Happy birthday Piper Sue!

Today is Piper's birthday. Well, it's the day we picked as her birthday, since her actual birthday is unknown.

Here's what i do know about her early life. Sometime after she was born, she was taken to Defenders of Animals. She was then adopted by an older couple who shortly there after returned her. Then, a friend of min adopted her.

My friend, Dana, is a wonderful person. But not so good at the long term dog mom thing. So, when I heard that she had adopted a dog, I was pretty sure that eventually, I would end up with the dog.

About a week later, I got a phone call from Dana's boyfriend (my ex-husband). The new dog, a year old pit bull, was creating havoc in the house. Would I be able to take her for a few weeks until he got an apartment where he could live with the dog?

Of course I said yes. Then I didn't hear anything more. They worked it out. She chewed through some power cords. She chased the toddler. She chewed on peoples toes while the slept. But everything was ok.

A while later, Dana and the ex-husband broke up. And a while after that, the ex-husband and I got back together and moved to NYC. About six months later, I got an email.

I responded, "I'll be down to get her tomorrow."

I had met her once. But, she was my dog.

The next day I was in Dana's living room. Piper introduced herself by climbing on my head. We hopped in the car and drove home.

That was eight years ago. Since then, I've gotten divorced, relationships have come and gone and come back. I've moved more times than I can count. Friends have moved. And moved back. My job has changed. But one thing has stayed the same. Every day I come home, and Piper is there. Independent and stubborn has hell. With a deep need to lick my face from cheek to cheek and show me her jolly ball.

And every day, she makes my life just a little bit brighter.