A Look Back at my first time celebrating her birthday

Happy Birthday Emma - Three Years Old!!


Happy Birthday Emma

Happy Birthday Emma

Dear Emma,
I don’t know how to share with you as a dog – how much you mean so much to me.
I know it is good for me to write this.
I want to acknowledge how grateful I am to have you in my life.

You make my days easier to deal with
You help me do chores
You help me be more independent
You help me by sharing so willingly your affection
You brought a special kind of fun in my life
You give me a reason to get outdoors
You make me feel more secure and safe
You accept me as I am

You are my dear companion
I knew I would like having a service dog.
I certainly did not know how quickly you would become so dear to me.
I did not realize the reality of how much you could help me.
You are there 24/7
I literally don’t take a step without you noticing
You look to me for instruction, affection, and to play
You need me to feed you, get you exercise, get you outside, and
I think like the sense of belong as much as I do

We are a team Emma.
I don’t know if you or any human can understand the depth of what that means to me.
I no longer face this illness alone
I have a helper every minute of every day
Even while my husband has to go to work or tend to things
Even while my children venture into adulthood and new chapters of their life
I have you to share the moments of my day
I have you even on days when I can’t do much due to health
I have you when I want to go out in public – you assist me
I have you to share my day
That means a lot to me.

You didn’t just come into my life.
Others took a lot of time to train, nurture, and support you
You grew to be a service dog – because of Judy and her family
You learned from her patience and persistence
You both learned from instructors
Your ability to even be available to me was a direct result
of the help of those who support Helping Paws

You have litter mates who also are helping dogs
So many people work together to make our partnership possible

At the risk of being over dramatic
This is like a small miracle in my life
You bring so much happiness and hope
You make me want to go out of my home
I don’t have to ask others for help as much
You and I can handle some things together
You mean so much to me.

Happy Birthday Emma
Three years old!!
I treasure you and promise to give you the care you need
You are so wonderful
I am so teary writing this.
I can't imagine life without you.

Thanks to Judy especially, and to all who brought Emma this far
Mary