Eleven is the New Seven

Yesterday, our very favorite furry dude turned eleven. It's hard to believe we have had the privilege of being his people for over a decade. I cannot imagine a better, more loyal companion. He is so loved by all of us.

The girls didn't have school yesterday (MLK Day) ... and Mike no longer was home for a bank holiday (that whole "doesn't work at a bank anymore" thing threw me for a bit of a loop) ... so I worked from home and the girls and I kept the dude company. He happily laid at my feet while I worked and we both listened to a whole lot of Barbie commentary from the playroom. Everyone seemed happy with the togetherness! It was a pretty low-key day with lots of extra pets and snuggles, a few treats (and probably a few more sneaky treats from the kids), and a run through the fresh snow.

Our buddy is showing his age more and more - but he still has the heart of a puppy (and occasionally, the energy). His back legs are not fully recovered from his injuries this spring, so he struggles to get up if he has been lying down too long. And once in a while, his legs will just give out and he'll fall down. We feel so bad for him. But the good news is that it is manageable and he doesn't seem to be in any pain. His annual exam is this weekend and we are hoping that everything checks out as it should.

Our deepest hope is for several more years of quality life for our dude. We keep telling him that eleven is the new seven.