She is finally home!

🐾 Puppy Pick Up Adventures

What a journey this has been. My puppy pick up adventure was far more dramatic than anything I had planned — thanks to the government shutdown and a whole lot of airline chaos.

Travel to Burlington

My first flight from Orlando to JFK was only slightly delayed. But once at JFK, everything unraveled. My 1:40 p.m. flight to Burlington went through 13 delays and 5 gate changes. At one point, Delta even sent a text warning of “mechanical issues” — a message meant for my incoming flight still stuck in Buffalo.

Finally, around 6 p.m., we boarded. After a long wait in the takeoff line, we were nearly in Burlington but about ten minutes from landing, the pilot announced we were turning back to JFK due to weather and unresolved mechanical problems.

I tried to rent a car, but dropping it off in Vermont instead of the pick up location would cost an extra $200. I found a Delta flight supposedly leaving at 10 p.m., but when I reached the gate, they said they couldn’t help because boarding was underway. I explained that getting to the help desk in another terminal which needed to be accessed via a shuttle, waiting in that line, and getting back before departure was impossible.

The gate agents were incredibly kind and started trying to help. But by the time one checked again, the flight was now sold out.

That’s when I fell apart. I stood there crying, explaining that I was supposed to pick up my puppy in the morning. I showed them photos. I had a complete.

And then something remarkable happened — several of the gate agents stepped in. One kicked off travelers who hadn’t arrived from their incoming flight. Another grabbed one of those seats before it disappeared. A third printed my boarding pass.

They quite literally made a seat appear for me.

I made it to Burlington at last. Because the inn had 9 p.m. check-in, I had canceled my reservation mid-meltdown, but thanks to my son, Cody (who had booked Hilton rooms in multiple cities just in case), I had a hotel waiting for me. And even though the Dollar car rental counter had closed at midnight, a Hertz employee stayed late and honored my Dollar reservation.

It was an unbelievably crazy trip — but somehow, I arrived.

Meeting My Puppy

With four inches of snow on the ground, I drove carefully to the farm the next morning. The puppies were healthy, happy, and full of life. Their mother was beautiful — confident, gentle, and perfectly protective.

And my girl … she was a cuddle, sweet, adorable, perfect little soul. One look, and every delay, every tear, every gate change became worth it.

The Journey Home

Our trip home wasn’t simple either. At check-in, Delta said the puppy wasn’t in their system at all, despite my having the chat transcript confirming her reservation. Because of this, I had been placed in an emergency row which is not allowed with a pet in cabin so, the agent had to unravel that mess, too.

TSA was lovely. They had me take her out of the crate and carry her through, and despite not being paid due to the shutdown, every agent took a moment to adore her.

Our flight from Burlington was delayed enough that I was sure I’d miss my LaGuardia connection. After de-icing delays and an adjusted takeoff window, we finally landed but far from the departure gate I needed. A wonderful airport worker drove us most of the way on a golf cart. I sprinted the last stretch and was one of the final passengers to board.

Guy was waiting at the airport, ready to meet Nakina — Native American for “The One Who Is Loved,” and African for “The Gift.” She is living up to both meanings. She traveled like a seasoned pro, calmer and more composed than many of the children on the flights. She takes in the world with grace.

Training & Socialization

On Wednesday, she saw our vet and earned a clean bill of health.

On Thursday, we visited PetCo. She wasn’t thrilled with the shopping cart at first. The moving floor beneath confused her but once it was filled with toys and treats and she could lie on top, she relaxed.

On Friday, we visited Home Depot with a blanket-lined cart, and she loved it. She met men of all sizes, ages, ethnicities, and facial hair.

Her potty training is going well. She’s eating well. She loves her tug toys. She is brilliant, gentle, observant, and incredibly easygoing.

What's Next

• Continue socialization
• Begin training: name game, sit, and down
• Travel to Connecticut for Thanksgiving
• Attend the Thanksgiving Cluster in Springfield, MA, where she can see an agility environment and meet more Belgians

All of this craziness… with all the planning I did, I never imagined how difficult the journey could be. But she is so perfect. I can’t imagine spending a moment without her.