It was the greatest sense of excitement I'd ever felt. The hugest sense of hope and the most intense sense of expectation. As I walked down the hallway toward the instructor's office at
Guide Dogs for the Blind;'s
Oregon campus, I had so many thoughts running through my head. Will the dog like me? What will he feel like? Will I be able to see his coloring? Will he and I work well together? I'd already been told that his name was Julio, he was a boy and he was a yellow lab. With every step I took down the hall, the sense of anticipation grew. Finally, I reached the instructor's office. I sat on the couch and waited. I

I heard the click of doggy toe nails against the tile floor, thump of a tail wagging. Then I felt the furry head of a dog in my lap as the instructor clipped the end of my leash to Julio's collar. I immediately noticed that Julio was a happy dog, and that he wanted attention. After I'd patted him on the head, I realized that his nose was wiggling its way under my bottom, even as I was sitting on the couch. The next few minutes were a blurr, with lots of pictures being taken for my parents who couldn't be there and some information on his basic facts. Though I was initially disappointed that he wasn't a girl, I had already started to bond and connect with Julio. By the end of that day, I knew he was the right dog for me.

Four years later, I still love him. My sense of love for this dog only grows stronger. I think about what Julio and I have done together, what we've learned from each other and how much I love him. I look forward to many more years with Julio.