Destination Reached!

So.

I'm here.

If you want to learn about or refresh yourself

with my Journey so far,

you can read it here

and there will be links to previous chapters in my recent past, as well.

Including tales of my life at my FosterHome, the SquareDogHouse.

I had arrived.

What I now know

is that they had been eagerly awaiting my arrival

at what was about to become my new home.

Another Square Dog, this one named Jake,

had been watching out the window

from his favorite perch

and he saw me!

In my balloon!

Lots of balloons drift over this hogback, he later told me,

but this was MINE!

He knew it immediately.  No question about it.

All the way from England.

Clear across the Big Pee.

He gathered the other Square Dog

(a Girl one named Fergi)

and from their deck (MY deck!) they watched me drift by.

I crossed over the house and lowered to the ground

 as they zoomed around inside.

And as I lay in the grass, in my blue traveling parcel,

my balloon drifted on westward.

But soon, that Square Dog bounded from the door and rushed to my side.

He could smell me and hear me softly breathing.

They brought me inside and found a (rather) safe place

for me to briefly rest.

They poked my breathing hole slightly larger.

Fresh mountain air!

I sucked it in!

Jake stood guard.
I heard them saying I needed to acclimate
from the journey
and to the new high altitude
before I had to deal with any more new experiences.
Plus, the "Girl" wasn't home.

So I waited.
And Jake sniffed.

And sniffed some more.

I was glad I was in my protective cover.

I had a pretty good idea this was the longest we'd be

this close together

for a long time.

He was pretty enthusiastic about my arrival.

Afraid I might fall from the stairs landing,

someone moved me down to the floor.

Under a plant.

Somewhat protected.

And the Girl Dog Fergi came to check me out.

She was a little more reserved in her approach
but no less curious.
I held very still.

Realizing all this sniffing through the bag

might have been a little overwhelming after just arriving

someone moved me and my light blue parcel up onto a table.

I smelled the parcel's familiarity and knew I had arrived with all my belongings.

After a short time, the Girl got home.
And with a big smile
(I could feel it through the wrapping)
she gently and carefully carried me into another part of the house.
With an enthusiastic entourage.

We all gathered on the floor.
By this point I was getting anxious
to be free to move and look around.
To meet this new family of mine.

I held my breath as they began to unwrap me from my secure, familiar wrapping.

And with scissors and a couple of inquisitive noses

they opened my bag.

I lay very very quietly as they allowed me

to slowly get used to this new place.

Human hands lifted me out and lay me on my blankies.
Without even blinking, I lay very very still.

And someone picked me up and introduced me to my new brother.

Our eye contact spoke a million words.

I watched as the BoyDog sniffed my blanket.

I thought of Miss Enid, and Otis, and Eric and SquareDogFosterMum

and wondered if he could smell them.

I missed them.

I wondered if they missed me.

Standing quietly, and with the touch of a new human hand

Fergi sniffed me.

And then,

to no surprise,

she sniffed my bottom.

(Check out my expression.

I CAN see with these button eyes.

Someone asked.

I can probably see better than anyone else.

Because I see through wisdom and experience.)

Anyhow, it figures.  All dogs are alike.

It's the "proper" introduction, I guess.

I let her do her sniffing.

The other square dog, Jake

rather tackled me.

Whoever was taking photographs of my arrival

took a time out to run interference.

(The pictures they did snap were ugly.

Not at all a proper greeting or interaction.

But one with which I had become familiar.)

To help me get my bearings,

they took me out on the deck

and showed me the direction of England.

My homeland.

I looked east.

Over the hogback.

And realized from where I'd come

and to where I had now

finally

arrived.

Without even needing to ask

(it wouldn't have been polite)

Tea and Scones

were waiting for me.

It had been a long time since I'd sipped tea

and I was thirsty beyond description.

Little did I know that this would stay

a customary event

at my new home.

I didn't even need to tell them.

I enjoy my tea weak, with plenty of milk, and something for dipping.

FosterMum had already told them.

(Thank you.  I love you.)

Shortly thereafter

I made sure I had all my belongings:

my very special British scarf

(with a Cath Kidston bus on it)

my special British tote,

my soft stuffie, my greenie toothbrush

and my Three Bad Pups book

(to remind me of home)

and I prepared to settle down for a night's rest.

This new Moma of mine placed me high on a mantel

in the company of other stuffies

and introduced me to everyone.

I felt safe from the livewirey type

who were not yet ready for me to retire.

And gently, quietly I laid down

and fell asleep.

Wheeless Wheelie Boy.

In my new home.

The home that had been waiting for me

to join them for months.

Journey Across the Big Pee

Foster Boy (aka Wheeless Wheelie) here.

It's time to tell my own story.

I'm Real, you know.

And my Voice has been restored.

No longer am I a neglected tattered old dog

sitting on a shelf.

I've become Alive again.

With a Heart and a Soul.

Full of Love.

Restored Love.

The day had come for me to leave

my foster home at Square Dog House.

My family in the Rocky Mountains of America was waiting for me.

My bag was carefully packed with traveling essentials for my trip across the Big Pee.

OtisKittie checked to be sure everything was included.

(FosterMom had thought of everything I might want or need.)

picture by SquareDogFamily

Otis and Miss Enid assured me I was ready and that all would be well.

I was nervous.

 And I was feeling pretty sad.

(So were they, I think.)

picture by SquareDogFamily

It came time to say my goodbyes.

Otis purred encouragement and reminded me that I am strong.

picture by SquareDogFamily

Eric the Square Dog gave me a last few pointers.

I tried to understand.

(I think he was really trying to bite my neck.)

picture by SquareDogFamily

Miss Enid promised to write and told me she'd miss my company.

(I knew I'd miss her terribly.)

picture by SquareDogFamily

And FosterMom gave me one last long hug goodbye.

She loved me. I know she did.

picture by SquareDogFamily

FosterMom wrapped me carefully in soft blankets

And gently padded my sore feet and weak neck.

Eric helped to pack me up in my big blue traveling bag.

(He had a determination that I sensed and tried to understand.

I knew there was more to him than I'd been able to figure out

in the few months I'd lived in his Square Dog House.)

picture by SquareDogFamily

I'd like to think he was kissing me goodbye.

But I sort of had my doubts.

And I left.

On a long journey across the water and half way across America.

And they all stood and watched me float away.

My Foster Family.

From Square Dog House.

I traveled over open water.

It wasn't long before I no longer saw land.

The isolation and quiet gave me time to think.

I began to feel a peaceful sense of certainty

about who I am and what my value is.

I drifted along.

Time passed.

The sun set and the moon rose.

In the darkness of the night, I recognized myself, again,

as someone more than the charming, kind sentimental sort of fellow

I had been described as being.

And I kept drifting along.

The sun rose the next morning.

And heated my chilly bones.

Still Westward I moved.

Toward my new home.

I quietly considered some basic truths

about my heartfelt longings.

I kept floating. Pushed gently by the winds.

Later that day

A storm gathered.

Amidst it, I realized that living through life challenges

had led me to become the very wheeless wheelie that I am now am.

I was ready to proudly reclaim everything

that makes me Unique.

I am Real.

I am the only Me.

And I feel no Anxiety, no Shame, no Wrong.

I accept myself fully and completely

as a Real, therefore imperfect, Wheelie.

The weather cleared.

And I slept.

Dreaming of what my life had been

and what it was about to become.

When I woke up I noticed the ridge of low mountains my new family had described.

The hogback, they called it.

They said once I saw it, I'd be in sight of my new home.

I wondered if they were watching for me.

Slowly I lowered and drifted over a house.

And the balloon dropped down toward a grassy front yard.

My bright blue traveling bag was laid in the grass.

Along with my smaller light blue package of special items.

The ones FosterMom had packed.

I had arrived.

I was home.

But still wrapped in blue plastic.

I rested. And waited.

Our Wheeless Wheelie Boy in the UK

Family

Friends

What would be do without them?

Life would be a very sad thing.

We knew we wanted to expand our family

and it took friends to make it happen.

Wheeless Wheelie Boy was meant to be part of our family.
(Catch up here, if you've missed part of the story.)

But it would not have happened without the loving help and support

of Miss Enid and Eric the Square Dog and Otis and Square Mom

(to be hereafter known as Foster Mom)

across the Big Pee.

As you'll read here from their blog

They rescued Wheeless Wheelie from the eBay Kennels

and he lived with them

while we traveled and were away from home.
They are our angels.
(Read their part of the story here.)

Through their kindness and loving support

Wheeless Wheelie (hereafter known as Foster Boy)

joined their family

and through the convenience of across-the-pee communication

was in touch with us
got to know us

and we were able to be in touch with him.

Thanks to his wonderful Foster Family
We received pictures and a Smilebox
immediately after FosterBoy arrived in his Foster SquareDogHouse.

With a gentle touch
and loving support
he lifted his head and smiled for the camera.

One of his first pictures in his new Foster Home.

picture by Miss Enid

He was lovingly and protectively cared for by the wheelie family at SDH.

picture by Eric

And cautiously protected from a certain SquareDog.

picture by Miss Enid

(We'll leave those tales to his Foster Family.

We're pretty sure Eric has some versions of his own!)

This was the Boy we had dreamed about.

The Boy we saw and immediately knew we wanted to bring into our family.

Smilebox by Foster Family To say we were excited was an understatement. We could hardly contain ourselves! During the summer, he sent us a post card. Postcard with the help of Foster Family And we knew he was happy and adjusting to being with a family again. We could hardly wait for him to join our family. And finally. Months later. At just the right time. The day arrived that he was ready to travel. We received another postcard. Postcard with the help of Foster Family We knew he was about to join us. His Foster Family prepared him for his long journey across the Big Pee. Picture by Miss Enid The time for his next transport had arrived. And as we waited, we started making preparations at home. A special Homecoming is about to be celebrated.