They say that you can tell what a person values by what she takes pictures of.

If that’s the case, I have to apologize to my kids. Or yell at them for not hanging out with me enough so I can take as many pictures of them as I do of Elmer.

He’s ten years old today.

Happy birthday to the only uncomplicated relationship I have. I wake up; he sits on the couch with me while I have my coffee. I go to work; he follows me to the door and watches me leave. I come home; he barks at me until I give him a biscuit. He gets scared during thunderstorms at 3 a.m.; I sit up with him and try to function without any sleep.

And I’m glad to do it. I’ll do it for another ten years if you’ll have me.

© E. Stocking Evans 2015