Finding his way home!!! Huck's Journey!

How he came back in our life:

If you are friends with me on Facebook you have probably seen this whole journey come to life. It was a shocking event, and we really didn't expect it to happen to us ever. We were middle of getting ready to move when an email in my old email account caught my eye.

My old inbox is generally full of spam I swim through and delete, you know the account you simply use when needing an email for something to get a coupon etc..Well one of the Subject lines read We have Huck.

Huck? I haven't seen that name in 5 years, could this be actually a legit email or a weird coincidence? So I opened it up with major curiosity!! And there he was his handsome albeit graying little face.

I was shocked and immediately had Dustin come look, my baby was in a shelter in Texas :(

How we were separated from Huck:

In 2012 we were all gears ahead to move to Germany from Hawaii, I was 36 week pregnant with our first daughter, but our doctor told us we were good to fly. So we had our whole house already on its way across country, and we sitting in a hotel with just our suitcases and our pup!! He had his dr certificate, and kennel all labeled and ready. That is when it happened, we got the call from the airline that our flight had gotten pushed back. We were taking a civilian flight stateside, and there were no pet spots. They gave us the option to wait a week and get a pet flight. But my doctor said, you go now or you are staying here to have that baby.

I was so heart broken, it was either fly to Germany with Dustin and have our first baby together, but leave Huck in Hawaii or stay in Hawaii alone with none of our stuff so we could keep Huck!!

Obviously the choice had to be made and I wasn't going to have and raise a baby alone for the hardest first weeks, without any of our stuff. I cried all night knowing we were going to have find my  battle buddy a new home right as we were leaving the island. We found a family willing to take him, and said a teary-eyed goodbye as we drove away from him in a gas station parking lot.

Heart Broken doesn't describe it, I can remember how emotional and sad I was. But we made out trip and the family never contacted us again.



Five years Later:

After the initial shock of reading the email had worn off. I wrote them back saying we indeed did know that sweet pup they had in their custody. Dustin looked up the family we had given him to see where they were and if they were aware that Huck was in the shelter. (How after 5 years and a flight stateside does one not change the registration on the Chip to their contact information?)

They had moved to Colorado, he had gotten out before they moved, and they couldn't find him. So they moved and from the lack of interest when mentioned to them, weren't' concerned about getting him back.

So I asked Dustin what he thought about trying to bring him home so he could live out the last of his life with us! I was so excited and Surprised when he said Okay lets do it.

So we took to social media to see if we knew anyone near where he was to make his trip home possible!! We were soon connected with this amazing guy Anthony!! He works with two different programs that helps find foster families, re-homing babies and apparently reuniting long lost family members!! Without all his help it wouldn't have ever been possible.

His Journey Home:

After finding Anthony, he helped guide us through the process with the shelter to allow him to be picked up and taken from the kennel with Anthony. It was so much easier than expected and since we technically gave him up to the shelter he was cleared to be released to Anthony. From there he was taken to an amazing boarding kennel in El Paso. Howl-a-Day Inn!! The amazing staff were delighted to spend time with our well mannered pup!! He was so loved, she couldn't even bare to charge us for his near 2 week stay!! We are overly thankful for her kindness.

This was when we met Ron, he is the kind soul willing to do all the crazy running around it takes to prepare a dog for a cross-country flight. He took him to the vet, picked up his kennel, took him to the airline, and even gave him some love the day before his flight.

We hit our only major snag when the first airline out of El Paso decided to refund our money as it was too hot to fly him and they didn't have a/c cargo. However we were able to find him another flight with a cheaper airline for just a few days later.

Finally he was homeward bound!! We were so excited to know he was going to be home. The kids could hardly wait to meet him.

Now:

It has been nearly a week since he came home to us!! We are overjoyed everyday to have his calm and happy spirit in our house. His tail never stops wagging and he loves nothing more than to find a nice warm sunny spot and relax all day!! He and his new sister Shade are getting along pretty well, she is a bit jealous of having to share mom's attention but most the time they just mind each others space. I think his big mellow calm personality is exactly what our high wired, and anxious little girl needs in her life.

We are blessed beyond blessed to have him back in our lives!

The one with the first leap week

Well this week just seemed to drag on forever like I seriously thought it was never going to end. Probably due to the fact that each day had an added 2 hours of Dustin being gone, and that will remain that way for another 3 weeks...so thrilled it's amazing how much those extra two hours can stress you out and wear you down. But regardless that is life, and we will survive.

But the extra time isn't all that has made the week long, we had appointments, and lots of things going on.

Monday: This was my brave day, it was my first time leaving the house alone with both kids. I also managed to sleep until 8 which was bad planning, seeing as playgroup is at 9. So I rushed to get two kids ready, fed, out the door and to playgroup and still not look like death in the process. To top it off we got a freak snowstorm and it snowed most the day unexpectedly! So due to the fact this base has no parking anywhere I had to carry Darren in his car seat over two blocks. That boy is a chunk!! But playgroup was great!! We had a good time making a few time management related crafts including a clock, and an ice cream cone chore chart! After play group I had a meal to make for a friend who just had her baby boy, but not thinking ahead I didn't get the ingredients on Sunday like I should have, so I got to do the adventure that is taking two kids to a grocery store alone for the first time too!! And you know what? Kyra pushed the cart, Darren rode in the BabyHawk Carrier on mom and slept the whole way, it ended up working out great!! I even managed to go home after and get both kids down for a nap at the same time!! So the meal got cooked and we walked it down the street to them on time!! I was so proud of us!! We also managed to load back up later and go pick up Dustin after the gym!

Tuesday: We had an appointment to get Darren's Passport picture taken. The picture is too darn cute I have to say!! We ran into the passport office hoping they could squeeze us in after calling for days and no one answering to schedule an appointment. But instead they scheduled us for the next day...yay means we get to go out yet again!!

Wednesday: After enjoying the morning at home and taking a quick nap we were off to apply for the passport and birth abroad again. So annoying how quick the process is after all the pain of collecting the paperwork and making an appointment. It literally took us like 15 mins. Ran a few dishes back to people we had from the meal train, grabbed a few breakfast and lunch items to get us grouch the rest of the week!

Thursday: Was such an uneventful just hanging out day. We took a few pictures to play with my new soft box lights but that is all really. That is until I remembered at 3 that my friend Melanie was coming over to hang out. I knew this a week in advanced and totally spaced it out. So I raced to pick up the house, while holding a screaming baby and the other child productively managed to do the opposite of clean. This is where the title of this blog comes from. I was introduced to this book/app called Wonder Weeks by a friend when Kyra was about 18 months old. At the time I found it interesting but never really looked into it as she was about out of age groups they focus on. But when Darren started fussing for no appearant reason this week, and I grabbed Google to see what might be going on it was brought back up to me, and it strangely showed that Darren had just entered his first Leap Weak. According to the book babies go through a few of them the first 2 years of their lives where they really learn something new, and it may make them cranky and they want extra comforting from their parents to help them get through it! Very interesting you should really look into it if you have little babies!!

Friday: Finally a day to stay home!! We litterally didn't do anything all day just hung out and played in e living room!! I got my daily chores done, and cooked dinner that was all.

Saturday: We woke up when Kyra did grabbed quick breakfast and got everyone ready for the day. Than headed out for Koln! But that in itself will be its own blog!!

Sunday: We headed out around 11:30 with intentions of getting our weeks worth of groceries but pulled into the parking lot and noticed it more packed than normal and decided that is gonna wait until tomorrow, that commissary sucks on regular days, but even more so on busy ones!!

Friday Favorites Week 1 (2015)

So I am excited to start this series for you guys!! So not off on the best foot since I am already a day late. But I intend to write every Friday talking about what we did during the week and keeping everyone up to date on the little fun things we are up to!!

This week for all purposes is going to include just the first 2 days of the year!! So it won't be very exciting!!

We started out this year as we have the last 2 years. Only this year since it was already 930 and Kyra was refusing to go to bed, we let her stay up with us to midnight. And she was a little trooper much to our surprise!!

Daddy was falling asleep but Kyra was holding strong. Don't mind my fat foot.

 Than at about 15 mins before midnight we headed out to the fields where we have watched the fireworks for 2 years now. Much to our sadness it was way to foggy and you could really only see the fireworks that were being shot off right next to us. But luckily the fog didn't keep the Germans from coming out and shooting of the fireworks they had. So Kyra had a good time watching all the Boom Booms!!

Daddy and Kyra enjoying the Fireworks.

New years Kiss, followed by like 20 more with Kyra she LOVES when we kiss lol!

Our first family picture of the year!!!

Than on the 2nd we had another doctors appointment. Darren is a growing boy. At 35+3 weeks old he is already almost 8 lbs and 20 inches. He is following in his sisters footsteps on being a massive baby!! However, this time my body seems to know what it's doing and he should be here way before being overdue like she was. Well at least he isn't going to have a choice, because the Doctors all seem to agree that he needs to come out early, and being so large the only way is going to be a csection!!

My goofy girl hanging out new years day!!

So with this blog since it is really short I am gonna include a few of my favorite products right now...I won't do this all the time. But sometimes it is really nice to know what people like and don't like :D

My Favorites:

Aveeno 24 Hour Moisturizer: I use this all the time, on my belly and everywhere. I think this is the first bottle of lotion this big that I have gone through this fast!!

Briogeo Deep Conditioner: I got this sample size which has lasted 3 treatments in my Ipsy bag and I am in love!!! My hair always feels so healthy. Will be finishing it off and ordering a full size!!

Stridex facial wipes: I only use the green kind. But I swear by these. I have been using them since high school. And I have tried other cleansers more expensive and nothing works as well!!

Be Delectable Coconut and creme hand lotion: This was also an Ipsy bag product. It makes my hands feel like heaven. I love it for winter time!! And the smell is delicious I wanna eat it!!

Hot Tot Curl Serum: I got this stuff for Kyra's hair. It is amazing, it makes her curls perfect and it smells great. It is nice that it doesn't weight her hair down, I don't want to put a lot of product in her hair and this stuff is made specially for kids :D


Least Favorite Product right now:

NYC Big Bold Curl Mascara: I got this in an Ipsy bag and was excited to try out a new mascara....This stuff is HORRIBLE!!! If you get any water of any sort near it, or you touch your eyes at all etc...You will automatically turn into a raccoon it is scary!! It is the most smudgy gross mascara I have ever used!!