love

During our ordeal with losing Max, we were showered by love from family, friends and strangers.  Here is what I want to remember:

Family:  After calling Allen, he said to call my parents and he would call his, to help us. (Allen had patients all day and so he was back and forth looking and in the office).  They dropped every thing and came to help.  I got a random text from Lisa and I told her we lost Max and to call Mom for details.  The next thing I knew she was there along with David.  Lori drove with me all the next day as we looked.  Before I knew it Marianne had made fliers at her work and they were being posted.  I hadn't even thought about needing posters up asap.  I really wasn't thinking at all.  My loving family did that for me.    And when our paths would cross, they would hug me and let me cry, and forgive me for not stopping and talking.  Some of them were leaving on trips the next day, and still gave all the time they could to help us.  When Lisa had to leave she called a friend of mine that has dogs and asked her to help because Lisa knows me well and knew I wouldn't ask anyone to help.  I can't thank her enough for that.

Friends:  Lisa also happened to see people that day and told them about Max.  Those great friends also came to help.  They weren't even asked.  They also were leaving on trips. (It was Fall Break).  So, through out Monday, people just kept showing up to help.  That night more people came.  Tuesday almost everyone came back to help.  These wonderful friends gave so much of their precious time to looking for Max.  Between my family and friends; they called shelters, vets, went to the pound, put up signs, put an ad in the paper, called radio stations, called the police, and more.  If they hadn't done this it would have taken us days to get it done because I felt I had to stay on the street the first day or two so Max could hear my voice.  Allen's staff even took their lunch break to help look.

Strangers:  I mentioned how many calls Allen got about Max.  The first several weeks it was about 5 a day.  About 50 percent of the calls were just people asking if we got our dog back, or to ask a question about him or to tell Allen about when their dog was lost.  It was a little hard at first because Allen kept thinking every unknown number was someone who found him.  But I am still amazed by the sheer number of strangers who cared;  cared enough to write down a number from a sign and call to give their sympathy.

The experience that I will hold hold most dear from all of this is one that still makes me teary.  When we thought Max had been taken, we made reward posters.  We also made two huge posters that we held on the street that we thought he was taken-hoping the man would drive down the road and see the sign, see us, and change his mind.  We did this with the kids for two mornings during Fall Break.  I wanted to hold it one more day, when the kids were back in school.  So, I'm standing out with my big sign on a five lane road during the morning rush.  A lady pulls over to a side road, and comes walking over to me.  She is fighting back tears. She says, "I'm so sorry."  I just nod my head because I am now crying and if I try to speak I will completely break down.  She says "I'm so sorry" again and we both just stand there crying. I have never cried with a stranger.  I have never felt such empathy from a stranger.  It was a surreal experience that I will never forget.  Then she asked if she could give me a hug and take a picture of the poster so she could post in on her facebook page.  She did something that I have never imagined doing.  I have felt bad for a stranger before, but I have never taken the time to express it to them in such a way.  I have learned a lot from her and her Christ-like love she showed me. I hope some day I can be like her.

This is the picture that I texted to everyone that helped look for Max, moments after we got him back