Guess who's home?? (and related stories)

After close to 7 months in little poo foster care, yesterday Braska and I drove to Springfield, IL to meet up with Nancy and Andrea for the transfer. Some of you will remember when she left back in May. It was harder on me than I thought it would be. And it was a last minute decision not to take her when we moved to the apartment, so that made it hard to. She went to stay with David and Ella, but things there required a change after a few weeks, and my buddy Andrea's mom Nancy was willing and glad to take her. It was a good match, and I was very happy to see her get to hang out at the family compound. (Well, maybe not a compound, but since Andrea, Chad, Josiah, and the twins live next door to her parents, Nancy and Ron, it's a mini-compound....in a good way!!)

I was pleased that Belle had such a good home. Belle's been hanging there for these months, learning to use the pet door, doing some fishing, and spending time at both houses. I was fine with her having found her new home for good--though I always included the option of her coming back to us if there were problems or situations changed. So now work schedules are different and they're not home quite as regularly. And the LAST thing Andrea needs is more little feet and high-maintenance small beings to deal with and feed. (She's like a super mom with 6 arms!) So it was a good time for Belle to come home. Things are settled here, as much as possible, and the timing worked out well.

We headed out in the morning to go get Braska's glasses, at least her back-up frames with new lenses, and to also drop off her everyday frames for the lens switch. Then we took off for the rendezvous. Nancy and Andrea were SO SO wonderful to drive almost half the distance for me to meet in the middle and save me alot of time in the car and the figuring of how we'd get all the way back up to C-U land to get the little poo in this crazy season. Braska got to use her new present from Rachel to help pass the time... Baby Einstein in the car was AWESOME if you ask her! She has never had such a fun drive. Belle was pretty happy to see us, apparently having not completely forgotten us. She rode really well on the way home (she just loves to travel in the car) and then set out to explore her new house.

Here's where things went not as smoothly... Braska was not much for this new situation. She apparently doesn't remember all the good times that they had together back in the day. She watched Belle suspiciously as I took her back and changed her diaper. Then I tried to introduce them by having Belle come over and say hello. She wasn't crazy all over or anything like I expected. She seems to have mellowed some, which is ok. But Braska had no interest in making nice. She spent the next hour very anxious and on my lap in the chair, very still and clingy. When M walked in, Belle went to greet her, of course, and she barked a couple times. Braska lost it. Daddy got her calmed down, but she was not happy. Belle stayed home in the kitchen while we went to the in-laws' for Ethon's birthday dinner. We managed fine when we got home, as it was late and Braska went right to bed.

The good news is that today is much better. We did a little "puppy therapy" this morning, practiced pat pat on Belle, and taught her to say "No, Belle." So things have gone well today. Only one little spell when Belle barked at M arriving back from a trip out this morning. It was short-lived, and she's been fine with Belle hanging out on the floor with her today. She's especially fond of the water and food dish....but of course. Now, will Braska figure out that she can fit through the pet door????