15 Minutes of Terror

So this morning started off a *little* rocky. About every other morning, the hub gets up around 5am to play racquetball with a buddy in the neighborhood. I hear him getting up and getting ready. The pups stay snuggled up next to me (because who the hell gets up at 5am?). I hear the hub whisper "I love you" as he walks out. I respond with my usual barely audible grunt. I hear the garage door go up and back down, pat Belly's head under the covers, and roll back over. ZZZzzzz....

Thirty minutes later, I wake up suddenly to some rummaging noises downstairs. I jump up and realize the dogs aren't in the room with me anymore. Oh great... Gertie's gotten into something. What now? So I throw on my glasses and head downstairs.

All the lights are on. TV's going. But no dogs. Hmmm... maybe the hub accidentally left them outside? The noise must've been them jumping on the door to get back in. I look outside (which is still dark as it's not quite 6am)... no pups. OK I swear I just heard them! I pull out their food in the pantry and start scooping it (because if anything will get them running to me, THAT will). No dogs. I turn around and see the hub's phone and racquetball bag on the kitchen island. OK... he left like 30 minutes ago. What is going on? No husband, no dogs. Empty house. What the HELL is going on?

Insert: MAJOR HYSTERICAL RAGING TEARFUL FREAK OUT

I just keep circling up and downstairs... and down in the basement. Check again outside. I keep saying "What is going on? Where are my babies?" Yelling my husband's name. Crying hysterically the whole time. So now I'm playing out these awful scenarios in my head. He's been kidnapped and the dogs escaped! OK that's ridiculous. He left without his stuff and the dogs accidentally got out. So now I'm picturing having to bury two other dogs. But I JUST heard them! What is going on?!?!??! Do I call 911?

Finally I think to go look in the laundry room where we keep the leashes for the dogs. And sure enough, the girls' harnesses and leashes are gone. Common sense would say, OK the hub decided to go on an early morning walk with the dogs. But common sense doesn't kick in till at least 7am. No, a robber has come in and stolen our dogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now I'm trying to convince myself that the hub did indeed just take the dogs out. But why? Whenever we walk them, it's at night. So this is not normal AT ALL. I calm down some but am still pacing. A few minutes later (though an eternity in my state), the hub comes through the front door with our dogs. I meet him there and just break down. Sounding like a 5 year old who dropped her ice cream cone, I cry "I... didn't...know....where....you....were!!!!"

He of course felt terrible... he said he did come back upstairs and grabbed the dogs and told me he was going out for a walk with them since his buddy canceled on him. Yeah, no recollection of that. Snoozing away. Perfectly innocent on his part, but sheer terror on my end. He didn't think I'd be awake before he got back either... which I probably wouldn't have. Turns out it was the clatter of him getting out the door with the dogs that woke me up.

So now we have a new rule... leave a note. I think my heart is still trying to slow down. We had a good laugh over it, after I calmed down of course. "Well, at least I know you'd miss me," the hub said. "Or at least the dogs."

Hopefully the rest of the day will be a little more smooth sailing! Happy Thursday! :)