Today we learned some very important lessons:
(1)find a way to secure front door from dog releasing toddlers - it turns out that they let my half blind, two legged dog out while I was busy in the backyard talking to an AC repair guy. The poor thing wandered into marshland adjacent to our home, one surrounded by thick 7ft tall reeds, has deep water in the middle and lots of snakes and thorns. I drove around the neighborhood trying to find her, I kept hearing her braying, but couldn't figure out where it was coming from.
(2)the fire department are heroes - I called the local fire station directly and begged them to please come out and help me. I told them I was desperate, that she was sick and needed help getting out and was drowning - but I just couldn't get to her through all the reeds, thorns and water. I told them if they didn't come right then, they would be coming out shortly to save a family from the marshland because I was about to drive my car into it to try to get to her.
(3)i am able to keep calm in a crisis - I could hear my poor pup floundering in the water, she was panicking, and braying for help. I couldn't get to her at all. I stayed calm and tried my best to keep my voice level and even so I didn't scare my kids or the dog too badly.
(4)whenever a fire truck shows up the entire neighborhood comes out! Seriously, they didn't come out when they heard me hollering for Joulie to come out, to keep her head above water, to just keep going because I wasn't ready to lose her and that I was doing everything I could to get to her.
(5) fire fighters really like cake and showing kids the Engines. after we got Joulie all cleaned up, warmed up from being in the cold marsh waters for over 2 hours, and settled back into her nest - I went and got a cake and had our Thanks written on it and I drew puppy prints on it with decorating gel. It's not a job requirement to go get dogs for people, but they did it and were so kind about it. They saw the kids waiting for me in the car while I was saying my “Thank You’s” and had me bring them out and they were given an awesome tour of the engines and the fire house. Nice guys. 
Joulie is fine in the end, just really tired. the kids now understand the gravity of what happened and that Joules could have died out there. I know they were just letting her out to go potty, so I can't scold too much - but they've been really quiet all night and both were sure to kiss their puppy goodnight.
Lessons learned, all's well in the end.
