The text came in with the above picture and said, “She’s on her way”…and I just started crying.

Flashback 2 weeks prior, when I received an email from the HT-Z Giant Schnauzer Rescue, which said, “we have a 3-year old girl.  She’s in KY and was rescued from less than ideal circumstances”…and that started the ball rolling.

We received 2 pictures of her.   She had us at Hello.  She was named Gaia, by the rescue people in December, and when the kids and I discussed changing her name, to Maxie, I knew it was a done deal.

And she sits!

A face that could not be resisted.  We didn’t resist.  I have always felt that everything happens for a reason.  Yes, our sweet beloved Murphy passed away late December and we were not ready or looking for a new dog.  Sometimes people or animals come into our lives and that’s just the way it’s supposed to be.  We didn’t go looking for a new dog. She came looking for us.  We started referring to her as Maxie, with a “M” as a tribute to Murph. <3

We were supposed to adopt her in mid-February, but I received a call last week indicating that Diana, a woman who owns 2 rescued Giant Schnauzers  and flies her private jet for Angel Flights, would be available to pick up Maxie, in KY, and fly her to Rockford, IL.  She was flying a patient, and if Maxie didn’t mind a brief layover of 20 minutes, in Evansville, IN, she could hop a ride with Diana  and arrive in Rockford Thursday evening.  We didn’t think Maxie would mind at all a brief layover.  Would I be available to pick her up?  Well, sure!  So Maxie flew in a private jet from Louisville, KY, to Evansville, IN then onto Rockford, IL, just 50 minutes from me.  I was instructed to pick her up at a corporate hanger, and I could meet her when she got off the plane.

Spoiler Alert!  Teaser explained! I was never meant to fly coach.  Yes, Stephen, I think this was a good one! oxox

I arrived in Rockford and  went inside the assigned hanger, and a woman approached me and asked,

Woman: “May I help you”.

Terry: “Yes, I’m here to meet a plane.”

Woman: “This isn’t the airport”.  She gave me quite the look.

#Duh.

Terry: “Yes, I’m aware:. ;).

At that moment, a nice gentleman yelled out from an office, “Oh, are you here to pick up a dog”?

Terry:  “Yes, I am”.

The woman looked at me, with a look I will never forget.  I know she originally thought I was just a silly woman (silly blonde woman) who wasn’t aware that an airplane hanger, was Not an airport…but I could tell in her eyes, it just got much worse.  I was a woman, who was flying a dog, in a private jet, and here to pick up my pup.

It would have made a better story if I allowed her to believe her version of the story, but I am who I am, and I couldn’t allow her to think that I’m flying my dog around in a private jet on my whim.  So, I happily pulled out my phone, told the story of Murphy, and the new story of  Maxie, who is a rescue dog, who needs a home…and my home desperately needs a dog.  We bonded and she showed me pictures of her pup. #TeamTerry

Maxie arrived on this plane.  And the rest has been history!

Our first selfie, on her way home!

Meeting Meredith for the first time.  Love at first sight! <3 <3 <3

Me and my puppy!

Exhausted!  May I say, that’s both of us, hence my boots disgarded on the floor.

Her first morning in Mer’s room.

Another one of me and my Maxie, both of us wrapped in a blanket!   I had one picture of me and Murph.  I now have about 48 of me and Maxie!

Looks like she found her spot!

Our second selfie, on her way to get spayed…Maxie enjoying her Chicago Bears blanket!  I’m enjoying my new black fur scarf from Colleen.  Maxie has No idea what she’s in for.

Experiencing snow for the first time!

Keeping a watchful eye on us in the family room below.

New dog.  Same emoji! 😉

Song of the Day:  This Ain’t Goodbye, by Train.  This song was playing on my last full walk with Murphy, when she said goodbye to her very best friend Sampson.  I knew then, she wouldn’t see Sampson again.  Yes, I was an emotional basket case and still am as I look back on that day.   Happily, Maxie is going to have a new best friend.  A golden doodle, named Sampson. <3

This ain’t goodbye
This is just where love goes
When words aren’t warm enough
To keep away the cold

And we are forever grateful and thankful for the 4 Angels:  Emily, Mary, Lisa and Diana, from HT-Z Giant Schnauzer Rescue.   For bringing Murphy into my father’s life and now blessing us with Maxie.  I never thought we would get another dog, because I knew we would not be able to go through the heart-ache again.  And I certainly didn’t think we would have another dog, four weeks to the day (almost to the hour) that sweet Murph passed away.  No one can tell you when the time is right to replace something so beloved. But things happen for a reason and we have Maxie and she is exactly where she is supposed to be.  #Serendipity. We are absolutely in love with her and going to make every day the best day of her life!

xoxo,

T.

HT-Z Giant Schnauzer Rescue – HT-Z is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting purebred Giant Schnauzers in need. Annually HT-Z rescues and rehomes, on average, 70 to 90 Giant Schnauzers from all over the United States. We are the only Giant Schnauzer rescue organization still doing business coast to coast and border to border.  HT-Z Giant Schnauzer Rescue

New beginnings… 🙂