Each year on Jukie's birthday, we focus on spoiling our boy silly. Nothing makes Jukie happier than spending the day hiking through the woods with his family. If there's mud involved, so much the better!
Jukie doesn't understand birthdays. He understands life's simple pleasures. We always strive to make Jukie laugh — and on his birthday, it's a day-long endeavor. He's used to lots of attention and affection from all of us, so he takes our additional focus in stride. We chase him till he squeals in delight. We offer countless hugs and kisses, and bake his favorite cake. And we always take our nature boy into his element so that he can run free, picking up sticks and communing with the forest. His middle name is Forest.
Today our sweet boy turns 15! We started his celebration early yesterday at Point Reyes National Seashore, hiking the Bear Valley Trail, a path that runs parallel with a winding creek. The fog surrounding the mountains and the meadow at the summit of our adventure made the place seem other-worldly. In a way, we felt that we had entered Jukie's world.
