December 17, 2023
I woke up at 12:30 a.m. instantly my stomach cramped up remembering that Fletcher was lost out in the country. I did some deep breathing and wrote my blog. Then I did a full body relaxation session and slept again from 2:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. When I woke up, I prayed my thanksgivings and gratitudes.
- Thank you for this day. I am grateful to be alive.
- Thank you for fear. I am grateful for the reminder to step into faith.
- Thank you for strength. I am grateful for a strong spirit and body.
- Thank you for support. I am grateful for help.
- Thank you for friends and family. I am grateful for community.
- Thank you for sunshine. I am grateful for light and warmth.
As soon as it started to get light out, I drove to where Fletcher had ran off and called and looked for her. I was thinking she might not keep running from me and come when I called after spending a night in the woods. I called and called and searched and searched. After a couple of hours I went home. Christopher had hardly slept, he was concerned about Fletcher. He had sent out a group message to his extended family that live around us, asking them to keep an eye out for her. Angel ate breakfast while I made a quick trip to the grocery store. When I came back, Angel and I went out searching for Fletcher some more. I messaged her owners and they were already searching down the railroad tracks. I drove there and Angel and I walked next to the tracks calling for Fletcher. We met up with her owners, they had walked quite a ways up the tracks. While they were out there, they had ran into Christopher’s cousin Lucas who was also out looking for Fletcher. They had to leave to get someone from the airport and I told them we would keep searching. Christopher was out searching too on his way to town. He called me and told me we had received access to some nearby private land to search on. I drove there, Angel and I called and searched and called and searched. I drove back to the field where we had last seen her. Angel and I walked the field calling and searching. The weather was lovely and I was grateful to have such a nice day to be out walking and searching. We came across an abandoned house and I was hopeful that Fletcher was there hiding under the house or under the porch but there was no sign of her.
I was starting to feel exhausted. My legs ached and my throat was raw from calling for Fletcher. I drove home, had a smoothie and started searching again. My phone was getting text message after text message from people who were spreading the word all over the county. I checked Facebook often to see if anyone had posted that they had seen Fletcher and I noticed that my friends had shared my post all over Facebook. I felt grateful to have an amazing community all pitching in and helping to find Fletcher.
I drove to Chriesman and talked to everyone at Front Street Burger and gave them my number to call if any of them saw Fletcher. There was a craft sale going on outside and I bought a few Christmas gifts while I was there. Then I slowly drove the back roads calling for Fletcher. Anyone I saw out and about, I stopped and gave them my number to call me if they saw Fletcher. A friend called and suggested the owners put a piece of clothing with their smell on it where Fletcher was last seen. I thought that was a fantastic idea and was grateful for the tip.
By the time I got home, I was exhausted to the bone. I took a nap outside in the hammock for an hour. The warmth from the sun felt wonderful. When I woke up, I took a bath. I completely relaxed my body. It felt like every muscle was tight, especially my shoulders and jaw. I prayed and meditated, envisioning the best possible outcome of Fletcher being found safe and sound. Angel joined me in the bath and after she got clean, we bathed Little Bit who had gotten something all over his head. I had a big salad for supper. Fletchers owners texted me saying they had left a shirt at the cemetery. I told them I would check it first thing in the morning.
Christopher, Angel and I gathered in the banana hut and I read 2 chapters of Hank the Cowdog book 5. They we said our good nights and went to bed. Angel slept on the trundle bed in the banana hut with me. We fell asleep around 9 p.m. listening to The Boxcar Children.
Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life. I dearly appreciate you.
Love,
Victoria