"My happiest memory..." 

"I have always had a great love for animals, but because my family was constantly uprooted due to my father’s career in the Army, I was not allowed to have a pet. Then my dad was stationed in Fort Jackson, in Columbia, South Carolina, where we would be for at least two years. I began to campaign for a puppy, but my mom wasn’t sure that I was mature enough at age 9 to take care of a puppy myself. She finally told me that if I got straight A’s on my report care she would consider getting me a dog. Well, I’ve always loved a challenge and came through on my part of the bargain. This is where my favorite childhood memory was born. We drove out to a farm where one of my dad’s friends had a litter of German shepherd puppies. I knelt down on the ground, and one of the chubby, furry little pups ran right into my arms. I picked her up and she started licking my face, and I caught my first whiff of her irresistible puppy breath. Needless to say I was ecstatic and didn’t put her down until we got home. I named her Dolly, and she was my best friend for years to come!"

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