Thank God For Honest People

If it weren't for honest people, the smiles you see on these little girls faces would be turned upside down. Liam and I would be sitting here crying and no one would be able to sleep tonight.

Our day was filled with family time. Weeding the garden and clearing it out so we could all go out together and pick out some flowers. We all packed into the van and headed off on our venture. Charlie even came with us. We got our flowers and headed home. Lilly, Abby and I hopped out of the van and Tessa and Liam made a coffee run. I heard Liam call Charlie out of the van but I was sidetracked unpacking flowers and putting them in place. When Liam left I didn't see Charlie around and just assumed she hopped back into the van with them for the ride. 15 mins or so later Liam got home and he and Tessa got out of the van. "Where's Charlie?" was my immediate question. Charlie never ventures too far with all of us outdoors and she was nowhere in sight. We called for her forever. No Charlie. We are panicking now. I get in the van and start up the road I even drove down the side roads. All we could think was that she must have chased after Liam down the drive (she has been known to do this). We know if she didn't do this she would never have ventured off. No sign of Charlie anywhere! Liam went looking... no sign. I get a call from Liam's cell. I had the phone close by thinking someone had to have picked her up by now. Why hadn't they called? Our address was even on her collar. Why wouldn't someone have dropped her off by now?

"Did you find her?".

"NO! She doesn't have her collar on Natalie does she?"

. silence. Oh no!

"No, Liam she doesn't"

.click.

I hang up the phone and start sobbing. Charlie has had these stupid hot spots on her head and neck and while they were healing I had removed her collar. How would anyone know to whom she belonged? Liam was home within minutes. I had already called the humane society and was in the process of calling the police when he pulled in. He was loosing it... He said we have to make a sign. A huge sign and put it by the road. He cut board, got paint and went to town. It was huge. There was no way it was unreadable.

I went inside to start making signs to hang up around the neighbourhood and in the process the phone rang from an unfamiliar caller. Liam had not been gone two mins even. I pick up and a man on the phone asks if we were missing our dog. I said yes and he asked what kind. He asks our address and I ask how he got our number. He must have driven by the second after Liam had placed the sign and called. They had had Charlie for a few hours and had driven around with her. They had gotten her a collar and a leash so they could walk with her! Thank God! When they pulled in I was sobbing. Wendy was in the passenger side and she rubbed my arm with tears in her eyes. She knew my pain and just how very thankful we were that she was safe. Dan got out of the van and brought Charlie to me. I rubbed her and kissed her and loved on her and Liam was pulling right in that moment. He was ecstatic!

These very honest and loving people made our day today. They understood how much this dog was loved and cared enough to safely return it to it's owners. Dan and Wendy and their son Liam stayed and visited for awhile. They told us about there time with Charlie and how very lovely she was. They knew she had a family who loved her to death. Thank God!

Charlie is a child to us. Not a child who I gave birth to but an adopted child. Our hearts were broken without her, especially not knowing where she was or if she was safe. We are so lucky to have honest people in this world. Dan, Wendy and Liam thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts! We are holding our baby Charlie just a little tighter tonight! God Bless you all!

We finally got back to our gardening. The girls watered the flowers. Charlie stayed close by with her collar snugly around her neck. That collar will not be removed again for anything!