Tuesday 17 September 2013

Guess Who's 15!!!!

Only THE best dog to ever grace a family's life.  Murphy Watertails Hendricks; la grande dame of Labradors turned 15 this past weekend.

 She joined our family at 8 weeks.  She's an Empire Loyalist hailing from regal Kingston Ontario.  We flew her to Calgary to become a redneck dog.  She's never looked back.  She spent five years being the center of our world...till J came along, and he became the center of hers.


They're quite the team these two, and have been since the very beginning.  I could drown in a well as long as she is beside him.  I'm sure it had NOTHING to do with all the food he dropped.


 ....or the spoons they both got to lick.


When I lament the passing of time, and J's evolution to the big and beautiful boy that he is now; it is these images of J and Murphy that are forever etched in my mind.  One hand on his beloved bottle, the other curled in her fur.  Everyday...EVERYDAY.  She has the patience of Job.



Even when at age 7, we flew her to Geneva for five years.  She never missed a beat.  Of course, there was no quarantine in Switzerland, just a really nice vet at the airport.


Murphy was beside J at every first day of school.  Every one and I have the calendars to prove it!  The only exception was day one down under when she hadn't yet joined us.  But we made up for that.


In February 2011, Murphy safely landed, at age 12,  on Australian soil after a looooong solo trip that took her from Geneva to overnighting in Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Melbourne.  I'm not exaggerating that it was one of the happiest days of my life when I finally got to see her at the quarantine facilities where she spent the next 30 days.


 On day 31, I took her to the beach...


I'm pretty sure she thought it was worth the wait.


Through thick, thin, many miles, and 10 years together, they're still a team.




































They don't come much better!  Happy birthday Murphy, we love you to the moon and back but know that every day with you now is your gift.

3 comments:

Jen said...

Murph is an awesome girl and we love her so!

Sheila Cook said...

OMG - of course I'm crying now... Man oh man you have the bestest dog ever and my kids always say - "when can be get a Murghy dog?" Happy Birthday, Murgh! Sx Cx Sx

DL NELSON said...

Happy Birthday Murphy