it was 11 years ago today that ivan said goodbye to his friends at the humane society on 59th st. and headed 4 blocks south for his new home at 340 e. 55th street. he was wearing a little yellow rain coat that the staff gave to him as a farewell gift. i remember our walk down second avenue like it was yesterday. while holding his leash in my right hand, bursting full of puppiness, ivan sped down the avenue while i tried to keep up, schlepping his crate stuffed full of his belongings in my left hand. the entire way home i kept thinking “wow, you’re mine. you’re going to live with me. i have a dog. you’re mine.”
funny how i thought he belonged to me. it didn’t take long for me to realize that he didn’t belong to me at all, but i belonged to him. he stole my heart and now owns it completely.

ivan, december 8th 1999
he was the cutest thing i ever saw.

ivan’s first day at home
and he still is! happy birthday, my love!
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ivan, december 2010
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“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
– Helen Keller
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