The Journey of Bringing Stella to Life

They say your dog starts to look like you, but I beg to differ. Act like me? Maybe. But Stella has a look all her own. She's a star, and she certainly doesn't need anyone fawning over her to know it.

I've always looked forward to my birthday each year, so I couldn't help but laugh when I realized Stella and I celebrate ours just days apart. As if that wasn't enough, we also share the same zodiac sign. Two Aquarians... ruh-roh!

Looking back, maybe it should have been obvious from the start. Stella has always marched to the beat of her own drum. She's curious, adventurous, fiercely independent, and never afraid to make her presence known. Those little personality quirks didn't just make me fall in love with her, they eventually inspired something much bigger.

From the very beginning, Stella made one thing abundantly clear: she was the boss.

She insisted on holding her own leash during walks, only placing it in my hand once she decided she was done carrying it herself. I taught her how to shake paws, but she quickly decided that trick was for private audiences only. If anyone else was around, she'd look at me as if to say, Absolutely not. To this day, she still refuses to perform on command for a crowd.

She also had very strong opinions about mealtime. Stella chose exactly where she wanted to eat, and if her bowl wasn't placed in the precise spot she had in mind, she simply wouldn't eat. There was no negotiating with her. She knew what she wanted, and she expected the rest of us to figure it out.

Despite all the sass, Stella has the sweetest heart.

Whenever I'm crying, she's right there to lick away my tears, as if she's trying to make everything okay. Somehow, she's also become incredibly protective of me. If I have a bad feeling about someone or simply don't trust their energy, Stella seems to know it instantly. She'll often growl or give them a look that says she feels the same way. I swear she has a sixth sense, and I can't make this stuff up.

Looking back, I may not have been ready for a dog when Stella came into my life, but I know without a doubt that she was meant to be mine. She has been my greatest adventure, my biggest source of laughter, and the inspiration behind the stories I'm now writing. Before Stella ever became a character on a page, she was, and always will be, the heart behind every story.