The Family Pack

By Cindy Sepulveda

The Family Pack is a book about a military family and their dogs' worldly adventure of a lifetime. You will fall in love with the adorable canine and K-9 characters that form an unlikely, extraordinary bond through adversity and become a strong team by using each other's unique talents and skills with the help of family and Jesus in con

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781640887282

Book preview

Maggie Awakes

Maggie Mae was suddenly awakened by the smell of grilled steak. She loved steak and her mouth watered, wanting something to eat. Ellie was there and said, Welcome back, sleepy head, are you hungry? Ellie handed Maggie some of the steak she had saved for her. The steak was delicious, and she looked at her momma for more. Ellie was happy to give her the container full of meat. Maggie couldn’t believe just how hungry she was, but she was content by the big meal.

It was after her tummy was full that she noticed everyone in her Family Pack around her looked very happy, yet concerned. She was a bit confused, so Maggie asked her brother, Maximus, Why are you all staring at me? Has something happened? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep at the vet clinic after receiving a physical. Then she wondered, How in the world did I get home?

Meet Maggie

Maggie’s life began as an orphan; she was given away to the Columbus Animal Shelter to be sold. Eleanor, or as all of her friends and family called her, Ellie, and Reuben wanted to get a dog, so they went to the local shelter to give a stray dog a chance at a good life and lots of love. Maggie was about six weeks old when Ellie spotted her being loved on by a young man. She was somewhat envious, wishing she had seen the puppy first. Ellie asked the young man, Are you adopting that dog?

He replied, No, ma’am, I work here, as he handed her the puppy. Ellie’s heart skipped a beat and she fell instantly in love as the puppy licked her on the cheek. That tiny kiss on her face changed both of them for a lifetime by ensuring they provided each other with lots of love and wonderful companionship.

Maggie has light brown eyes and beautiful, silky, golden blond hair with highlights of darker shades of red running through it. Her tail is full and fluffy, and her face expresses her happy, sweet soul. Her nose wasn’t black, like most canines’, but rather it was light brown with black along the outer edge of it. The veterinarian referred to her as a mutt, because Maggie was mixed with golden retriever and either German shepherd or Collie; she mostly looked like a retriever because of her hair color, but the way her ears stood straight up made her look more like a collie or shepherd. Maggie was taking medicine at the time because the vet determined she had demodectic mange, but luckily, she could still be adopted because it could not be transmitted to people.

Maggie was the last of her sisters and brothers to be adopted. No one really wanted her because she was sick and needed medical treatment. But Ellie didn’t mind; she knew immediately she had to take this puppy home with her. She called Reuben over because he was looking at a Saint Bernard, and said, This is the one I want!

Reuben loved Ellie so much; he consented because he wanted to make Ellie happy. Ellie looked at Maggie in the eyes and said, I am your new momma, and this is your daddy, and your name is Maggie Mae.

Maggie was happy to be going home with Ellie and Reuben and instinctively knew they were perfect parents for her. She slept comfortably in Ellie’s lap all the way home.

Ellie and Reuben were stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia, serving in the army. Maggie Mae was proud to join their military family. She found them to be very loving and kind to her. Maggie didn’t mind taking the medicine that Momma gave her two times a day because she knew it would make her strong and heal her body. She often heard Momma speaking to someone named Jesus, and asked Him to heal her quickly and completely. Maggie was healed and her momma’s prayers were answered. So in return, Maggie provided her family with loyalty, unconditional love, lots of snuggles, and many hours of protecting their home while they went off to work. The family eventually moved north to another army post, called Aberdeen Proving Ground. The army loves its acronyms so the place is usually referred to as APG.

There was the first time Maggie experienced snow. She liked snow very much! She had many fun-filled hours playing outside with the family in the snow. It was so much nicer to be refreshed by the snow than the scorching hot days she remembered in Georgia. Additionally, the property was huge. Maggie had lots of room to run and play. Daddy fenced it in to keep her safe from cars that would drive by, but it still left lots of space to run, jump, and play with her brothers.

Maggie grew up very content, with her big brothers, Joshua and Lucas. Maggie realized that the Family Pack was growing when her momma brought home Maximus, a ruddy looking little pup who, on the first day home, was quiet and kept to himself. Then on his second day in the house, Maggie couldn’t keep him from barking.

Maggie said, Maximus, why are you barking so much?

Maximus said, I’m just happy to be here with you and these nice people. It sure is a lot better than living on the streets! Maggie’s heart melted and she fell in love with her new brother right then and there.

Soon, another little brother came into the family, Jingle Bear. Jingle Bear was named appropriately because he was born on Christmas day. Maggie taught her brothers how to be great pets for their family. Maggie told them, Now it is an honor to be a part of a military family, so I am going to teach you how to obey commands. She taught them how to sit, lie down, extend their paws to their parents,