Prologue

On December 5, 2009, Tim went up to Oregon for a weekend road trip to get a "gift" for me with our friend Karen. I love, and yet hate surprises at the same time. I badgered him every day in the couple of weeks leading up to his trip. Asking for hints about it until the morning he left. I had some idea that it might be a dog, we had been talking about getting one for a while.  However, after getting guilted about expecting something he couldn't afford to get me I gave that idea up.

I got a call late that night from Tim.  He said that the plans fell through and he was going to have to buy me something else for Christmas. Again, I requested to know what it was even if I was not getting it. He said good night and that we would see each other when I got off from work the following day.


3 AM

Startled awake from the brink of sleep, I almost clocked Tim in the face for quietly sneaking into the room to wake me.  I wasn't expecting him home until later that afternoon and I sure as hell wasn't expecting some dark figure to be hovering over me as I slept.  We went out to the living room where Karen was waiting to talk about the trip. Tim said he missed me so much that he forced the drive home. Since the surprise gift was botched, I asked to know what the surprise was supposed to be once again, but he wouldn't tell me until I babied him a little for getting back from Oregon in record time for me. So, I went to the kitchen to get him some water like he asked, continuing to talk about the trip...

When I looked down... 

BAM!!!

There was the cutest shiba inu puppy staring at me, pulling at the leash that tied him to the kitchen drawer.  I was so startled I nearly dropped the glass. It was almost unreal seeing the puppy of my dreams sitting in my kitchen.  This was by far the best Christmas gift EVER!