On a Sunday afternoon, after the hot shower and a snack and ice cold water

I sit with a book on the couch or under the covers of my bed

And Avalon lays next to me with her pretty little head on my lap, trusting me to love her and leave her be.

And that is who I am.

I am not always the happy girl and makeup takes too much time on most days. Most likely I don’t have plans other than relaxing and loving my family for the rest of the night.

I think too much, all the time but on a Sunday with Avalon I can just sit and read or close my eyes or get puppy kisses.

My face is blotchy after my shower and my hair has dead ends that like to attach themselves to one another. My clothes are unavoidably covered with little dog hairs. And I feel like they belong because I sometimes feel like I connect more with dogs than with humans.

I run to the door when mom gets home from work and I can’t control my excitement when my boyfriend comes over.

I often leave messes when I eat. And I like to sleep all over the house, couch, chair, other couch, mom’s bed.

I break things when I get too excited and am not careful.

I drool when I sleep.

But mostly, I love like a dog, irrevocable and vulnerable.