Tutu's Photographer: A Dad Story

This photo always evokes warm feelings about my dad.

I've had it since I was a little girl, and I think it will forever be one of my favorites.

Here's the story behind the photo:

When we were kids, we used to spend extended amounts of time with our grandparents in California every summer. Looking back, those summers were some of my favorite childhood adventures that I treasure—trips to the beach, Disneyland, camping in Yosemite,  Mexico. Yeah, I have awesome grandparents.

Well anyway, when I was just five years old, I was finally old enough to go on these trips with the older kids. I would be leaving to go to California and San Felipe for the first time. I was excited for a summer adventure with the big kids, but I was heartbroken that I was going to be away from my beloved golden retriever, Tutu, for so long. I cried and cried as we were getting ready to leave—“I’m going to miss Tutu!!!” I know, right? I wasn't sad about missing my parents, younger siblings, or neighborhood friends. Just the family dog.

A week or so later, my grandma showed me a peculiar letter that had arrived in the mail in California. It was a letter from Tutu with a hilarious picture of her lounging by the poolside with sunglasses and a walkman. I can’t remember exactly what the letter said, but I remember exactly how I felt. I was thrilled with such a funny picture of my dog, but I was even more pleased with somehow understanding that my dad had done this. He had set up the dog in the chair, donned sunglasses on her little canine head, plugged headphones over her furry ears, and captured this priceless photo—for me. To make me happy. 

With my childlike understanding and love of anthropomorphized golden retrievers, it worked.

I kept this photo in my possession ever since. On the back you can even see where I inscribed "22." Yep. That's what I thought the dog's name was. I took this framed picture with me to college, and even now, it still sits in mine and Jacob's home. I can never seem to part with it because I love the picture and the memory—but mostly because I love my dad.

Happy belated Father's Day, Dad. 

I love you lots!