I was 6. It was close to my birthday, and my parents told me they had a surprise for me. We loaded up into my aunt's vehicle and drove to a town 30 minutes away. I kept wondering where we were going and why we were at my house. I thought, "This isn't a store where you usually get a birthday present..."

We all filed out of the car, my parents and aunt grinning ear to ear. We walked into this small white house with a chain linked fence around it. I could hear the barking of dogs when we got to the door. As soon as the people who lived here opened the door, we saw them. Pugs everywhere!

It was amazing. I had always loved pugs because my grandma owned one. One of the people who owned the house and the dogs went into a back room. They came back out with a little pug puppy and told me it was mine. I was ecstatic!

We drove back home with our new edition to the family. I was so excited to get it back to our house so I could play with her. My mom gave me the choice to name her, and I named her Maisy (at the time it was the name of a character of my favorite TV show).

My family and I finally got home and I got to introduce her to my lab/golden retriever mix, Shelby. Shelby was an older dog; my parents had gotten her when they first met. Shelby wasn't the most enthusiastic, but eventually Maisy grew on her.

Everyday I spent with this little dog. I taught her how to sit, walk by my side without wandering, we did it all. She was my best friend. One day, we even brought her to my grandmas house to meet her pug! It was the cutest picture ever (if only I could find it).

By the time my pug was two, our Labrador had passed away. During family Christmas, my cousins had bought a tiny black pug puppy. My mom jokingly told them that if they ever need to get rid of her, we would take her. Well a year later, they gave us a call asking to take this dog off their hands. Now we didn't have just one pug, but we had two! My Maisy enjoyed having another playmate, especially since she had become depressed after the death of Shelby.

Fast forward 11 years, Maisy is 13 and Esther will be turning 11 in October. These pugs are my everything. Every school dance, I would pose for a picture with my precious pug, Maisy. The different personalities that they formed was astounding to watch. Maisy also sleeps with me every single night. My sister was born a year before we got Esther, so naturally she became my sister's dog.

Their times are coming to an end, both having multiple health conditions. But they had taught me so many life lessons while growing up, such as: unconditional love, patience, companionship, and responsibility. Growing up with dogs is one of the best ways to grow up, and I am so blessed that I got to raise and grow up with these two little furballs.