My Big Tex...

In honor of January 13th, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate my favorite Black Lab's birthday.

The moment I met Big Tex, I fell in love. The kind of love where you know you've just met, but if you don't scoop this adorable black fur-ball into your arms immediately, it might break your heart. Grant had just arrived home from buying Tex from a breeder in Oklahoma City. They'd been calling him "Shy Guy", but Grant knew Big Tex when he saw him. As Grant pulled Big Tex from the car, my breath literally escaped me and I knew I was already head over heels for this little guy. His big paws flopped over Grant's shoulders and his feathery-soft ears hung low, waiting to be grown into. His droopy eyes met mine and I melted. Four years later, I'm still smitten.

Grant took Tex into the backyard to get acquainted with his new home...and his new playmate. Maggie, my seven-month old pound puppy, was in desperate need of a buddy. After my apartment landlord found out I was harboring an illegal, Maggie was sent to live at Grant's rental house. Maggie had enough energy to stash away chewed up toilet paper, dig crater-sized holes in the backyard, and even munch through the dry-wall in the laundry room. Maggie needed a pup her age to keep her busy and out of trouble. Tex was her victim.

Grant set Tex down in the yard next to one of Maggie's mammoth holes. The shiny black puppy looked so small and alone out there. As he looked up at me with those loveable eyes, Maggie came bounding up to him. She raised up her front paws as if to say, "Welcome to my world!". She knocked my former Shy Guy backwards, doing several somersaults into one of the holes she'd dug with those very paws. Big Tex ended up on his back at the bottom of the hole, staring up at me as if to say, "WHO was that and why am I here?".

That was my first memory of Big Tex. Since that day, Tex has truly been (wo)man's best friend. He loyally follows me from room to room when I'm at home and dutifully watches me with those same droopy eyes. I can hear his happy "WOOF" when I get out of my car after a long day at work. I walk in the door and he moans and groans with happiness over his friend coming home to play with him. At night I see his still feathery-soft ears laying on the edge of my bed, just waiting for me to say "alright" and let him climb up for his nightly cuddle. Tex is the definition of loyalty and love. It's amazing that we as humans, such complex creatures, can learn such basic values from our furry friends. It may seem silly to attribute so much attention and admiration to a dog...unless you yourself have had your heart stolen by man's best friend.

Happy birthday, Tex. And may we celebrate many more in the future.