Journeys with Josie and Chulo

By: Josie and Chulo


Mom and dad broke the news to us on a Saturday night. They were moving to the desert and we weren't going with them. We were moving to the farm with Grandpa Craig and Grandma Becky. Talk about a shock to the system... It all happened so fast. Packing, crying, more packing, and more crying. It seemed like those last few days went by so fast.

We all posed for one last photo. Mom and dad's eyes were a bit red. They said it was allergies, but we're not buying it.

Our final goodbye.

We hopped in the car for the long drive to Ooooooklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain.

And just like that, we were farm dogs. The farm is sooooooo cool! There are tractors...

And riding in pickup trucks...

And water troughs...

And then there's Jake. He's a true farm dog. We kinda had a love-hate relationship with him. Don't tell him, but we're really gonna miss him.

Jake, Grandpa Craig, and Chulo out on the front porch.

On Christmas morning we got a huge surprise. Grandpa Craig (Santa Clause) brought home a stocking stuffer for Grandma Becky. Bella is her name. And she is so cute.

Bella and Josie. A rare photo where Bella isn't driving Josie up the wall.

We weren't exactly sure how long mom and dad were gonna be gone, but we were told that it would be a really long time. Then we started hearing the rumors. We might be moving to the desert too. Mixed emotions for sure. The farm is so fun, and the people and so nice. And the cows... We love the cows!

Josie says, "I was so excited to move to the desert with mom and dad. I will miss my farm duties though. There are so many baby calves to raise. It turns out, I have quite the maternal instinct. But I will leave the baby calves in the very capable hands of Grandpa Craig. He also has quite the maternal instinct."

This baby calf was born under dire circumstances. It was touch and go as to whether or not it would live. Josie never left his side for three days. Here, the baby is taking his first steps. Josie is so proud. 

Saying goodbye to grandma Becky was the hardest thing. She took such good care of us. We can't wait for her to come see us in the desert.

So, it was time to head out on a new adventure. We had lots of visits to our vets (we love Dr. Steadman and Dr. Schwandt) and lots of shots and lots of paperwork. And we were now on our way. Abu Dhabi here we come!!!

Chula says, "You bet your butt there are live animals in here. Handle with care people!"

We made a brief stop in Frankfurt, Germany. Those Germans sure were nice. They took such great care of us..

Onward to Abu Dhabi!!! Mom and dad say they watched us the whole way. We're not real sure how they did that, but they've never lied to us before. They must have been very sneaky, because we never saw them.

We landed in Dubai at 10:30pm on Thursday night. We were so excited, but we had a few more hoops to jump through. Luckily we're both good jumpers. Three hours after landing, we were in a car bound for our new home with mom and dad. That was the longest ride of our lives, but our driver from Snoopy Pets was so good. It was a foggy night, so he was very careful.

Then the moment arrived... WE ARRIVED!!! Of course dad was filming with his GoPro camera... And of course mom was crying...

We had a small meal and both of us took a much needed poop. Then it was time for bed. That bed was a bit crowded for the four of us, but it was the best night's sleep any of us had gotten in a long time. Together again at last!

Our first morning in our new home, we got a real treat. Mom and dad took us to the desert. It doesn't look too much different than the farm in Jett, OK, but they tell us this place is pretty crazy.

If you would like to see a video of our some of our first moments in Abu Dhabi you can click... Video: Josie and Chulo in the Sandbox

We left behind some pretty special people. Grandpa Craig and Grandma Becky took us in as if we were their own. We can't thank them enough for the care they provided and the love they showed us.

And then there's Adam, Coby, Andrew, Jessica, and Caleb... We interrupted your lives, but you never let it show. Thanks for taking such good care of us. We will miss all of you so much!

We hope to see you all soon in the sandbox!

As-salamu alaykum y'all.

Ruff Ruff Ruff!

Christmas in the Sandbox

Obviously we were up against many uncertainties by moving to the Sandbox. The list is too long to count. But one worth mentioning is Christmas. We had no idea what to expect. Would we have a Christmas Tree? Decorations? Gifts? Does Santa come to the UAE?

We got our answer in early October. With Halloween decorations on the shelves, the Christmas decorations went on display at Ace Hardware. Soon after, they could be seen country wide.

No PC police and no Happy Holidays. It's Merry Christmas everywhere you look.

Now this tree might not seem like much. But to us... It's Beautiful!!! We could give Charlie Brown a run for his money...

On Christmas Eve, we went to a candle light service at Al Dhafra Air Force Base. Brigadier General Quintas and the men and women of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing have been a major blessing to us. God bless them and their families for their service.

That's General Quintas (aka Santa Claus) and his trusty reindeer Rudolph on the flight line at Al Dhafra. You gotta love the Air Force!

It was touch and go as to whether or not we would have pumpkin pie this Christmas. Pumpkin pie mix is awfully hard to come by in the sandbox. After going to 7 grocery stores, our persistence finally paid off. BINGO!

Oddly enough, we went to the bank on Christmas morning. It's a long story, and we won't bore you with the details. But sometimes here in Abu Dhabi, you just have to be unconventional. So we had a meeting with our banker on Christmas morning...

After our bank meeting, we treated ourselves to a cappuccino. Not just any cappuccino though... This one was garnished with 24K gold flakes. Not kidding! 

It was quite yummy!

A Christmas selfie at the Emirates Palace Hotel, drinking cappuccino with gold flakes. Only in Abu Dhabi.

This year's Christmas card list was a bit shorter given the logistical difficulties of living half way around the world. If you didn't see it, you can check it out below. We had so much fun with this one. We have heard from some that they didn't understand the card. If you find yourself in that category, google The Beatles Abbey Road. That should clear things up...

Our Christmas present finally came one week into the new year. Santa brought us a slay of our very own. Of course we had to get it a little dusty. And of course there were camels.

It was certainly difficult being away from our family and friends during this time of year. Understatement of the year... But we are blessed beyond measure, and this Christmas will not soon be forgotten.

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! As-salamu alaykum y'all.