isn’t it amazing how one dog can give you purpose and a entirely new direction in your life?. We all owe Emmitt a debt of gratitude because of him we are blessed to know you. Thank you Emmitt!!!
Oh, my goodness… that is so nice. Thank you, Christina. I’m glad he brought me friends like YOU!
Happy Gotcha Day and Happy Birthday Emmett!! And thank you for changing Maggie’s life direction! If not for you, I would not know your wonderful, sweet guardian, albeit only via the cyberwaves and the great pet lover/blogging community.
I feel the SAME WAY! He brought friends like you into my life, and now we’re all connected in this wonderful dog-loving digital community. How lucky for all of us!!
PS. I love the pix, Maggie! Emmett is such a handsome boy! (So is/were Cooper and Lucas!)
Thank you!! 😀 I feel the same way about your crew!!
Beautifully written, I am sure he is happy to be celebrating a decade of love with you!
Shows how special dogs are, how they make your life change in so many ways and all they want in return is love, hugs, pats, walks, swims at the beach, and a scratch on the tummy and back.
I have 2 dogs Waratah the Malamute and Phoenix the Samoyed and after my 4 Malamutes Lacie wolf grey mother or Brodie male black and white, and Ky male white with a red tinge down his back and beautiful McCormick male completely red had got old and went to heaven I thought I would never be able to love and care about any other dogs like I did for my 4 malamutes.
Waratah and Phoenix love the water, their food and heaps of attention, and I take them for walks on the beach, it makes me happy to see them happy.
My first thought when reading this was the quote: “Until one has loved an animal a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”