My beautiful Boston Love,
We chose you when you were just a tiny little bundle of golden fur. 3 weeks old. You were the one for us, destined for us, we were sure. They marked your ear so no-one else could claim our prize and then we had to wait five long weeks until you could come home. 8 weeks old. A new Mama and Daddy to love you and care for you but still you cried that first night away from the tumble of warmth and soft snores that was your brothers and sisters.
You were our trial baby ;)
Our first son.
Our first big joint responsibility.
We tried not to spoil you but failed miserably when faced with your boundless love and wild puppy spirit! We were not the only ones. Bacon magically materialised for you in every cafe in town. Random cuddles on every street corner. The streets of Byron were your universe. Only two things scared you: the garbage truck and unexplained piles of council pick-up that appeared where they shouldn't on the footpath. Once you had learned to brave the big waves, the ocean became your favourite thing and you skinny-dipped with us on empty beaches.
You slept on our feet in our little tent for two in small country towns along the Armidale highway. You ate snow in Guyra. Our road-companion. Sydney. Melbourne. The Blue Mountains. The Sunshine Coast. Where we went you came.
When you were almost three years old a strange new bundle arrived. You sniffed it all over and decided we could keep it. Lucky ;) That bundle was Hug who would grow up to be your greatest ally, your constant provider of dog food and cuddles. In the meantime you would do dubious things with baby scraps and dirty nappies and had to say goodbye to your own teddy-bear collection. Kingsley Tiger arrived not long after, we moved from the beach to the country, built a white picket fence to keep you all safe and our family was complete. With you as our guardian.
Years passed.
Thirteen years.
Your hearing is fading away from you now. Cancer has reared it's ugly face. But still you persevere.
You tap-dance your way into our room for cuddles at five in the morning and wake us up ;) But love is pretty much everything for you now. Any time that we are home you are under our feet ready to give love. Waiting impatiently to receive it in return. Your heart is so pure and so simple. In the busy whirl that is family life you are our constant.
Give love.
Need love.
Be love.
My beautiful boy. We still have so much left to learn from you and your doggy-wisdom mantra!
So, today I say thank you for everything that was and everything that is and for everything that will be. And today? - today we celebrate dogs :) XO
