Somehow she got out of the yard when Mom and Dad were both doing something for just a moment. We're still unsure of how she was able to do that. She is one strong little girl, with a desire to make new friends. She is so happy and sweet, it made us freak out to hear that she was missing. My sister-in-law tried to be strong on the phone when she told us that she was missing and how she didn't sleep and didn't know what else to do. I got on the computer and we started scouring sites that could help, hoping that someone took her to a safe place and not into their home where we might never know what happened.

After a couple agonizing days, one of the sites had a match, plain as day. This was her--sitting there regally, so pleased someone wanted to take her mug shot. She looked like she she had a bunch of stories to tell. I can just hear it:

"And then I went into this yard and got tangled up in the Christmas lights, but they were so pretty, SO pretty, and then I went to the pool, but the gate was locked so I couldn't go swimming, and then I saw some kids, and I saw more kids, and OH I saw a CAT! I chased the cat and chased the cat and chased the cat and then I didn't know where I was, someone came and roped me in like I was a horse and I rode in a cold, cold truck, but then we got here and they give me treats and snuggle me and take my picture."

My sister-in-law called the crack pound to verify, and they knew immediately who she was talking about. Pumpkin was the talk of the dog catchers for how she just sat and posed for the camera. We were more worried about her being in the city pound than out on the streets. She was in there with pit bulls giving each other homemade tattoos and smoking in the corner, German Shephard bodyguards snarling to keep everyone away from their clients--the poodles and Lhaso Apsos napping delicately on a bed made of Labradors and Siberian Huskies. It was a rough crowd. Luckily Pumpkin was able to make friends with the biggest gang of them all, the cats.

I'm glad you are back home, Pumpkin. Your mommy (and your old mommy) were worried sick about you!