Sammy was my friend, first - and my dog, second. I'd go so far as to say that she was my co-pilot through life. I was in the navy when we met in Rota, Spain. When I got orders to come back home to the United States, so did Sammy. She was even issued her own passport!

Everyone on the flight loved her, so she got first-class treatment. During our quick stop in the Azores, she played with the flight crew. Stateside, I moved a lot and she helped make Florida, North Carolina, and Texas seem like home.

She loved tennis balls and was always up for a game. When she wasn't playing with me, she used to like to chase squirrels. Since I worked such crazy hours, I got her a doggy door. One day, when it was raining pretty hard, I came home to a house full of muddy dog prints. She was rolling on her back on the couch, when I walked in. If dogs can smile - she was. How can you get mad at that?

Her energy sustained me through the rough times - especially during my divorce. If I was having a bad day, I knew that when I walked through the door, she'd be there to meet me with her full-body, tail-wagging dance. And when she would lay next to me, with her chin on my lap, I felt like she understood what I was going through.

Sammy tore a ligament in her knee, but that didn't stop her from enjoying life. She continued to chase the ball and squirrels. If I didn't stop her, she wouldn't be able to walk the next day. But Sammy didn't complain - she always gave 100%.

In February of 2007, Sammy died, leaving me with ten years of great memories. I especially miss her when I walk by a park and see everyone playing with their dogs. I was looking for the right way to honor her, and I think that the photo book does just that. Now Sammy is immortalized as the wonderful friend that she was to me.