Musings: Mom? What is “Puppy” Love?

Shelby here! Yesterday, I asked Mom what love is. She told me that love is many things. She explained we can love things – like treats (oh how I love treats!) or like Mom loves my eyelashes (she really loves my eyelashes!) But she said this kind of love is different than the love you feel when you love someone, like she loves Dad or like she loves me! She said it really isn’t something you can describe, but it is the feeling you get when you are together that is even more intense when you are apart. I am pretty sure this is the feeling I experience when Mom leaves for work and then when she comes home or when Dad runs errands and I don’t go with him. My heart both aches and is warm at the same time when they are away, and it soars and I feel intense happiness when they are home.

Yesterday was a special day of love in our home and I am still experiencing the warm feelings of this today. It was a day when I was surrounded by sweet and unconditional love. I am surrounded by this same love every day, but yesterday was special. It was not only Valentine’s Day, a day of special treats, it was the day when my Mom and Dad celebrated their third Wedding Anniversary.

Their story is quite the love story. Mom and Dad have known each other for almost seven years – oh wait, that is puppy years – let me think – 7×7 = 49 human years (come September). They met when they were sophomores in high school and remember being friends, hanging out in study hall with their other friends, and they even had a trip to Eugene (Mom was riding down to see her friends, Dad was hoorah – I’m with Maggie Riggs!). Unbeknownst to Mom, Dad had a “puppy” crush on her back then, but he never told her – silly Dad! Just imagine!

Their lives took them in different directions, but they always stayed friends. They would see each other at reunions, or when Mom would make an occasional stop at Tebo’s (this was the restaurant Dad owned before he retired), and then about seven people years ago they connected on FB. In October 2014, Mom posted she had an extra ticket to a Portland Winterhawks game on the 30th. A rare Thursday night game when Dad wasn’t working  – and sure he would like to go! Dad was a little nervous, which seemed a little silly to Mom. But what Mom didn’t know was that Dad was newly single, and she never imagine it was anything more than going to a game with her old high school classmate! Boy was Mom surprised. The rest is what they call history. One more game and they couldn’t be separated! It was a whirlwind. Engaged on December 17th, they would be married on what must be the best date of the year February 14th, Valentine’s Day! Pretty cool story don’t you think!

As puppies we are pretty lucky. Dad immediately fell in love with Porsche, Miss Bentley and Lincoln and adopted each of them as his own. Once married they adopted Tesla, and then they adopted me! I don’t even want to imagine what might have happened had Mom and Dad never married, as Tesla and I would likely have never become brother and sister or found this very special forever home.

When I think of love, I imagine more than the love I feel when I see my favorite treats or my favorite toy. It is the warm feeling I get first thing in the morning when I see my Mom is awake and will rub my tummy and how happy I feel when I can give her kisses. My tail starts to wag and I feel this sensation of happiness that almost explodes from my heart like I have never felt before. I know I am safe and I know that I am loved.