Before my boys, before my husband, before our life in Minnesota, there was a dog named Lobster. Lobster entered my world when I was simply a single girl in LA looking for love.

I was home for my high school reunion when I discovered my parents’ next-door neighbors were giving away puppies. There were two puppies left. I knew he was mine, and he knew I was his. He was red and perfect and my Lobster. My mom warned me against it. Get a dog AFTER you meet a nice boy, she said.  But nope, I knew that it was time. And just like that, Lobster came into my life.

I put Lobster on a plane with me the next day and took him back to LA. I worked at a dog-friendly ad agency and he quickly escorted me to work every day. My sister often commented that we were connected in that special way that only happens when two beings spend every waking and sleeping moment together. He was my everything.

Days were planned around him. Weekends were planned around him. Vacations were planned around him. I wanted him to experience the world and I knew life was only made better with him by my side.

Then I reconnected with my high-school sweetheart, Steve, and relocated to Minneapolis. Fly? Nah. I drove all the way from LA to Minnesota to make sure Lobster was as comfortable as possible.  (By the way, spending the night in Las Vegas with your dog is surreal.)

Steve quickly fell in love with him and Lobster loved him right back. We were a family.

And then our sons came into our world, and Lobster morphed so beautifully into a true family dog. A protector of me. A protector of our boys. Always looking out for us and being oh-so-patient while the boys crawled on him, petted him with small, clumsy hands and shared so many meals with him.

As I look to celebrate Lobster’s 11th birthday in a few weeks, I am so very grateful for everything he has brought to our lives. He has transitioned so beautifully from being the center of my world, to being a part of our world. He is warm and wise. He is empathetic with the calmest soul. He is hands-down the best dog I could have ever hoped for.

My wish is that he lives long enough that my youngest will truly remember him and our boys will be instilled with a lifelong love of dogs. And I know without a doubt that no matter what, he will always live in my heart.  I’m so aware that dogs only live a fraction of our lives but the impact he has made will last a lifetime.

Credit: Olive Ave Photography