Pay It Forward

What an interesting last 2 days.
As I was driving home from dropping Eli off at school yesterday I was checking all the houses yards for Angel, as per the usual lately, when at this dairy I noticed a little German Shepherd and immediately knew I'd seen her picture in the lost and found sections of the papers. I went home, double checked, then almost didn't call. I was second guessing myself-I don't like the embarrassment of being wrong. But I knew I'd want someone to call if they thought it was Angel and before I knew it my thumb hit call. The guy that answered started getting so excited when I told him I thought I saw her-I immediately started feeling bad, not wanting him to be let down like we'd experienced so many times the last couple of weeks. Anyways, less than a half an hour later he called back so excited saying, "It's her! It's her!"
As awesome as that is, I felt sick because I was so jealous of their outcome. I wanted so bad to have that same ending for my family! After my pity party I started to feel pretty good about being able to help them and realized how amazing it is when things work out.
Then, last night as we were driving around, once again, looking, I got a phone call. The man's wife wanted to thank me and offer a reward. There was no way I could accept that and simply asked her to pay it forward. She was curious how I ended up finding her dog so I told her the story, and in doing so it came out that our dog was lost. She and her friend immediately went in to action making all sorts of suggestions, asking for a copy of the flyer so they could post some, and planned on helping us look; I couldn't believe it-I was reaping the blessing of paying it forward!
This morning, I sent in the renewal for our ad in the paper, this time adding Angel's picture since I've gotten so many calls on another stray (and NOT friendly) dog around our area. A while later, I got a message from a gentleman telling me he has my dog and has had her for the last two weeks. As soon as I could call him back I did. Being let down so many times already I was skeptical but he said, without a doubt, it's her-because he just saw her picture come through the paper for advertising! As it turns out, he's in charge of marketing and was putting the ad through himself when he recognized her picture and immediately called me. She was a few miles down the road from us; we went and picked her up right away so now our Angel is home!
I am so thankful for the way things worked out. I knew it would take patience on our part, but mine were starting to wear out! I can't help but feel like it had to be this way so that the other dog could be found. Had Angel not been lost I would never have been watching the lost and found ads, never would have seen their dog's picture, never would have called. Who knows how that could have ended! So in losing one I am so happy that two were found!

*side note-Angel and Ruger seem to get along alright so far. I'm slowly introducing them to avoid any complications but I have no doubt by tonight they'll be best buds. Livi's excited because now "Angel can be Ruger's mom." I can't wait to pick Eliana up from school and show her our Angel is home!