Well, I’m writing tonight from a hotel room in Bermuda Run, North Carolina, because I’m attending the Creative at Heart conference this week. I drive in on November 11th, which is my sweet Mille’s 9th birthday. Since I had to leave so early to get her in time for the kickoff, we celebrated her on Saturday.

Some of you may know that we lost our sweet Bella in 2016, shortly after her 9th birthday. When we celebrated it, we did not know that she was sick yet. I remember going to Three Dog Bakery in Franklin, Tennessee to pick up some toys and they happened to have a round pink cake (for dogs) for sell. I decided, why not, I’ll get it. I had them write her name on it and everything. I called my mom feeling silly for buying a birthday cake for a dog, and will never forget my mom telling me that you there was nothing wrong with doing that and she said you never know so celebrate her while you can. My mom had no idea that that would be her last birthday. Three months later she had crossed the rainbow bridge and I’m SO incredibly thankful that I made a silly decision to buy a silly cake for a dog that day. After that, I vowed to always celebrate my furbaby’s birthdays with cake, toys and yes, hats.

Mille is such a joy to celebrate. Years ago we nicknamed her our ‘eternal puppy’ because the thing that makes her the happiest in the world is playing fetch and getting a new toy. So, Happy Birthday my sweet Mille girl!