Let me preface this story with it was not in our plans to get another dog right now:) However Jeremy and I have had many discussions about getting the boys a BIG dog. We knew they were both at the age where they could use a companion for the backyard and dog that they could get rough and rowdy with. I have done a lot of research on big dogs that were good with kids and did not shed(because of Carter's allergies and asthma). This led me to a boxer. I have read a lot of articles and talked with many people that have boxers and we knew that was going to someday be the perfect big dog for us. About 2 weeks ago we were over with my Dad and Jannie and I saw an adorable boxer behind their fence. Carter walked up to the fence and the poor little guy was barking, howling, and moaning like crazy. We tried to pet him, but he wouldn't let us. It was getting dark and we headed home. Everyday that cute boxer met us at the fence. The fence was his protection and that was as close as we could get to him. About 4 days went by and it was decided that we would keep dad at home and start Hospice, so I was led by God that it was also my time to take off work and be with him and Jannie in his last days to help take care of him and support them both. I made this precious face my project............................................
I decided that I was going to get this cute "little" fella to warm up to me. I started feeding him everyday and was making progress. Well Jannie found some leftover roast in the fridge and she decided we should heat it up(which cracked me up!) and feed it to him. So we did! After I was done and my hands were covered in grease I was truly BUSTED! I heard this man in uniform say, "excuse MA'AM" I went to the fence to talk to him and he informed me that he had been trying to catch that stray dog since before our big snowstorm which had been about 3 weeks ago and me feeding him was not helping his job be any easier. I then informed him that my dad was in that house dying and that dog was making my job easier and had given me something to focus on. He said well if you can catch him you can have him, but you won't catch him! That afternoon I sat in my dad's favorite chair on the back deck to watch the dog and saw that the animal control officer had a trap set up he had been trying to catch him in. So the dog stuck his head in kept his booty up in the air, ate all the food and the jumped out as quick as he could and popped his trap! Apparently this had gone on quite a few times because he was a pro! Officer had told me he was smart and if he didn't catch him in one more week he was going to shoot him. Well that my friends did not go over well with me! So the next morning it was pouring down rain and I thought this could be my chance, so I went out and opened the back gate and laid some dog food in the yard. I stood over to the side and waited for him to invite himself in and then I quietly danced over and shut the gate. He gave me that I am going to escape look, so I thought it would be best to go in and let him get comfortable before I forced myself on him. When I went in Jannie decided we should just leave the door open and let him decide when he was ready to invite himself in. So he got closer and closer to the door........then the cat Tac let him know he was not invited in! Had to pen Tac up in the bathroom, very strong willed cat! After a couple hours passed he walked straight into the house, came right to, and gave me a big lick on the face. My heart melted for this sweet dog at that moment!
Then I loaded him up and off to the vet he went. He was about 25 lbs underweight, but all in all looked good and healthy. We took him home loved him and gave him a wonderful home.............for 3 days and then we found a listing on Craig's List for a boxer that had been missing since the first of February. There were pictures posted and it was definitely the sweet baby I rescued. We discovered it at 11 at night, but I called the number anyway knowing that I needed to take him home that night because our poor boys are already going through so much heartache.
I got in contact with Cassie who I kind of felt like I had known all my life. Tucker and I loaded up in the middle of a tornado I might add and off we went to his home. He actually only lived about 2 miles from us, but he had gotten spooked one night took off and could never find his way back. Cassie and I sat and talked until almost midnight(keep in mind Cassie and both were concerned that the other one might be a serial killer!). That is when I learned Tucker's story. He was raised with a child that had a terminal illness and that explained to us why he was so comfortable with my dad and all his hospice equipment. It also explained why he was so quiet and gentle with everyone. From there Tucker had come to live with Cassie and her sweet family. She runs an in home day care, so he was used to kids and so good with them. Cassie and I laughed and cried and visited about sweet Tucker and what an amazing dog he was. I left Tucker and cried all the way home, not because I had found his sweet owner, but because he had brought so much peace to our life for the past few days. I kept saying he was my project from God, he kept my mind busy and once I caught him he captured my heart. I got home with a heavy heart and Jeremy's face dropped when I walked in the door without him, but we had lost our Yorkie Simon of 8 years when Carter was born and no one every returned him to us and we were so devastated, so our hearts felt good and we knew he was reunited with his family.
The next morning bright and early our phone rang and it was Cassie, Tucker's owner. She had been up all night and had prayed over our family and over Tucker. God brought her the peace of knowing that it was time to let Tucker go to our family. Cassie said she truly believed Tucker was a healing dog and as hard as it was when he ran away it was obvious now that God had another plan for Tucker and he was meant to be with us. Tucker is not with us by coincidence, but because God had a plan for him in our family. I can't tell you what an amazing person Cassie is. She discussed it with her husband and her mother and they were all in agreement that Tucker needed to come home to us. I could not get out of there fast enough! I had to take both boys to school and we had already decided to tell the boys that Tucker was with my dad, so that we wouldn't have to tell them he was gone until after school. I sped back to get my new boy Tucker! Well his official name is Tucker Ranger Jackson because the little boy that raised him from his hospital bed named him Ranger because his favorite show was Walker Texas Ranger:)
Again I can say this dog getting lost is no coincidence. He braved the rain, ice, snow, and many nights in the cold to get to our family. When I saw him behind their house I knew I was going to capture that dog's heart and I did and he has captured mine and everyone else in our family. So welcome to our family Tucker Ranger Jackson and thank you for coming to us at this difficult time in our lives and thank you to Cassie for having such an amazing heart and faith in God! Even though the days ahead are going to be difficult for all of us, we truly believe God sent us Tucker as blessing to put a band aid on our heart during this difficult time.
