My Funny Valentine

Could there be anything more magical than a puppy's love?  I get it, fine, we assign human emotions to K9's and in reality they are pondering the best way to attack the fly buzzing by their head, or which one is kibbles, and which one is the bits in their bowl, but.....in my head.....I think my dogs sit around in love with me all day long.  Nobody else is that devoted to me!  When I list things I'm grateful for in nightly prayers, my dogs make the list.  I know they are little 'I love you's' when others fail, forget, or overlook your loveability. 
I've never entered my house and not been greeted by a pet...or three. 
There's never been a day they got tired of me and walked away.
I've never looked too bad, acted too meanly, or smelled too foul for their affection. 
I could learn a lot about loving from these guys. 
Last week, my first 'adult' purchase, Max, scared me.  He's 10 1/2.  He weighs 124 pounds.  He's humongous, and I know after a lifetime of pouncing, leaping, and other circus tricks his little bones are slowly growing older than his spirit.  One morning, he couldn't get up without help.  I had to lift his back legs.  He could slowly walk, and often slipped when he was perched on all fours. 
I took him to the vet.  She had grim news.  She confirmed my fears, his body is aging and there is no going back, and we weren't sure there was even any heeling left to do.  She gave him a shot of steroids, and we decided to wait a week.  I want him to have a good quality of life, and not being able to get up on his own is, obviously, not acceptable, but I wasn't ready to say he'd never be as good as he was at 10 1/2 and that this wasn't recoverable.  I hugged his big ol' neck.  And I cried.  A lot.  Two days in, the shot didn't seem to be working, and it felt more like a farewell week, than a week of hoping.  And then one morning, he greeted me on all four legs with his ball in his mouth ready to be who he once was.  His nose has been in every pile on any table that it wasn't supposed to be in, he's prepared to fetch any ball you choose to toss in his direction again (I choose NOT to lob them at this time in his life), and he's ready to rumble.   I realize it's still a matter of time, maybe a few more days, a few more month....but I'm so grateful the time isn't 'now.'  I'm so glad he gets to grow a little older with me.  I'm so glad he's my Valentine.    I'm so grateful I get to love him a little longer. 
So, tonight while the rest of the world hugs their spouses, and dines with their dates.  I'll be hanging on this guy.