30 Things That Make Me Happy(Or: Why I’ll Always Say Yes to Chaos in a Dog Suit)

Happiness isn’t always clean. It’s rarely calm. And often, it smells vaguely like wet fur and liver treats.

But it’s real. And it sneaks in when I least expect it.

Here are 30 things that make me happy—some loud, some quiet, and all tangled up in the mayhem that is Sauli.

Her morning zoomies—pure chaos at 6:00 a.m., but somehow… joyful.
The sound of paws on hardwood—a soft reminder that I’m not alone.
Chewed-up leashes—each one a timestamp of her wild spirit.
That moment in Book 1 when she finally lets her guard down (don’t worry, no spoilers).
Dog daycare report cards that read like wild police blotters.
Writing “Sauli and the Great Escape” and laughing harder than I should.
Readers telling me their rescue stories. Instant soul connections.
Watching her sleep—face twitching, probably dreaming of her next heist.
The smell of her head—yes, I’m one of those people.
Illustrating her stories with a mix of watercolor and chaos.
Rainy days with her curled by my side.
The fact that she once tried to outsmart a wolfdog.
Packing books for readers. Each one feels personal.
Remembering our first meeting in that wild Wisconsin hotel.
Leaving her with Loretta and getting daily Sauli-shenanigan updates.
Sunlight on her back while she sprawls like royalty.
The paw print tattoos people send me. Yes, they exist.
Knowing that rescue stories matter.
The people who write to say, “She reminds me of my dog.”
That one scene in Great Escape when she pulls the van stunt.
Her deep sighs when she’s finally tired out.
Creating visual paw-narratives. (No, it’s not a thing. Yes, I made it one.)
Her epic escape from the bathhouse. (Also in the book. No spoilers.)
Knowing I’ll never run out of stories with her.
The ridiculous things I’ve Googled because of her. (“Is goat poop toxic for dogs?”)
Being her safe place—even when she tests every limit.
Writing newsletters that feel like letters to dog people.
The fact that she’s not easy—and never has been.
Our morning walks. Always chaotic. Always sacred.
Her. Just her. Every day. Always her.

Some people find happiness in clean sheets or empty inboxes.
I find mine in a rescue pup who turned my life upside down—and made it worth writing about.

Start the first story from The Adventures of Sauli the Rescue Pup – Sauli’s Day Across The Globe.
Continue the ride with Sauli and the Great Escape—where things get wilder, messier, and even more real.

You’ll laugh. You’ll gasp. You’ll probably say “Oh no she didn’t.”

(Oh yes. She did.)