Bonus post, happy 5th birthday to my Mackie

A little break from cancer talk for some bonus content today, because my sweet Big Mack turns five.

Mackie, a.k.a. Muffin, a.k.a. Big Mack, is our chocolate Labradoodle and one of the best things that has ever happened to our family. He drives his big sister Lola absolutely crazy, she is fifteen and a full blown senior citizen who would prefer he calm down for about a decade. He has no plans to oblige.

What I love most about him is that he is a natural service animal. When he can tell we are sad or struggling, he climbs up, nuzzles his big head into our chest, and just stays there. He does not need to be asked. On the hardest days of this journey he has been the quiet, warm, heavy weight on my lap that reminds me I am still here and still loved.

Happy birthday, Mackie. Thank you for being our comfort, our chaos, and our joy. Here is to many more years of snuggles, zoomies, and driving Lola up a wall.