I was so young when you were introduced to our family, but I can still remember bits and pieces of that day. It was December 25th, 2003. My brother and I had thought our exciting morning of opening presents had come to an end when suddenly we came upon a letter that alluded to your existence. As my brother finished reading the letter aloud, because I could still not read, my dad walked in with a box wrapped in Scooby-Doo wrapping paper. As he set the box down, the lid began to fidget. Obviously, this wasn't an ordinary present.

My brother opened the lid, and there you were. Brown and fluffy, tail wagging. We were ecstatic; we already had an amazing dog, but my family felt like it was time to add someone to the mix. You were the cutest thing I ever saw, and to this day you still are. Sometimes I just stare at you and admire your cuteness, and just so you know, in my opinion, you've gotten cuter with age.

What I love most about you is how you love this family. You always want to be near us. You always want to be there for us. You can tell when we are upset and need some love, and we can read you as well. I don't think of you as a dog, but more as a sister, because without you in the picture our family would be incomplete. You are such an important member of our family. Some may think it is crazy to think like that, but if you have ever grown up with a dog who has greeted you at the door for almost 15 years then you may understand what I am talking about.

If I ever need some love, you are always one step ahead of me. As you have gotten older, it has occurred to me that our time is dwindling which is why I try to tell you how much I love you as often as I can. All I can say is that I love you, and you will always be in my heart.