Happy Birthday to Hallelujah!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HALLELUJAH CHEWBACCA HOLLAND!!

This picture was taken when Halbo was about 4 months old, in Greensboro, NC. He posed his own paw for the camera even!

Here is Halbo, a whopping 12 YEARS LATER! Hal turned 12 today on May 3, 2009; a day I honestly thought we'd never share with this dog. If you haven't met Halbo, he's a very special dog. He's grumpy, grouchy, a nervous-nelly, and incredibly territorial. He's likely bit or nipped at many of you, our precious readers! He said he's sorry!

Last summer, Hal blew out his right hind leg knee, and we thought we were going to have to put him down. His vet advised against having surgery, because he is old and would likely blow the other one any day. We brought him home with a decision to make; let him go play with Mama Jacque (my mom) and Jesus, or keep him with us and let him be a happy tripod. He had actually started working on the annual Christmas letter, just in case he wouldn't be around to finish it for the holidays...

Well, we actually went to bed that night expecting to put him down the next day or so...and then we woke up. He was bouncing around, playing, barking, asking to go on walks, the whole bit. After we dried our faces, we decided a happy tripod was just fine with us! Shar-peis have a normal lifespan of 7-10 years, so he's quite the elder statesman. Here's to you our first "child" - Happy Birthday Hallelujah!