15 Short Days of Nikki Love

Our first 24 hours with Nikki were rough. We were still mourning Shadow. We were trying to figure out Nikki and what she likes and how to adapt her into our life. We also ended up having a miscarriage during that time as well. When we were at the ER, we got an email from housing saying that there was a loose black dog, and it had a picture. We couldn't tell if it was Nikki, and couldn't go check to see. So one of our friends who had met Nikki already went to check, and bring her back home. It turns out she jumped straight through the window screen. Yikes!

I took the next week off, since I was on bedrest and needed to recover. Nikki and I spent quite a lot of time together cuddling on the couch, one of her most favorite things to do. Stephen also took her on some nice long runs every day. He was very excited to have a running partner!

I left that weekend to go spend time with my family up in Oregon. It was my grandma's 80th birthday and my Dad's anniversary. It was really nice to spend time with family and emotionally process everything that had gone on. Stephen kept giving me updates on Nikki. She was much more mopey ever since I left. The only thing that helped was spending time with London and going on runs.

I got home super late Sunday night, and didn't have work Monday. We went out to the lake and had lunch. Nikki was fine walking in the freezing cold water, but we didn't want to swim or get her more wet than she was comfortable with. It was during this time, we found this hole on her head! It went all the way down, through all the layers of skin! It was bleeding and oozing; it was so gross! We immediately took her to the vet and got some medicine for her, no stitches required!

The next week, Stephen was off work, but I was back at work. Each day when I'd leave, she would hurdle the couch trying to get out the door with me! And each day when I'd come back home, she was always so excited for me to come back.

Then, this last Friday, Jan 24th. I got home early, and Stephen wasn't home. I always have mini freak outs/panic attacks/anxiety when things aren't how they are supposed to be, and it usually is for a good reason. A couple minutes later, Stephen comes home....without Nikki. They were out behind housing in the mesquite and she ran away (1 month ago exactly, this was Shadow). We went out there and searched all over, for about 6 hours looking for her.

Saturday, we went back out there as soon as we woke up, and brought some friends to help us look. We looked and looked, did "FOD walks" and sweeps of the area, walked up and down every street on base trying to see if she was in someone's yard, etc. We all got so torn up from the cactus and thorns and everything else.

We eventually found her, about 5:30 Saturday night. She was down by a gully and tangled up in the trees. It looks like she fell and broke her neck. I was the one who found her. I was so devastated! I had searched that exact spot, following a game trail just that morning. We think she had found my scent and was trying to follow we back home. We had a burial for her, next to Shadow.

RIP Shadow, Welcome Nikki

After the holiday season, we settled back down into our routine of work and normal social life. Shadow was getting stronger and healthier each day and we were really optimistic that he would make a full recovery. Then one day he somehow hurt his eye, it was all swollen and red, had some weird thing going on with his throat, and he had hurt his leg as well and only wanted to sleep. We were really worried about him, but decided to wait a couple days to see if he could bounce back.

        

Then on January 8th, even though he was getting better, I decided that he needed to go to the vet that day. I called one of the vet clinics here in Del Rio and made an appointment during lunch. Stephen brought him and we went and got him checked out. We got him some medicine and made an appointment for the following week. We then took him to the park where we finished our lunch.

We had him off the leash and running around, feeding him some of the meat from our sandwiches. We went to the stream and looked around, and played in the grass. We all had a really nice time. Then, all too soon, it was time to go back to work. I picked him up and put Shadow in the truck, laid him down, pet him, gave him a kiss on the head and told him that I loved him. I had no idea that would be the last time I'd see him alive, but at least I gave him a proper goodbye.

As I was finishing up work that day, I got about 6 phone calls from Stephen, which I ignored until I left for home. I called him to hear him crying. Shadow had died. Tears started streaming down my face. I was so, so sad. I can't even describe the feeling of my heart shattering into a million pieces. I couldn't understand anything that Stephen was saying, and I'm sure he couldn't understand me either. We cried on the phone together the whole time I drove back home.

I walk inside and find Stephen in the puppy room, the floor wet, and Shadow laying in his crate with his head hanging out on the ground. It turns out that Shadow had decided to chew on some plastic water bottles we had accidentally left in the room. He chewed through a couple full water bottles, hence the water on the floor, and had pulled off the top of another, he had taken it to his crate to chew. He ended up swallowing it, and choked.

I was an absolute mess that night. I was crying and screaming, I think I punched the wall a few times. Stephen had a briefing, so he got me out of Shadow's room and on to the couch with a glass of water. Shortly after he left, I crawled back to Shadow's room and laid next to him crying and petting him. That was one of the worst nights ever.

We talked about maybe getting a new dog to help us move on and be happy and not dwell on our sadness. I went and checked out the pound but nothing caught my eye. I headed over to a Pet's Wish, a rescue shelter. There I met Nikki, a lab boxer mix, that was just begging to come home! She is absolutely beautiful! She is super passive and cuddly, and can be outside without a leash! A perfect dog for our family!

We had Shadow's burial at 5 pm that night, retreat being a perfect sendoff with the planes flying overhead. Before the tears had even finished drying, we were at a Pet's Wish adopting Nikki. I actually cried a few times more that first night with Nikki. But I knew that Nikki was going to be a great dog for us!

                                        

The 2013 Holiday Season

The holiday season was quite different than our past couple breaks.  For one,  this time it didn't start at the end of finals.  There was no stress leading up to the time off we had.  You'd think that the military would be strick and not so lenient around the holidays,  but actually,  Stephen had pretty much 2 straight weeks off work.  I got 4 days.

It really wasn't too bad for Stephen.  Most men are probably super excited to have time off until they get the wife's honey-do list! Stephen spent the day taking Shadow to the vet for a checkup and cleaning the house getting ready for the family to come!

I had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off. We had an exciting Christmas Eve, Shadow decided to run away while he and Stephen were out behind the housing office in the mesquite. I had slept in and was quietly reading a book, relaxing, when I got the call. I immediately got some clothes on and jumped in the car and headed that way.

Knowing Shadow, when he gets scared, he more or less freezes and waits for me to come get him. Unfortunately, this was in some pretty harsh terrain. I wouldn't be able to walk through it trying to find it, and the noise I'd make would probably scare him more and he'd run farther away. So we started doing laps, following some jeep trails calling for him. After almost an hour, Stephen went to go check around housing to see if he might have left that thicket area. I kept walking and calling for him, and eventually saw him. Shadow was hiding under a mesquite tree a little ways off the road. I was really surprised that I even saw him. I knew that he heard me, but was so scared. I had to coax him out, promising love and treats!  The rest of the day we spent cleaning him up. He had exploded poop during that time (something that happens when he gets scared) and had gotten into some cactus, etc. He then spent the rest of the day shaking and cuddling into us while we watched movies and relaxed.

We opened a present on Christmas Eve, and the rest had to wait until the morning! We both got a good haul and are very thankful for what we received! After the presents under the tree were gone, it became one of Shadow's favorite places to hang out!
   

      

I was back at work for the next day, while we waited for Stephen's family to make the long trip down here to Laughlin. My boss's boss gave me the next day off to spend with family, even though I'm technically not yet authorized to get time off like that since I'm still within my first 6 months working for the city. It was really nice of him. Stephen's family made it in around 10:30 or so that night. We talked a little and got them to their rooms. Let me just say, 7 people in a 3 bedroom house is tight! Especially when there is only 1 shower!

Friday morning we relaxed and took a tour of Del Rio and of the base. We ate authentic Mexican food for lunch.  Saturday we went out to the lake and walked around there for a while. Shadow got his first swimming lessons! We also went and saw the 2nd Hobbit movie, and went to Fuddruckers for dinner.
Sunday we went to church and then relaxed.  It was really great getting to see most of Stephen's family.  We really missed them.  It was very nice to have family around us and to show them our home and our little town.
   

The next day, the family left, and I was back at work. It was nice to see everybody!
I also had New Years Eve and New Years Day off work. I really don't think we did anything. I know we went to bed pretty much right at midnight.  Even though we didn't have too much craziness it was a great first Christmas.