Baptized by fire

Today....ah, today. It's a day to go down in the Eborn book of History. I admit to being a drama queen now and again...and for this post, I'm pulling out all the stops...because hands down, this was DRAMA.

Stay with me now...

Libbie, Ethan (our neighbor boy), Pixie(the brand new dog) and I head to PetSmart. After a nerve wracking drive down there with two Kinders trying to keep the dog in the back seat, I pull up and take the reins. I make sure the collar is tight, make sure the leash is tight, make sure the kids are okay...and we all head in. Libbie really wanted to hold Pixie's leash alone. I let her for a minute, but then I got nervous so I helped her. We get across the parking lot, the door in hand, and Pixie starts thinking 'This is NOT good' I notice, so I pull her leash tighter and start to walk in the door, just as I do she pulls her head out of her collar. YEP, you heard me, she is FREE in the PetSmart Parking Lot!! I holler for her, but she's as fast as fast can be. She's trying to head back to the van, oops, missed the van and kept going. Two Pet Smart Groomer employees witnessed it so they head out to help me.

At this point, I'm in shock. I'm thinking "I have two Kindergarteners, a purse and a dog who is running toward a 5 lane VERY BUSY road. What do I do?" So I say to one of the groomers, "What do I do?" (Yeah, I know, dumb question...but remember I was in shock) She says "GO GET HER!!!" We both start running together. Then the other employee jumped in her car (she was a MUCH quicker thinker) and started to follow her. While I was running I asked my nice groomer friend ...in an incredibly panicked manner....What about my kids? She says (get this)"Don't worry, the post man is there to help them" (this is even better) I said "Oh good"

Now pause.... seriously?...THE POST MAN? Who thinks it's okay to leave their kids with the post man. Yeah, we were both out there.

Okay so from here...it's pretty much a blur but this is what I remember:

• Pixie heads out to cross the street(5 lanes by a Super Walmart, Interstate and Christmas Traffic)
  
• I watch her not get hit (Phew!!) Then I get there to cross too.
• As I'm running I see her dart back out into the street. She starts running towards the flow of traffic. I watch her almost get hit 2 times by 2 cars. They both stopped in their tracks about 2 feet from her. I am screaming her name running like a mad woman. Tears are starting to flow...and the prayers are coming.
• She FINALLY gets out of the road and runs through about 3 more parking lots to a big field. As she heads through the parking lot a car pulls up to give me a ride, I think it looks like the groomers car, so I jump in.
  
• NOPE, not the groomer, I hear a man's voice OH MY GOSH I jumped in a car with a strange man. I couldn't tell you what he looked like, but I can tell you I'm glad he didn't abduct me.....
• He peels out taking control of the situation. I jump out at the next chance I get to catch her. At this point, she's in a field and on the fence line. I notice the strange man, the groomer, a couple of customers that were at Pet Smart and at least 3 other cars, all trying to corral her in the field. All of us unsuccessful.
  
• She is one scared, fast, tired dog.
• Another car pulls up to take me to her next destination...this time it's the groomer, PHEW.
• All the cars are following her the best they can. I'm running through a huge snow filled field...crying and prayer still...calling her name.
  
• And were off again, behind a big building. Some people at one entrance, some at the other, me in the middle. No luck...that darn dog headed off to cross the busy street again.
• I jump back in the car with the strange man. Only he's my best friend now. I'm crying, talking about my kids that I left at PetSmart, the dog we bought for Christmas for our kids, pretty much hysterical. This all going on as he drives on the wrong side of the road to stop traffic for the dog, while Pixie is crossing the road again, I am hanging out my window telling other cars to let us go and stopping all traffic...remember this is a BUSY road. In retrospect, I'm honestly surprised we weren't hurt but that man could multi-task!
  
• I see her head back toward Pet Smart, my man friend is telling me "she's tired, she's going to stop running, she's scared, you're going to be okay....." trying to calm me down. He pulled up to her, opened his door and said "Come here" that got her to slow down and look at him. Then I got out, Pixie stopped running long enough to recognize me and I lunged at her.
  
• GOT HER!!!
• She pees on me.
• The end

Now how's THAT for Drama!

Yes, we bought her a collar with a harness, so as to avoid this problem in the future & the kids were fine, the PetSmart family took care of them. They both had pink eyes when I got back from crying, they thought the dog and I were going to die, rough day!

I wish I knew who all those nice people were who helped me. Tonight as I go to bed, I'm thankful for a healthy dog for my kids to snuggle with and moreso for kind people who took the time to help this hysterical Mom. So nice.