i didn't know i was a dog lover until 2003. when i was 16, i got my first dog. i named him baby, because the lady who bred him called him that and i didn't know if he would be smart enough to learn another name. 

he's the smartest dog i've ever met. i should've given him a better name. 

he taught me so much about love and my capacity to love. when i moved away for college and then for grad school and then for a new job. baby didn't go with me. he stayed with my parents. baby and my dad have an unbreakable bond. one that even through my love for him, i could never break.  

flash forward to august 2014. enter, po. 

i had been wanting a puppy since i moved away from home. po was a long time coming. but i had forgotten how hard it was to raise a puppy. especially without my parents. puppies are cute for a reason — to deflect from the fact that they are just awful little demons, haha. it was a challenging venture. but just like any new venture into parent(puppy)hood is, the payoff comes with patience. and po came around. he's one of the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet and fills our lives with so much joy every day. 

and on june 12th, po turned one. happy birthday, po!