As a child, I'd never really had the fun experience of having a family dog to love and raise.

I do re-call a brief trial period with a couple of puppies my parents surprised us with, but unfortunately that didn't last but a few weeks. One of the dogs bit my sister playing too rough, my other sister tried to stuff the other dog into her doll's stroller for a little ride, and I don't ever really recall being motivated to make good on the promises we profusely made about cleaning up after the puppies in order to keep them.

We were living proof that little girls under the age of 10 are not capable of scooping poop, no matter how cute and fluffy the maker is.

Four years ago today, my husband and I took home this little monster baby.

She cried and yelped and protested her crate throughout the first night we had her, left us little surprises around our little apartment, regularly threw up her meals on the upholstery of both our cars during short road trips, and bit a hole into my favorite living room pillows as well as one of my favorite scarves.

And yet despite all of this, she has managed to take up residency in a very special part of our hearts.

And yes, it is because of her that I now know how to pooper-scoop.....like a boss. =)

Happy Monday!