After more than four days of worry and a desperate full-scale search, our dog Scout is home, safe and sound!

Saturday afternoon, some people from Big Springs called to say they’d picked her up on Military Pass Road, about 10 miles away from where we were looking on Highway 97.

When she made it home,  even though she was skinny and exhausted, Scout gave the kids lots of sloppy kisses, inspected the torn up backyard (a result of the new septic system we had to put in while she was gone) and rolled around in the grass with her blue tick sister, Sally.

It’s so wonderful to look out my kitchen window and see those two silly reunited hounds leaning against one another, eyes closed with contentment in the January sunshine.

The experience of losing Scout, stressful as it was, reminded me once again what a great community I live in. The support I received from friends, co-workers, and even those I’d never met before was truly astounding.

Without me even asking her to, Cathy Athens, who works at the Supersaver, designed a terrific Lost Dog flyer, and Susie Escatel and Paul Palfini  took it upon themselves to post them at local businesses.

Michele Cloutier-Valdez, owner of Fun Factory Snowmobile and WaveRunner Rentals – also the owner of hounds – made more flyers and posted them in the area where Scout was lost. She gave me lots of good ideas for additional places to call and offered to help in any way she could.

Facebook friends, and friends of Facebook friends, including Dawn Snure, Rhonda Monaghan, Ronelle Nichols, Amber Brasch, Colette Cross Bradley, Liz Pyles, Rosa Mero, Stanley Krute, Joyce Taylor, Susan Boehm, Brenda Floyd, Tanya Swinney, Maggie Cardenas, Arlene Berwick and Betty Bonham shared the flyer and put the word out online. (If you also shared the flyer and I forgot to mention you specifically, thanks so much!)

Local radio DJ Cindy Summers even made announcements over the air.

Many of our friends and my mother and father-in-law helped Paul scour the miles and miles of forest roads near Miller Mountain and Grass Lake. They spent hours calling Scout’s name and looking for her tracks in the snow.

On top of it all, we got  loads of well wishes and prayers, and I’m sure they all contributed to us finding our furry friend.

And though Paul did not get the people’s names who found Scout, thank you for saving her and returning her to us.

Also exciting: we once again have a fully functional septic system! After hours and hours of work by my hard working husband and wonderful cousin Forest, we have a new leach line. I also appreciate the generosity of our friends and neighbors, Devon and Jasmine Priddy, who opened their doors and let three smelly children and one irritated mama use their shower.

As a new (hopefully less stressful) week rolls in, I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported me over the past few days. I was a wreck. You truly warm my heart and fill it to overflowing with gratitude. :)