Don’t Give Up When You’re Missing Your Pup

Today’s post is by Guest Blogger Kate Townsend

In mid February I lost my dog on a hike in the foothills of the Rockies. She bolted after a deer, broke away from me, and vanished. Our group called for hours and hours, and when dusk settled in we rushed to the library to make lost dog posters. It felt so surreal, I couldn’t believe I was about to leave that park without my dog, I felt guilty, I felt helpless, knowing she could be anywhere.

The weeks that followed were filled with immense anxiety, sadness, and a rollercoaster of emotions. Between calls of sightings that didn’t pan out, driving up every day after work to where we lost her, and searching endlessly for her – time was in exhausting slow motion.

We printed hundreds of posters, put ads here on Craiglist, used the pet alert call system, gathered a search party, and shared it on facebook and via email threads. We tried leaving clothing with our scent on it where we last saw her, tried using a dog trap, tried doing a bacon burn to attract her to us – and we were getting nothing.

We never gave up hope but of course discouragement sets in, how can all this relentless hard work not pay off?

On April 1st I received a phone call from a woman who had been following my dog and I’s saga, and lived near the area she was lost. She had, like us, been searching for weeks in hopes to bring Blitz home. She was walking in her neighborhood when she noticed a small sign that read “Found” and had a picture eerily similar to Blitz’s. She rushed home to look up a photo of Blitz and was convinced it was her. She was so sweet and called me right away in tears of joy – certain she was about to reunite me with my dog. Sure enough, I phoned the number to leave a message of Blitz’s description and they returned my call asking what color collar she had on. I told them and heard the words I’d been waiting a month and a half for: “I think we have your dog.”

I rushed up to the house, rang the doorbell, and sure enough heard Blitz’s bark right before seeing her little head pop up at the door. Nothing short of miracle!! She had been lost in the wilderness for 44 days, defying all odds and making it to a family who brought her back to me. She is now home safe and sound – filled with unimaginable experiences of the outdoors.

I wanted to share this with those who have lost their pet, to encourage them not to give up. Your pet is out there somewhere, and if you can spread the word enough, they will come back to you.

• Check all surrounding shelters regularly, online and in person. Lots of dogs slip through the cracks this way because their owner doesn’t realize they are at the shelter.
• Call and leave descriptions at all surrounding vets, often times people who find dogs will bring them in to get checked for a microchip.
• Be sure to use social media – it is your friend! Colorado Lost and Found dogs and other animal rescues pages
• Craiglist is very useful – keep your posts constantly updated and at the forefront, on both the pets and lost and found pages – and make sure to read through the other posts so you don’t miss a post about your dog/cat/etc!
• Try leaving an article of clothing that was worn for a few days, heavy with your scent, where you last saw the dog, with a bowl of water. Check this spot as much as possible, often times dogs will be attracted back and wait for you at that spot.
• Create colorful posters, and talk to as many people in the area as you can, keep people thinking about it as much as you are. Canvass the entire area surrounding where your pet escaped.
• Utilize the FindToto or PetAmberAlert call system – these can be pricey but get the word out very quickly and efficiently
• Most importantly – DONT GIVE UP HOPE! – be diligent and keep doing everything you can to bring your pet home

Hope this helps reunite some pets to their loving families!

 

Thank you so much Kate, for sharing your story and for being such an inspiration to me as I was searching for my puppy!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Find Your Lost Dog

I just recently lost and found my seven month old Golden Retriever puppy. She got out of our yard on a Monday night and was successfully returned on the following Sunday which just happened to be Easter Sunday (yes, God’s timing does exist).

I found a lot of different resources and met new friends along the way so I wanted to share some of my knowledge to hopefully help someone else find their dog. Please keep in mind that I live in Elizabeth, Colorado so some of the organizations might be different in your area.

Start Searching the Moment You Notice Your Dog Missing

• Walk the routes that you consistently walk with your pet (mine was spotted many times along our regular walking route) calling out in a nice voice.
• Take your kids, other dog(s), treats, toys, and a leash in case you find them.
• Get reinforcements – if you have family or friends in the area ask them to help.
• Go door to door at your neighbors’ houses. Tell them how important your dog is to you (if they don’t already know) and if you have a recent picture on your cell phone, show them the picture.

If Searching Yields No Results – DON’T GIVE UP!

• Get on Craigslist and Ebay Classifieds – put ads in both the pet sections and the lost/found sections. If you’re offering a reward include the word “Reward” – I didn’t include the amount. Also, check to see if anyone might have found your dog and posted a found report or maybe, and I hate to even say this but, check the people that are selling dogs that have a similar description to yours. If you contact them, act like you’re an interested buyer – not an accusatory owner.
• Call all the local authorities: Police, Sheriff, Park Rangers, Veterinarians (Leave messages on their machines if it’s after hours and call back in the morning), and Shelters.
• Put in reports where you can with a description of your dog and your contact information (Police, Sheriff, Shelters, Veterinarians, Kennels, Etc.)
• Put it on social media – find local rescue organizations and ask them to share a picture and information. If your dog is a certain breed, check for organizations dedicated to that breed. And ASK PEOPLE TO SHARE OR RETWEET. That’s huge because some people might not even think to share it but if you ask, they might be more willing to do it! Because of people sharing my post, I found out that a local government official received phone calls from Wyoming telling him to look for my dog.
• Create Posters – I find simpler is better. My poster was relatively simple as you can see:

• Put posters everywhere you can – on stop sign posts at local intersections, at coffee shops, pet groomer, pet stores, veterinarians, police departments, sheriff’s offices, grocery stores, post offices, feed stores, gas stations (on each pump if they’ll let you), restaurants, schools, and any other business in your area that will allow it. Keep a record of places you go – you’ll want to make sure to take them all down once you have found your dog.
• I made mini posters with a small treat bag and two dog treats enclosed to hand out to anyone I saw walking or to neighbors that I talked to.
• Expect some pushback, expect some naysayers, brush them off and DON’T GIVE UP HOPE.
• List your dog as lost on some or all of these websites or ones that are more relevant to your individual search area: www.petharbor.com, www.fidofinder.com, www.lostmydoggie.com, www.lostadog.com, www.lostdogsdenver.com, www.petamberalert.com – paying for an amber alert where they call people in your area and send out flyers to various pet-related businesses in the area is well worth your money, in my opinion.
• Keep posting on craigslist – every. single. day.
• If there are sightings in the area, go there and hang out or camp out if you can. Have treats, toys, food bowls (to make the sound of their feeding time), and other goodies to lure them in.
• Leave a crate or a dog door open in case your dog comes home. I left our dog door and gate open almost 24 hours a day (with the other dog secured) just in case she found her way home.
• Pray – I know it sounds simple but I believe it was THE key factor in us finding our Mayzie, and on Easter Day nonetheless! Praise God!

Some Tips That I Received

• If you see your dog and it seems afraid of you, that’s normal, get down on your hands and knees and act like there’s something very interesting on the ground or even lay on the ground. Your dog may get curious and come over.
• People have a tendency to take a pet to their favorite shelter – not necessarily the closest shelter so check EVERYWHERE.
• Dogs typically don’t wander more than 5 miles from home, especially if they’re alone. A puppy is even less likely to go that far. And dogs rarely run in straight lines.
• Keep your veterinary records, pictures, and anything/everything you have to prove that it is, in fact, your dog with you at all times. Shelters will require this and any normal citizen will require some proof – as I would expect them to!
• Make your vehicle your command center – keep posters, tape, push pins, dog toys, a phone charger, dog treats, a leash and collar, etc. in your car. You never know when you might need them.
• If there has been a sighting, you may want to take a blanket or dog bed that the dog is familiar with (scented like home) and leave it in the area. Dogs’ primary sense is their sense of smell, so they may gravitate towards it and then you might find them there the next morning.
• If your dog is on a feeding schedule, going looking at that time of day is the best because they’re hungry. Searching while they’re probably sleeping or resting (at night or when it’s very hot outside) will likely not yield results.
• If your dog is gone long, make new posters with a different title like “Still Missing” or “Still Lost”.
• I put my second round of posters on card stock, inside plastic sleeves with the tops taped so they would withstand weather and wouldn’t curl around sign posts.
• Post an ad in the paper.
• Talk to everyone you can about your missing dog. The more eyes that are searching the better.
• Don’t give up hope. I spoke with a woman who lost her dog for 45 days before she was returned.

Prevention is the Way To Go

• Get your dog microchipped. This not only helps if someone finds your dog but it can help prevent theft as well as ruling out other dogs you may see on shelter pages that look similar to yours, but you’re not sure. I drove an hour in each direction of my house to follow up on possible dogs to find out they weren’t my Mayzie.
• Get a GPS tracker like the Tagg Tracker. Mine just came in the mail!
• Always make sure your dogs are up to date on their vaccinations.
• Give your dog things to do – they need a job to keep their minds busy whether it be training for some time before you go to work, playing fetch, or even leaving puzzle toys for them to use.
• Understand your dog’s abilities. I had no idea my dogs were capable of escaping my yard. Now, I’m very aware.
• Take lots of pictures. I take hundreds of pictures every day and I still had a hard time finding one that looked like my Mayzie. Instagram changes the color of pets. Don’t use an Instagramed picture on posters unless it really does look like your pet.

I hope this helps!

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Missing (And Finding) Mayzie

As she sits at my feet meticulously licking her newly washed golden coat, I wonder if she knows the heartache and longing that her explorative outbreak caused. After jumping out of the yard, something she had never done even though she had spent hours and days in the same yard, we spent almost 143 hours searching and worrying. People I barely knew along with my friends and family were thinking, praying, and searching. Believers and non-believers were hoping for a miracle and what better day than Easter, the day of the biggest miracle in history?

A group of the people I had never met other than via email, telephone calls, and social media arranged a search party for today, Easter Day, at 4:00 p.m. My hopes were dwindling after I had shouted “Mayzie” almost a million times over the course of the past six days, but I was so excited that there would be so many of us, maybe we would actually find her. At 3:45 p.m. as I was about to walk out the door, my phone rang. An unknown number. The skip in my heart was less noticeable than it had been days before, but it existed nonetheless.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hi, are you the one that’s missing the dog?” A question I had heard so many times this week from unknown numbers.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“I have her.” He replied a bit winded.

“You have my dog? Are you sure it’s her?” My hopes starting to rise as I almost dropped the phone.

“Uh… yeah,” He said.

“Where!?!” I couldn’t control my excitement at this point. My keys were already in my hand and I was out the door, my kids left with my parents and my sister and her fiancé frantically trying to keep up.

He told me he found her down by the river and he caught her. He would meet me at the local church next to the elementary school.

Two minutes later I was waiting in an empty parking lot, looking for a truck or car or something to drive up. My sister and her fiancé had finally pulled in beside me as I was getting the reward money together for these people.

Then Brandon said, “There they are.”

And sure enough, two men were walking toward us from behind the church, one of them with a dog in his arms.

It was her!

Tears rolled down my cheeks as my slightly thinner, but all around healthy looking puppy wiggled back into my arms as she had so many times before.

They told me that they had found her down by the creek and even though she growled at them when they approached, they had seen the many lost dog signs hanging around town and decided they were going to catch her.

Though I tried to give them the reward money, they refused to take it over an over again.

I was then able to take Mayzie to where the search party was gathering and tell them the good news which was greeted with many gasps, smiles, hugs, and tears. When my kids joined us they threw themselves at Mayzie and with tears in their eyes they hugged and hugged her neck while she wagged her tail and licked their faces.

I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the help and support I received. I am so thrilled that our baby is back home. And now she’s forever on house arrest… Just kidding.

Tomorrow we will be off the to vet to get microchips and checkups while we wait for the Tagg GPS trackers to come in the mail.

When my brain is back to normal, I will detail all of the things I did to find her and hopefully they will help someone else. Good people, small community, prayer, and ultimately God brought my baby home on such a miraculous day. Thank you.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Special Thanks To:

• GOD
• Jake and Kyle (Who Found Her)
• My Dad
• My Mom
• My Sister
• My Brother-In-Law
• Whitne
• Sabrina
• Lisa
• Denice
• Carolyn
• Sue
• Shayne
• Suzanne
• JoAnne
• KaDee
• Erin
• Jenny
• Geniene
• Amanda
• Joelle
• Andrea
• Mike
• Carin
• The lady who called (Kate, I think) that had found her dog after it had been gone 45 days.
• The lady who called that found her dog after consistently putting up posters in Elizabeth.
• The man who called to tell me he saw her running by the elementary school.
• The woman who called on her way to pick up pizza for dinner when she saw Mayzie.
• The woman who gave me hope after sitting on a corner for hours when she told me that she saw Mayzie just the night before in that very place.
• The man who called to yell at me for putting up a poster in his HOA. (Yes, thanks to him too because he saw the poster and could have had an impact that I’m unaware of.)
• The man who got angry when I came to his door and slammed it on me only to find me a bit later down the street and apologize for his behavior. (Same reasoning as above.)
• All The Businesses In Elizabeth & Kiowa that Put Up My Posters and Helped Spread The Word
• The Elizabeth Police and Elbert County Sheriff’s Office
• The Local Veterinarians & Pet Businesses
• More Facebook Pages Than I Can List or Even Know About
• More Friends Than I Can List
• The Random Strangers That Called To Give Me Sighting Reports and Encouragement
• The Prayer Warriors
• My Boss
• My Co-Workers
• And Anyone Else I Forgot (I’m Sorry, I’m Very Tired)

I couldn’t have done this without you! Much love and thanks!

Mayzie’s already back at her old tricks of stealing my shoes!

Hands Free Mama – Chapter 1

Typically, I’m the girl that gobbles up books taking mere days or even hours to get from cover to cover. About a month ago picked up a book called “Hands Free Mama” by Rachel Mary Stafford and though I have been reading it nearly every day, I just finished the first chapter. You may think this is because the subject matter is difficult or the writing is bad, but these couldn’t be further from the truth.

After just one chapter my outlook on life and parenting has changed. I am becoming hands free and often while I’m reading, I notice a moment that I have to grasp, put down the book and grab the moment with both hands, a sunset moment. I think Rachel would appreciate my willingness to put down the words she masterfully created to enjoy those moments. To creat memories. I’ve heard it said many times to embrace your children while they’re little, they grow so fast. This is the book that shows you how to do that.

I’ll probably write a full review when I’ve completed the book, but I just couldn’t wait to share how much it’s done for me in one single chapter. If you’d like to get a taste of the Hands Free Mama idea, please visit Rachel’s website.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Review: All Things Hidden

When a book challenges you to think, wonder, and research, it’s a book worth sharing. “All Things Hidden” by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse is a book that had me rabidly Googling Alaska in 1935. This book, though fictional, had just enough fact to intrigue me. In addition to the intrigue, I was also touched by the story of Gwyn Hillerman and how her life is turned upside down, right side up, and upside down again.

Gwyn is a young nurse at her father’s clinic in a beautiful and very rural Alaska. She helps him care for the people in their modest village and the surrounding tribes until their modest village expands with government-sent colonists. This all happens after her mother and younger sister abandoned Gwyn and her father to rejoin their idea of proper civilization in Chicago.

Peterson and Woodhouse have an amazing way of creating beautifully multifaceted characters. I couldn’t help but love Gwyn even in her stubbornness and insecurities. She has a true beauty that far exceeds the picture on the cover of the book. When the handsome and newly eligible bachelor, Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan, travels to Alaska to help Gwny and her father with the growing population, the attraction between the two young adults is unmistakable and realistically awkward. It was a refreshing change of pace that the love story was honest and Godly, yet subtle and second to the overall storyline.

If you want a sweet, thoughtful, and intriguing book, this is the book for you. I highly recommend ordering this and reading it in your comfiest chair with a soft blanket and a hot cup of tea.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Review: Cecelia Jackson’s Last Chance

There are books you read once and may or may not recommend to a friend. There are books that you get half-way through and decide to cut your losses. Then every once in a while there’s a knock-your-socks-off, tell-everyone-you-know, amazing book that you have to read twice and three times because the first time you devoured it like a one year old takes on their first birthday cake. “Cecelia Jackson’s Last Chance” by Robbie Iobst is one of those devourable books.

Belinda Kite is caught up in a bad situation. A single mom in an abusive and inappropriate relationship, Belinda struggles to survive her daily life. Her daughter gets the worst of her, and though it’s heart wrenching to read, it’s honest. When Belinda receives a phone call notifying her that her estranged mentor/mother-figure has passed away, Belinda has to make a decision: return to her old stomping grounds to fulfill Cecelia’s dying wish or continue along her current path.

Donna Dougans and Maggie Shanks have the same decision before them. Long lost friends of Belinda, they have been asked to reunite after twenty-five years to recreate Cecelia’s famous tuna fish sandwiches. Though they all have their demons, grudges, and fears, they reluctantly come together in honor of Cecelia and the results are incredible.

The women in this book are relatable, friendly, funny, and genuine. Robbie has a way of drawing you into another world and holding your heart and mind hostage. Every time I read this book, I don’t want it to end. I have given it to so many of my friends as gifts and if I may go out on a limb here, I can honestly say this is one of my all-time favorite books.

An honest story of redemption, decisions, and God, this is real deal. Laugh, cry, dream, and hope with the women of Boots, Texas and when you reach the end, turn the book over and start again.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

How to Get Over McDreamy in 109 Steps

Before you can start the 109 step program, you must first do the following:

1. Meet a man that has every capability of being your McDreamy.
2. Sit back as he changes your world from dull and grey to bright and prismatic and sparkly.
3. Survive the most sugary sweet, heart-bursting proposal known to man kind.
4. Create lots of amazing memories at all of your favorite places. (Examples here and here)
5. Claim not one, not two, but upwards of a hundred popular loves songs as “yours.”
6. Plan your entire life with McDreamy by your side.

Now that you’ve accomplished all of the above, here’s how to cope when it all comes crashing down in a heap of rubble and flames.

1. Hear the words you never thought you’d hear.
2. Stand in disbelief.
3. Realize that nothing you say is going to change his mind.
4. Go to your parents’ house.
5. Cry.
6. Say goodbye to McDreamy.
7. Hug him and not want to let go.
8. Let go.
9. Cry.
10. Cry.
11. Pray.
12. Cry.
13. Try to sleep.
14. Create lots of text messages that never get sent.
15. Hope that he will change his mind.
16. Realize he’s not changing his mind, he’s not coming back.
17. Tell yourself it’s ok, you don’t want him to come back anyway.
18. Cry because maybe you do want him to come back.
19. Repeat steps 15-17 approximately 54 times.
20. Tell your friends.
21. Soak up the comfort from your friends.
22. Give in to your friends and go out for a night.
23. Realize you can actually enjoy yourself.
24. Go home and cry.
25. Wake up reaching for him and fight the nausea that comes when you realize he’s not there.
26. Cry.
27. Pray.
28. Pull yourself out of bed to shower/take care of the kids/work. Repeat daily.
29. Eat ice cream.
30. Realize ice cream is not the answer.
31. Run 3-5 miles.
32. Remember how much you enjoy running. Repeat regularly.
33. Read your Bible. Repeat daily.
34. Delete upwards of a hundred popular love songs from your iPod.
35. Download breakup songs.
36. Make breakup playlist.
37. Listen to breakup playlist as loud as you can while driving in your car.
38. Avoid some of your favorite places in fear of crying in public.
39. Cry in public.
40. Be stared at and maybe even hugged by complete strangers.
41. Cry harder.
42. Explain everything you miss about him to said complete stranger.
43. Explain everything you don’t miss about him to same complete stranger.
44. Realize complete stranger doesn’t care.
45. Let complete stranger go and turn away to avoid the relief in their eyes.
46. Watch a romantic comedy.
47. Cry.
48. Watch a soap opera.
49. Cry.
50. Watch an action movie.
51. Cry.
52. Watch an Adam Sandler movie.
53. Cry.
54. Watch a Barbie movie.
55. Cry.
56. Turn the TV off.
57. Read the Bible.
58. Pray.
59. Try to understand what happened.
60. Wonder what you could have done differently.
61. Find sad quotes, inspirational quotes, rebellious quotes and pin said quotes on Pinterest.
62. Look at his Facebook.
63. Cry.
64. Evaluate and re-evaluate everything that happened between the two of you.
65. Remember the good times.
66. Cry.
67. Swear off all men.
68. Text an ex-boyfriend.
69. Realize that was a bad idea.
70. Stop texting ex-boyfriend.
71. Kill a spider – ALL BY YOURSELF.
72. Put on the smile.
73. Wonder what’s wrong with you.
74. Go through the list of all things that are wrong with you.
75. Look in the mirror and see all the things that are wrong with you.
76. Cry.
77. Pray.
78. Realize you’re not so bad after all.
79. Read the Bible.
80. Feel God coming closer to you.
81. Have a dream that you got back together.
82. Wake up and realize it was just a dream.
83. Cry.
84. Listen to your friends tell you you’re better off.
85. Get mad because you don’t think you’re better off.
86. Apologize for getting mad after realizing they might (might) be right.
87. Receive text from McDreamy.
88. Read it and re-read it.
89. Get mad.
90. Vent all pent up sadness, frustration, and pain via return text.
91. Instantly regret venting.
92. Apologize.
93. Re-read his texts from months and months before.
94. Delete all of his texts and simultaneously feel relieved and regret.
95. Unfriend him on Facebook.
96. Unfriend his friends and family on Facebook out of fear they might post something about him that will make you cry even though you’ll miss them and their antics in your newsfeed.
97. Cry.
98. Go out and kick some serious guy butt at pool.
99. Consider giving in to that cute guy and handing over your number.
100. Turn him down with a smile.
101. Apply for Grad School.
102. Realize you went an entire day without thinking about McDreamy.
103. Realize he’s no longer McDreamy in your mind.
104. Smile, genuinely.
105. Laugh.
106. Flirt.
107. Hear one of your songs and realize you’re not crying.
108. Pray for him.
109. Realize you’re pretty awesome after all.

And in 6-8 weeks you’ll be magically cured of any heartache that may have plagued you. Okay, so maybe it takes more than that but just remember, it gets better. Even when it hurts so bad you feel like your chest might explode. Even when you can’t bear to wake up another day in the world with such sadness in your heart. It gets better. Practice self care, read Lucille Zimmerman’s Book, take a bubble bath, go out, run, and realize you’re awesome. We can always be better but it’s not all your fault. God is in the details, trust Him.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

God’s Whispers (The Story of My Oldest Daughter Asking Jesus Into Her Heart)

Sometimes God pushes us. Sometimes he shoves. Today he whispered.

All day, I had been planning how my evening would go. Exhaustion set in more and more as the day crept on and every time I thought about going back on my promise, He whispered, “You gave your word. You need to go support your friends.”

So tonight I loaded two tired and hungry girls up into the car and drove into town. First thing’s first, we had to eat. Surely the wait at my chosen restaurant was so long on a Friday night we would end up being late for my commitment.

Nope.

God cleared a table especially for us. Our food came in a hurry, the girls ate without a single complaint, the service was impeccable, and upon walking out the door we were actually ahead of schedule.

When we arrived at a church I had never before stepped foot in, I was wholly and completely unaware that I was stepping into a transformational evening.

The band, Felling Giants, was amazing. I knew it would be. My friends are incredibly talented musicians, but the music was soul penetrating. I could feel it touching me but I had no idea how or if it would touch my children. After the first round of worship, the lead singer gave an honest and touching sermon that bordered on testimony. He had come a long way.

While my youngest daughter fell asleep in my lap, my oldest sat at rapt attention. And when I say rapt attention, I mean hanging on to every single word. She may have been cold and a bit squirmy but his words touched her possibly as much as his songs.

When the group stood to their feet again to finalize the service in another round of praise, I stayed seated in hopes to preserve the precious slumber of a 5 year old.

On the third song from the end, my oldest tugged on my sleeve. I bent my neck to listen.

“Mommy,” She whispered and then hesitated, “I want to get baptized. And mommy, I’ve never said the prayer before, but I want to say it. Will you help me?”

My heart clenched. She was asking to receive Jesus into her heart and she wanted me, in all my imperfect glory, to be the one to lead her in arguably the most important prayer of her life. A moment of panic struck, how could I do this? What would I say?

Instantly, I heard His voice “I’m with you. I’ll help you.” And just as the generous woman had minutes before wrapped her jacket around my shivering daughter’s shoulders, I felt God’s arms wrap around me.

With tears in my eyes I led her in the prayer. The pride and joy that filled her eyes was enough to send tears streaming down my face. One of the last songs was about how their hearts had changed. She looked up into my eyes and said, “This song is about me.”

And to think, I was looking for an excuse not to go to this service. How thankful am I that I listened to His whispers? Infinitely.

~ Thankfully Exhausted

Influence Power

Today I loved. 

Today I encouraged. 

Today I taught. 

Today I helped. 

But before that…

Today I got frustrated. 

My daughter has been tasked by her first grade teacher to read as much as possible this month. If she reads 1200 minutes or more, she will get a GOLD MEDAL and get to eat dinner with her teacher and order WHATEVER SHE WANTS. Needless to say she’s been reading more than I’ve ever seen this child read. 

So today when school was cancelled due to blizzard conditions, I expected her to get a great deal of reading accomplished. She and I discussed this several times before I headed to work and I was confident she would follow through. Long story short, she didn’t.

Total amount of time she read while I was away = 0 minutes. 

This frustrated me. A lot. Thankfully, I had an entire (snowy) 65 minute drive home to collect my thoughts while my fiancé reminded me that it was a small misstep and not a gigantic failure as a mother. 

When I got home, I decided to try something that I often fail at doing. I sat down and had a conversation with my daughter. No reprimand. No punishment. No guilt. No frustrations. I asked questions and listened to her answers. I reminded her why it was important to read, not only because of this one big goal but because people who read learn all kinds of cool things. The conversation grew and took twists and turns down roads that I never could have expected. Thirty minutes later, we finished talking about how she believed she would be the first woman president. 

Did I have a good day today? Yes. 

Did my daughter have a good day today? Yes. 

Could I have made both of our days much worse? Absolutely. 

The quality of the day was in large part driven by my actions. I think we sometimes forget that each and every one of us have a profound influence on those who love us, especially our children. The power we hold is intense and scary and downright tough to manage. With that power comes great responsibility. 

And with that in mind, I’m going to start taking that responsibility exponentially more seriously. 

~ Thankfully Exhausted

How to Surprise the Surprise Ruiner (My Engagement Story)

I’ll admit it, I’m a surprise ruiner. I can’t help myself, it’s like I’m compelled to uncover the truth, and I want to know the WHOLE truth. All. The. Time. (Even when I don’t…) So when you can successfully surprise me, big kudos! My fiancé earned those kudos this past weekend…

After parting ways over a year ago, we reunited in October and our relationship blossomed into something I never thought I would be blessed with. Love and respect, kindness and honesty. He’s my perfect match. And while I knew we were progressing onto bigger and better things, I was hesitant to believe that this wonderful man might want to be with me forever.

He spoke to my parents when I was out of town, while he claimed to be painting, furnishing, and redecorating my daughters’ room at his house (yes, I know, this should have been my first indication). Little did I know, he had finished the room ahead of schedule. Now you know why I call him McDreamy.

My parents gave him their blessings and never let on to me that they knew our lives were about to change. So as I packed for our trip to Florida, throwing in my swimming suit and flip flops, I didn’t have a clue that I would be coming home with a gorgeous ring on my finger.

Wednesday morning we were scheduled to boat to a local island with the entire family, all 20 of us, plus some additional friends. Two boats, two trips, ten kids, and several hours seemed daunting without the impending storm. Although the group trip was postponed, six of us decided to take the risk and head out anyway. Even if I had a hint of what awaited it would have been dashed due to the constantly changing plans.

The wind whipped as we headed out into the Gulf, stealing McDreamy’s hat and donating it to the cool green waters that surrounded. With a quick response and some skilled maneuvering we had the hat back in the boat and we were underway. The island was gorgeous. White sandy beaches, waves of seaweed artistically drew lines in the sand, green-blue water as far as the eye could see. Basically my version of heaven.

After jumping off the boat, McDreamy took my hand leading me away from the other two couples as we joked and explored the treasures that were underfoot. When he released my hand, I instinctively grabbed my camera and started snapping photos as he searched for a stick to draw pictures in the sand. When I heard him call out, it took me a moment to realize he wanted me to come over and view his masterpiece. I meandered over and still did not register what was going on as he knelt in front of the writing. As he fidgeted for something in his pocket I read and re-read the writing on the ground.

“Will You Marry Me” were the four most challenging words for me to comprehend.

I met his eyes and asked, “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” was his response, a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. I think at this point he opened the box, however, my eyes were brimming, my vision blurred, and my breath caught deep in my chest.

When I regained the slightest bit of composure, I responded, “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

The distance between us closed instantly and the sun peeked from behind a cloud. Between tears, kisses, and I love you’s we spotted a dolphin off the beach joining us briefly in celebration. The other two couples joined us for a champagne toast and some additional photographs.

When we arrived back at the house, McDreamy took my daughters and myself aside and asked if they would be willing to let him marry their mommy and be their daddy. The looks on their faces described so much more than they could have ever put into words. Love, longing, acceptance, hope. The tears returned to this mommy’s eyes, silent thank you’s being sent up to God for so many answered prayers. The girls accepted and McDreamy presented them with their very own rings. 

Surprised is an understatement. A dream come true, answered prayers, more than I could have ever hoped for: those are more indicative of my emotions. I am one blessed woman and very thankful that I didn’t ruin this surprise.

~ Thankfully Exhausted