And my little dog, too.

I had no idea how having a dog would change everything. Three years ago today, it started with this little munchkin snuggling into the crook of my neck.

Oh, puppy love! That delicious puppy breath, those chunky paws, that wet puppy nose and his unbelievably soft ears. I was a goner.

You know what else was gone? Sleeping in for the next six months. Casually leaving shoes and socks lying around. Leaving anything casually lying around. Heading out of town on a whim. My ability to ignore dog poop. A chunk of our budget consumed by Knox’s addiction to rawhide {beef flavored only, please.}

But in the three years that Knox has been a part of our life, he has been everything that I imagined having a dog would be. He is ridiculously loving even when I am not so loveable to him. He is faithful beyond all reason, always wanting to be around me {which Jason cannot stand!}. He is still the best little snuggle bunny in the world and firmly believes that he still fits in my lap. He has his tricks down solid and will jump up to offer fist bumps to the words, “Go Heels!” or “Go Vols!” but remains firmly on the ground when he hears the words, “Go Duke!”

Smartest boy EVER.

And then there’s the whole meeting us at the door thing. It doesn’t matter if we’ve been gone for twenty minutes or six hours, Knox is always overjoyed to see us. It’s a little ridiculous sometimes, really. I mean, I’m cool and all but I just went to the car to get the second load of groceries.

I think my favorite part of the Knoxster is the endearing little habit he’s picked up in the last year of demonstrating his dissatisfaction, irritation or otherwise disgruntledness by moaning and grunting at us. Seriously. Often he will settle in for a nap in whatever room we’re occupying and if the volume level goes up even a little, he moans a deep moan to let us know we need to be quiet. When he’s been obnoxious or naughty and we give the command, “Chair!” he goes to the chair but as he’s laying down he lets out a grumbling grunt. It’s his way of being a total teenager.

Punk.

And have I mentioned that he audibly burps? Oh, yeah. He’s gracious enough to wait until he’s just laid his adorable face on your knee and then he lets it rip. No shame, no embarrassment, just lets it all out.

Ruuude.

But he’s mine all mine. He’s my Knox, the Bubba, Mopey Moperson, Monster.

Glad you’re here, freckle face, love you to pieces…