Relieved

Saturday night, after a fun party with friends and Dylan tucked into bed, Trent & I realized something wasn't right. Both of our cats "disappear" when Dylan is around, but usually show up during nap times and after he's gone to bed. Chester was with us. Cali was no where to be found. We literally turned our entire house upside down looking. We realized she must have slipped out the door on us and I went out into the cold to look around our yard and call for her. Nothing. To say that was a restless night for me would be an understatement.

Flyers - grateful to have been able to pull these down!

Sunday I spent the entire day emailing neighbors, knocking on doors & handing out flyers to other neighbors, posting online notices, searching alone and with Trent & Dylan as well as making a visit to the county animal shelter. Around 5 I had a gut feeling that I should go look again and was about to do so when Trent told me a lady had just called saying she had seen a cat marking Cali's description on Saturday evening - a slight ray of hope! But further searching and knocking on doors afterward ended empty handed again.

Dylan (right) and friend searching. No, she wasn't in these mailboxes. ;)

Yesterday, started off with me searching our yard and calling for her. Once the temperature was above 40, I strapped Dylan into his stroller, bundled up, and we went searching again. We bumped into one of his 2.5 year old neighborhood buddies and grandfather out for a walk looking for her as well - so blessed we were to have friends helping us!! After an hour and all of us cold, we began walking back to our homes. I knocked on a couple more doors I had previously missed down the street from us. After her sighting in the neighborhood behind us, my focus had been there. I spoke to one man who was home with his son. Nothing then, but within an hour this man would be the one to call and tell me he thought he saw her go into his neighbor's backyard! A neighbor I never met before yesterday. A true Christmas blessing. I retrieved my sweet, scared girl from under a grill. Tucked in behind the gas tank and under a grill cover - a safe spot from the elements. She relaxed in my arms immediately.

Finally home!!

We're all so relieved to have her home. She and Chester are still readjusting (I guess he had gotten used to being *the* cat of the house in her absence). Otherwise we're pretty much back to normal. I am so grateful for that and that I can finally answer the question Dylan repeatedly asked on Sunday, "Mama, where Calicat go?"