I wrote this book while on maternity leave with our son, piecing together the manuscript in between the haze of irregular sleep. Becoming a mom, I have found clarity and empathy for how my parents raised me, and specifically the decisions they made as first-generation immigrants with scarce resources. There were, and always will be, more reasons to not get a dog than to get one. Timing will never be ideal. Therefore, I have nothing but sincere gratitude for the leap of faith they made taking my younger sister Michelle and I to pick up our loud, rambunctious puppy on a Sunday night, on the eve of my first college-level placement exam. Momo cried the whole first night. I slept 2 hours and narrowly passed the exam. I do not regret any of it.

Momo is, and always will be, my best friend. When we lost her in 2022, I couldn't believe that my child will never get to meet the energetic little soul that is our dog, so I hope that this book can bridge the gap between my two favorite spirits who barely overlapped with each other in this lifetime.