There weren't many things the kids were sad to give up when we moved to Korea. Obviously, their friends, slushies at Sonic during happy hour, and Redbox movie rentals on every corner. First world problems, right? But, their greatest loss was having to part with the pups that had become part of the family-- especially Aspen, our black lab, who had been a Markowski longer than all the kids except Seth.
We, of course, explained why we had to leave the dogs behind-- and they were practical, if not pragmatic-- reasons. 1) Aspen was 10+ years old. Not sure how she would handle 17+ hours in the cargo hold of an aircraft. 2) We were moving into an apartment. Could have been the first floor or the fifteenth floor-- no one knew. But, we did know, it wouldn't have a yard. That meant EVERY TIME the four-leggeds needed to potty someone would leash them up, take them down the stairs (or the elevator) out to the gravel "yard". In the winter, not fun. In the wee hours, not fun. 3) We were moving into an apartment. High energy dogs and kids in a small space are not a fun equation. And finally, did I mention, 4) We were moving into an apartment. People above, below, all around. Already on pins and needles with noise from the kids riding their scooters up and down the hallway (yes, that was inside the house)-- throwing barking dogs into the picture did not seem like a smart thing to do.
In any case, despite our very efficient flow-chart titled "Reasons the Dogs Get New Homes", the kids were heartbroken. Just desperate for some canine love. In fact, JP told us that as soon as we get to our next assignment we would DEFINITELY be getting a dog. And I quote, "As soon as. Not a few months later. We land, get our suitcases, get a dog. Got it, Mom?" Surprisingly, the hamsters we acquired while in Korea didn't seem to scratch that "pet-owners" itch. I can't imagine why. (FYI: it is much easier to wrestle with a dog, chase a dog around the house, and play tug-of-war with a dog. Hamsters are not very adept at any of the aforementioned skills. And, frankly, they are all pretty dangerous for the hamster.)
Once we received our orders to Tucson, the search began. We looked at puppies, dog rescues, dogs from family members, dogs in the pound. We
As God usually does, he showed up BIG in our hunt for the perfect pup. It seems odd to acknowledge the fact that our Creator, governor of the UNIVERSE, would have His hand in our version of canine match.com. But, of course, He did. When we choose to give Him control of the desires of our hearts, decide to turn over our longings, and lift up our requests in prayer, God provides. Here's where it gets cool….
Our dear friends, the Kings, moved about a year ago from Korea to Almogordo, New Mexico. After a few months in New Mexico, they brought a beautiful shepherd/lab mix named Sugar into their home from the Almogordo Dog Rescue. In the same way that a first time parent realizes its not normal for their baby to be so calm and peaceful and sleeping through the night after only 2 weeks on earth, the Kings realized that Sugar was an AMAZING dog. She was well behaved in the house and on the leash, she yearned to please them, loved going hiking with them, and was happy just to chill at home in the evenings. We met Sugar on our way to Tucson, and agreed that she was the bee's knees.
Fast forward about 2 months. Ron, the dad in the King household, took Sam (curly haired cutie) to Tractor Supply for some errands on the weekend. (Because, that's what you do in Almogordo, New Mexico on a Saturday.) Out front, Almogordo Dog Rescue was having a meet 'n' greet with dogs that were available for adoption. It didn't take long for Ron to spot a dog who looked nearly identical to Sugar, and even less time for him to deduce that this dog, Duke, was Sugar's brother. (Same parents, different litter.)
After a series of texts between Ron and Susan, and a weekend appointment to meet Duke, they decided that 2 dogs (even IF they were siblings) was not in their family plan right now. But, Susan, on a whim, sent me pics of Duke on Wednesday-- because she was aware of our dog search.
In less that 24 hours we learned that Duke was being fostered by a German family stationed, on an exchange with the Tornados, at Holloman AFB. They were leaving the United States in 4 weeks and needed to find Duke a forever home. They were also believers and had been praying for the right family to come through for Duke. In addition to all of that, Susan was coming to our house that weekend for a quick visit!
In the few weeks since Duke came to join us, he's made himself right at home. He loves car rides and cuddling, sitting in the sun (which works out well in Tucson) and chasing lizards (again, appropriate for his new locale). I have a constant companion at my feet when I'm washing dishes or folding laundry, and he isn't afraid to let me know when someone is out back in the utility alley. He's only about 10 months old, so there's still a lot of puppy spunk in him, but thankfully, that puppy-hood does NOT manifest in chewing up shoes or peeing in the house.
Duke already has more friends than I do in Tucson, and loves to have play dates. He came to us not knowing how to play with toys-- I could hardly believe it, but he had NO idea what to do with a rope or a ball. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Well, we fixed that. He now plays tug-of-war with the kids, his puppy pals, and throws the rope for himself, too.
We are so thankful for Duke because he fits perfectly into the puppy-shaped hole that was in our hearts for the last two years. More than that, though, we are thankful for the way that God uses the people in our lives to meet our every need. Even when that need is a tail-wagging, four-legged friend.
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