Summer Love

As we get older, a chore I prefer to ignore most days, one of the things I notice most is how fast time passes. I notice this most in the faces of the children and dogs I love most. They age whereas in my mind, it has all stopped. It is exciting to watch the baby become a young girl and then the young girl become a teenager. Well, most moments it's exciting. I think to myself, "Oh this is the best age because..." and fill in the blank. They are all so good.

Molly the yellow lab is in the process of forgiving me for abandoning her for the past week. This forgiveness is in the form of maintaining a six inch distance from me at any given moment. Additionally, while typing on the computer, she places her cold nose under my elbow and flicks my arm in an up and down motion. "I am here!!!" She says. "Look at me!" I do. "Ok - I'm good" she responds and goes to lie down. Repeat this cycle every ten minutes.

Vegas on the other hand is in heaven. We retrieved her big memory foam dog bed (her mattress is better than mine, as it should be) from storage and placed it in the basement next to my desk. It is nice and cool down here. She snuggled up in her big, red bed and has slept for the last three hours.

I love to be with my family. I have amazing parents and brothers who love me unconditionally. I have extended family all over this country and friends that I have adopted as family. Whenever I am away from my family, I am a little lost, looking for that bit of myself that I know will always be loved.

And then the dog comes, looks me in the face, and I know I am found, I know I am loved and it is all okay.

I am home. Again.