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If you happen to use Pinterest you may have noticed a sweet little project floating around the boards. It’s called “52 Reasons I Love You” and is intended as a special gift for a significant other. The concept is that you create a book out of an ordinary deck of playing cards.

On each card you write one thing that you love about that person. It is a beautiful, simple and meaningful gift that symbolizes just how incredible the ordinary can be. It also makes you stop and really think about your loved one and why you care for them so much. Just for fun, I decided to dedicate one to Rory…

1. Your paws smell like freshly popped unbuttered popcorn
2. You cock your head to listen whenever spoken to.
3. Your idea of the perfect evening is cuddling up on the couch.
4. You always bark to warn me of danger – even at shadows on the wall.
5. Your tail always wags.
6. You do little happy dance whenever one of your people comes to the door.
7. You let me take your picture over and over again.
8. You run around like a maniac whenever you’re super excited (aka you go ‘cracker dog’)
9. You wave at me whenever you really want something — “Puh-lease!!!”
10. Bathtime is no big deal in your books.
11. If I have to get up early, you get up early without protest.
12. If I want to sleep in, you’re cool with that too.
13. You are always thrilled to see me, even if I’ve only been gone for two seconds.
14. Travelling in the car is one of your favourite things.
15. You are very understanding when a foster comes to stay in our home.
16. You sit pretty just because you can.
17. Whenever you get scared you come running to find me.
18. Whenever I get scared you let me hold you close.
19. You never get tired of watching silly chick-flicks with me (aka, you’re the perfect date)
20. You make cooking fun by hanging out in the kitchen and helping clean up the floor.
21. You give kisses like they are going out of style.
22. You find the best of every season: chasing leaves in the fall, playing with snow in the winter, rolling in mud in the spring and swimming in lakes in the summer.
23. You routinely stuff your nose in my purse searching for a treat.
24. You go bonkers for bubble wrap and tissue paper.
25. You love to help open the mail.
26. You make every guest feel like the most important person in the world.
27. You are always eager to learn new things.
28. You get a little grumpy when I take your collar off – fine by me as your collar keeps you safe.
29. You won’t eat your supper if the whole family is home but in different rooms — “Families should eat together guys.”
30. You are an absolute dream with kids and make the perfect pint-sized playmate.
31. You love to challenge the vacuum cleaner to a playful duel every time it comes out.
32. You pretend not to be mischievous even though you really are.
33. When you don’t want to go to your bed you will crawl underneath mine and stay there until I fall asleep… and then jump up (cheeky monkey!)
34. Your idea of bliss is rolling around in fresh grass clippings.
35. You sleep on your back like a person.
36. You like to talk by ‘gruffing’ and snorting.
37. You love being picked up, but you love walking/running around just as much.
38. You are such a happy-go-lucky morning person.
39. You like to drape yourself around a person’s shoulders like a cat.
40. You are good at finding your people and playing hide and seek.
41. When a baby comes to visit you will gently and sneakily try to steal their toys when the coast is clear… but always give them back.
42. You follow your people all over the house and like to try and herd them all into the same room.
43. You never give up hope that one day you will catch a squirrel.
44. You think socks are the best toy ever!
45. No matter what happens, you can turn anything into a game.
46. You adore spending as much time as possible outside.
47. You smile. All the time.
48. You know the sound of your people’s vehicle and get really excited to hear it rumble up the driveway.
49. You are determined. Oh so determined. It must be the poodle in you.
50. You love peanut butter as much as I do.
51. You always jump into the water to ‘save’ me, even though I tell you I’m ok and am just swimming.
52. You are bursting with love.
This is a really great exercise that can be adapted to suit any number of situations: 52 reasons you love somebody, 52 things you always want to cherish, 52 things you want to accomplish in a year (one per week), 52 things you want to teach your children, 52 things you’ve learned about life…. what would your 52 list be about?