She is the best Christmas present I have ever gotten and she did not come in a shiny box with pretty red bows. Instead, she came in the form of a picture in an email. The subject line read female pup. The little crinkles on her ankles, long white nails, the big round loving eyes, fluffy white fur that made me want to reach out and touch the picture, and adorable spots on her button nose. I was in love. 

Even though I have not met her, I consider her one of the family. Every week I get new pictures of Cora. I have watched her coat darken and her learn to give kisses while being held in trainer arms. Her ankle rolls have disappeared, and now she had a look of wisdom on her young and curious face. Instead of being a blob of fur, a very cute blob of fur, she is developing muscle and wears a new look of intelligence on her face. She grows big and strong with her puppy friends. Her gold coat gleams in the sun and her ears are blown back by the wind as she chases imaginary friends. She is in full play mode, at a full sprint across the Mississippi acreage. In the most recent picture, I have of Cora she is sitting proudly in a boat. Her paw is up in the air, almost screaming, “hey look at me, I’m really cool!”

She makes me wonder what it feels like to be a puppy. To be strong and energetic and carefree. To enjoy nature and the simple things in life. To be free, like a toddler, in the young stages of their lives. Not a care in the world or time to waste, since everything is an adventure. Maybe when she finally comes home, she will help me remember what it is like to be a kid again.