Josephine turned nine years old yesterday. Nine! I can’t believe it. I watch my friends posting pictures of their kids on social media and I am always marveling at how those kids grow and change. It slays me. This week, my great-nephew turned twenty seven. He was born the year after I graduated high school. I sent him a birthday message reminding him about the time he was so little he could not stand up in the crooked house at Silver Dollar City. He just kept falling over and we laughed and laughed and laughed. Now he’s a grown ass human being with a job and a wife.

Ugh.

When Michael brought Josephine home, she was so little that she fit perfectly on his shoulder like a parrot. She didn’t stay small for long. All of her growing changes happened in the span of a year. So for the last seven years, Josephine hasn’t aged. She still looks the same. Mostly. Recently, I’ve noticed that when she gets up from laying in one spot for too long, she has to really stretch the stiffness out of her little legs. That’s the only visible sign of her age. She still chases the cat and attacks the vacuum. Her little legs do not slow down as we trek through the neighborhood on our walks and she can shake the stuffing out of any toy.

Sometimes Michael will say something about how it might be time to get another dog and I seriously consider it. I’ll spend few hours scrolling through adoptable pets online and will even find one that I think about making a call on. Then I think about money and the size of our house. I don’t think we can really afford two dogs. Our couch isn’t really big enough for two dogs. Josephine is so used to being the only child. I mean, she does well with other dogs with a few exceptions. She loves Sarge who will not give her the time of day and she can hold her own with Terry’s gang. I’m sure she would be okay with sharing her home with another dog. I think the problem is me. I’m not sure if I am capable of opening my heart even more to fit another dog. I realize how that sounds, but I honestly think I have a one dog at a time kind of heart. Josephine has filled it up. Of course she has! Have you seen her?!? She’s the most wonderful puppy in the whole wide world.

I am grateful to be celebrating another year of Josephine Boisdechene Clofullia.