85/365

85/365, originally uploaded by britrosewhite.

Nothing really matters about today except that after I worked out I decided to go outside and rake up some dead grass in our garden. That's when I realized that Gracey was gone. I could hardly believe it. It's totally not her style. There's no way she could have got out of the backyard and she'd been inside all afternoon anyway.

Right?

Well somehow, she got out the garage door and she followed her nose right out of our yard. And I didn't notice until almost two hours after she left.

Rachel, Jacob and I got in our three cars and explored the neighborhood. Completely helpless. What do you do? I talked to garbage men, I talked to strangers...I decided not to yell after the kids getting off the school bus.

I called the humane society. Rachel called the city. I posted two ads on craigslist and another on a pet finding site. We made fliers.

I didn't know what else to do so I raked the garden and I cried. And I prayed out loud. Here's what I knew: I was sad. I know that God doesn't like to see His children sad. So I figured, maybe I can appeal to His heart. I knew it could be worse, I did. But it didn't mean I wasn't just plain sad.

Then mom came home with the fliers and we ran to the store to buy tape.

My dad made it home from work in the meantime and he wanted us to pick him up. He's good at spotting animals and he has the sort of energy that makes you feel like things are going to happen. We needed that.

Plus, he freakin' loves that dog.

A few years ago we made some Christmas yard art. A big star with "unto you a Savior is born" scripture painted on it. We use a bunch of wooden stakes to hold it up and dad decided to use them in a pinch. He broke a few up and threw them in the van.

And we were off. First stop, the end of the street. We got out and started banging the stake in the ground when we hear a few barks. Not uncommon, but dad's ears perked up.

"That second one sounded like Gracey."

I wasn't so convinced. But I motioned for Rachel to get out of the car and go check.

Dad beat her to it. I didn't even see him go, but before I knew it he was at that fence. And as he tells it, first dog - no, not her. Second dog - no, not her. And then...there she is. Her face right up next to his on the other side of the fence.

"SHE'S HERE!"

And I felt one extreme emotion flip flop to the other extreme emotion.

We knocked on the door and met the nicest family ever. They were cooking burgers and were going to walk her down the street and knock on doors after dinner. They found her sniffing some bushes nearby and she came to them immediately when they called her. This guy is smart, because he held up a leash and judged by her reaction that she had an owner. He could tell that she knew what putting on a leash would mean.

We told him we'd been praying and were so thankful and he agreed that faith surpasses all circumstances.

Then he asked if we lived in the house that puts up the star every Christmas.

Guess we'll have to fix those stakes.


Dad was all too happy to share the good news.


Next stop, tracking chip and collar. This girl won't leave us again, I'll tell you that.