One year ago: Cholula, 3 months.

I’m not sure what it’s like where YOU live, but Utah is dismal today.

I made my way down the canyon to Salt Lake City for an acupuncture appointment earlier. Thanks to the wintertime inversion, it was colder down there (4,200 feet above sea level) than it was at my house (6,400 feet). While light snow fell at home, icy rain was coating the SLC roads and making travel treacherous. I felt a sense of relief when I stepped inside my cozy home.

The fire is ablaze and the teapot is about to whistle at me. As the grey light outside begins to fade, I’m enjoying little points of light on a dark day. Worn-in slippers. A nubby throw blanket. A new and inspiring book. Peace, quiet, and warmth.

Oh, and these photos from one year ago, when Cholula had been with us for just one month (making her a whopping three months old). Need a pick me up? Here’s a beam of sunshine on this cloudy day!

We thought it was adorable when she gnawed on an old shoe. Until she did it to new shoes. And still does.

She was very wise around large (fake) deer at The Crazy House near John’s home. That was a sign of things to come with actual large beasts in our backyard.

She was learning to play with the BIG DOGS and was proving to have a good temperament with dogs of all sizes and ages. 

She seemed HUGE to us at 20 pounds. It was a far cry from the 5-pound puppy we brought home! And now she’s more than double that.

Her ears were something of a…situation. We weren’t sure she’d grow into them. We still aren’t.

She finally figured out how to jump on the couch by herself. This led to all sorts of new trouble to get into. 

I mean, is she a little LOVE NUGGET or what?!

We ventured outdoors more and more often. Thus began her love affair with sticks. 

She was officially MUCH bigger than her fox, which was bigger than she was when we got her. (Please note chubby tummy.)

She was getting good at demonstrating that it was time for a bigger kennel. Also perfecting her power napping skills.

She embarrassed us all at puppy training class.

She enjoyed playoff football games. 

Looking back, she seems so teensy and that puppy-ness is still SO obvious! 

Isn’t it amazing how quickly a dog becomes a companion? And then an irreplaceable best friend? She hogs the bed. She  steals tissues from the trash can and rolls in gross things she finds on the back hill. She wags while I sing and dance along to Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” She licks me when I’m crying or sick (or if I’ve just used lotion of any kind.) She hides under the bed every time I sneeze. She squiggles when we get home and makes happy grunting noises. She lays on the bathmat while I’m in the shower and in front of the stove when I’m cooking. She wants to be with us, no matter what. She loves us unconditionally. If something like that doesn’t warm your soul, I don’t know what could.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, the present-day Cholula is waiting for me to turn my attention her way. She deserves it. She brightens up every day, just by being there!

Whatever your “sunshine” on a cloudy day, I hope you found a little bit today!