AN EMOTIONAL TWO WEEKS

Well, this time period started with this...."I'M SO MAD AT THIS DOG (Apollo)! We were gone today, and he ran away. Jimmy and my parents searched and searched. I don't want to give up hope, but he's little, not very bright, and we live in the country...wooded country. If he doesn't get hit by a car or killed by the coyotes tonight and is found, I will be so happy but surprised. We love his dumb butt so much! The girlies don't know yet, and I'm dreading the morning to tell them. He has his many doggie faults, but he is so patient and loving with our kids."

While we had been gone all day with church and then the Weber Easter, Apollo had gotten out of his kennel (a little trick he knows).  He was scratching at my parents' door, so my dad went to our house to let him outside.  Apollo was in "freak out mode" though and ran away.  He doesn't do well with people outside of our family and is very anxious when we are away.  He wouldn't come back, and obviously didn't find his way back.

After a week with no news even putting out flyers and searching everyday, we assumed he died.  So, we bought a puppy because we are NOT a dogless household and this specific dog felt right, falling right into place...."Well, it happened way faster than I was thinking, but we were sent a Craigslist link for just what we wanted. This is Drax, a mini Aussie/heeler mix, and Jimmy drove down to Illinois to get him last night. He looks big in this picture, but he's mostly fur and should max out around 30 lbs. We're obviously wearing him out, and the kids won't stop fighting over him!"

The very next morning though, someone spotted Apollo and reported it to the "Lost Dogs of Wisconsin."  On his 9th day gone, we personally spotted Apollo, but it didn't go as you would think...."The day we picked up our puppy, there had been no news or sightings of Apollo for EIGHT days. We assumed that something happened to him, likely on the first night. He's a toy breed, we live in the country, and it was near freezing for many nights last week. On the ninth day though, someone saw him. We personally sighted him on the tenth day. The problem is that he's been out so long now and is so freaked out, we can't get him to come to even us. We have tried a lot of things (the children, other dogs, food, live traps, ATVs, etc.), but the distances are long in the fields and he's lost once he makes it to the tree-lines. Gratefully, we have sighted him everyday for the last 4 days, but tomorrow will be FOURTEEN days. I know he's just a dog and honestly, I'm okay with moving on if he dies, but the thought of him out there scared, cold and hungry is really upsetting. He's gotten really skinny. The fact that we've gotten so close to catching him but each time could be the last time we ever see him is an awful anxiety-filled feeling. We've spent every spare moment we've had morning, day and night working on this."

A wonderful farmer, Robert, who lives about a mile away helped us a lot.  Apollo seemed to do about a  2 miles circle radius around our property.  He was trying to find home, but let's be honest, he's not very closely related to wolves, lol.  Even though he wouldn't come to us, I think he recognized our scents when he wasn't been chased/scared.  So he stayed in the 1/2 mile area, mostly Robert's land, for the four days we kept spotting him.  It was a very bad few days for everyone.  By the last day, Jimmy and I were at each other's throats.  I'm quite positive I've never screamed at him like that.  It was very emotional.  I enlisted the prayers of Facebook and 4 hours later, Apollo was home.  

"GUYS, HE'S HOME!!! Skinny, smelly, tick-filled but home. One of our farmer neighbors from about a mile away cornered him in a stream. Thank you for all your suggestions and prayers! He immediately calmed down once he was put in his little kennel and took a second to realize what was going on. He couldn't decide between eating or coming to sit on my lap and happy whining. Lots of crying little girls over here, but the good way FINALLY!!"

Drax has proven a very nice addition.  He's very intelligent and has a great personality.  He's almost 4 months old now that I'm writing this and hasn't had an accident in the house in 4 whole days.  He can still be nippy and picks up a flip-flop or toy here and there, but I seriously can't complain.  Our household is not ready to grow with more children, but a puppy, apparently we were ready for that.  He's brought a lot of joy, and not to be corny, but it honestly feels like this whole ordeal happened to grow our faith and to bring him to our family.  I honestly think Heavenly Father let's our lives play out on their own more than we like to believe, but I felt His hand very strongly in all of this.  I didn't expect Him to save Apollo and I was okay with that, and I'm not sure why we were blessed to have it otherwise.

Parker with her Apollo :)

Drax at now almost 4 months old.  He's adorable.