Drive Home...

Bright and early on Thursday we woke up and drove over to MAWP to load the 5 dogs into the car.  Serena was not happy she had to share her car with 5 other dogs.  Hannah and Humphrey were in a crate because they are super scared and feel more secure closed in.  Heidi was tied in the back because she was just rescued out of someone's yard where she had spent a year being tied and we didn't know what she would do if we opened the doors.  Jack, Homer and Serena all shared the back seat.  We also managed to fit a crate, walkers and an x-pen in the car.  We put all our luggage on the car top carrier.

Poor Homer had an upset stomach.  He was so good though and would whine when he was about to have an accident so we would pull over and he would do it outside. 

Getting 6 dogs out at rest stops was challenging!  No one had any training except for Serena since they were all rescues.  Homer and Jack did know how to be polite on leash.  Our routine was as follows;

1. Put leashes on Homer, Jack and Serena

2. Get them out of the car and get one person situated with the 3 labs

3. Get another leash on Heidi and get her out of the car. 

4. Depending how calm everyone was either one person would hold 4 labs while the other person got Hannah and Humphrey out or we would take Serena with us to get Hannah and Humphrey out.  Poor Serena got the short end of the stick because she was the best trained.  She would go out and go pee and we would have to put her back in the car while getting the other situated.  She was not a happy camper being a princess and all.  She was a trooper though and listened in all of the chaos.

5. Put Hannah and Humphrey back in their crate

6. Clip Heidi back into the back

7. Load Jack, Homer and Serena. 

By the end of the 2 days everyone was used to the routine and were so very good.  We could get Homer, Jack and Serena to all walk together. 

The drive back was super pretty.  Florida scenary is so different than the corn fields of Illinois!

Jack, Homer and Serena would alternate putting their heads on our shoulders.  They are such love bugs.

This is Serena's "Are we there yet?" face.

Homer is looking for someone to raise him if you know of anyone who wants to do it!  You won't be able to resist this face:

Serena and Sarah:

The sunset the first night in TN.  It was freaking amazing!

The night in the hotel was interesting.  We would take the dogs out to go pee in pairs.  Hannah and Humphrey spent the night in one crate while Heidi was in the other.  Homer, Jack and Serena got to share the beds.  We only had to get up once when poor Homer had an accident by the door.  This of course woke everyone up so we had a pee party at 2 am.  Then it was back to bed until around 6 when we just decided to load up and get going.  The second day went by a lot better.  Everyone (dogs and people) were much more used to the routine and ready to get home.

I dropped Sarah off in Bloomington then had an hour or so drive to get to Mokena to drop the dogs off.  Serena decided that since Sarah was gone she was going to be my co-pilot.  Normally I don't let her ride in the front seat but I didn't have the energy to argue with her and she had curled up in a tight little ball on the passenger seat floor.  This is where she stayed for an hour. 

I got to Linda's and Mike, her husband, helped me get Hannah, Humphrey, Homer and Heidi all out and situated in the house.  Then back on the road Serena, Jack and I went!  It was so nice to finally get home though the house felt strangley empty with only 2 dogs after being surrounded by a pack of dogs for a week.  Sarah and I had a great time in Florida and can't wait to go back and visit everyone again!!