It all started with Max.

Ah, Max, that whirlwind of energy wrapped in a grin so wide it could outshine the sun.

The moment he stepped into our lives, I could smell it.....adrenaline mixed with just a hint of sweat, like the scent of a race track after a downpour.

Max didn’t just walk; he practically bounded in, like a puppy discovering a new park for the first time.

His laugh echoed through the rooms, a deep, contagious rumble that made even the walls seem to smile.

I watched as he tossed tennis balls with reckless enthusiasm.....balls flying through the air with such speed and precision that even I, a master of fetch, sometimes struggled to keep up.