Happy 9th birthday to the sunshine of my life — my sweet, sensitive Winnie Bear! I don’t remember ever really yearning for anything in my life the way I yearned for a dog. I was about 5 years old when I started to beg my mom, and she promised me we could get one when I turned 7. Shortly after my seventh birthday, Matsy came into our lives- cutest lil black and white cocker spaniel. He was more my mom’s dog than mine, but I adored him — I’d come home from school and lay with him on the kitchen floor, making up songs about him, throwing rocks in the yard for him to chase (he had a thing for rocks idk). When Matsy passed away my freshman year of college, I remember thinking “I can’t wait to graduate and become a real adult so I can have a dog of my own.” I had some vague ideas about what I might want for my life, but I honestly didn’t feel attached to any career path, relationship milestones, or even having a family of my own- the only thing I knew with absolute certainty was that I would have a dog. When Winnie showed up, I knew I loved him right away — but technically, he wasn’t mine yet. My ex adopted him while we were together, and while I was thrilled to have Winnie around, I guarded my heart a little. Almost three years later, after we’d split up, I was still co-parenting Winnie. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish (pray? Cast spells?) that Winnie could come live with me permanently. Then one day out of the blue my ex dropped him off with me — this time for good. Winnie was finally at his forever home with me ❤️. (Continued in comments)