Our family addition

The area where the kennel is going was prepared several days ago. This is looking out my living room window. Dad & Vince actually got the kennel on Tues. and dad had the stuff for the dog run.

Yesterday morning at 9:10 the dump truck came with a load of gravel. The guys went to get the back hoe & it was time to work (play?).

Here is the kennel all set up & ready for Hickory to come...quite the plush set up :).

Today did not go as planned - and Vince handled it very well. We were here this morning & then we needed to take dad into Anchorage to pick up a van (it has front end damage) that he got for parts for my van....All this went fine & there was 50/50 chance he could start the van and drive home. The animal hospital had my cell # and was to call me when it was time to pick up Hickory, we knew we had until 5:30/6 to pick him up. We got to the junk yard & got the van - the guy started it & drove it out to dad, no problems! It was just 3:15, we were doing really well on time & very happy about this. I was supposed to stay right behind dad - easier said than done, but I was managing. We got on the highway & weren't even to the Muldoon exit when I noticed dad was smoking from the left side, but the exhaust was on the right...so I called dad & told him. The heat gauge was fine & he couldn't smell anything so he decided to keep going -- he ended up taking the Arctic Valley exit & pulled over. We hoped we could make it to Eagle River to get some water. .... not so .... Dad took off down a frontage road (? I don't know we were parallel to the Hwy, but couldn't see it) & was following but there was a large work truck between us. A couple miles down the road I saw dad pulled over again.

The only usable fluids I had were a gal of windshield washer fluid & the kids' water bottles. As fast as he poured those in they poured out on ground on the opposite side of the engine. Dad called Zach & he was able to drop what he was doing and bring the truck & trailer in to pick up the van -- Zach to the rescue.

side note: Here is Christine on the side of the road waiting. Can you believe what I let her leave the house in today? Yes, that is jeans with a skort on top of them, and a long sleeve hoodie with a t-shirt on top. I think her thinking was if it got hot she'd be prepared...but they were in the wrong order... :)

As time ticked away it became obvious I was going to be taking Vince by myself to pick up Hickory....we were all nervous & it was a very quiet ride from the Ft. Rich exit to Palmer. But we did it, I didn't get sick when she was telling us stuff, we got him in the van and drove home all by ourselves. For those who don't know me - this is huge! We got home, Dad & Zach were here and Jane & the kids were here - so Hickory still got a grand welcome. :)

The kids checking out Hickory in his kennel. Vince is in the kennel with Hickory while he checked out all the corners.

Vince now has his own dog.
A white, 1 yr old, male, Golden Retriever that he got to name Hickory.

God is in the details. All of them.