Happy Birthday Tui!

Dear Tui,
Happy Birthday! I cannot believe you are 2 already. Last time I saw you, you were jumping off the dock into the lake without hesitation. It was a little painful to swim near you in case you needed a rest, but you were a natural swimmer. When you kicked it into "high gear", you could almost catch up with Jake. Do you remember how Jake would dissapear and then reappear behind you? You always looked so confused. He was swimming under you.
Have the other lake dogs accepted you? I heard that Aunt Terri taught you how to open a and close a door! Which one?






There are lots of dogs here in China. They are not like you at all. They are small and a little bit scruffy looking. They are unfriendly and don't care for any attention--only food. They have such short legs that they often have to get rides in their owners' bicycle baskets or be carried around.

Tui, there is no other face that can bring me such joy. I have shown all my students photos of you. When I tell them how big you are, they ask me if you are dangerous. They say that, in China, all the dogs as big as you live out in the country.
I think of you daily. It brings me peace to think of the life you have with Aunt Terri and Uncle Randy. I miss you all more than you can imagine.
Love,
Betsy