It is devestating for us to report that the Hatch Family, dear friends of ours as well as the amazing breeders that brought us Gnocchi and Caleb has had a house fire. Their entire family escaped safely as well as 9 of their 10 pugs. Chloe, the mother of Gnocchi and Caleb, is still missing. Below is a posting that I took from
http://www.meetup.com/. It is a letter from Rhonda and pictures of their fire that took their home. our prayers our with the Hatch Family.
Rhonda Hatch's words:
"Thank you to all of you for your kind words of concern and encouragement.Thank you for your prayers. I truly can feel you holding me up with prayer.I think I am still in a state of shock or something. Its so strange how it seems a part of you "shuts down" when something of this magnitude occurs. I am just so very thankful that none of our family was injured or killed and that we still have 9 of our 10 pugs.I am trying to focus not on the past, not on what we no longer have, but focus on what we do still have,our lives and our future.(Jeremiah 29:11)My daughter actually probably did us a favor turning that dryer on, as I would have done so just before I went to bed and there is no way any of us could have made it out in time, had we been asleep. Even if Steve and I had awakened and made it, it is very likely we would not have gotten to our daughters, as they sleep downstairs(basement) and the stairs are on the north side of the house which was in flames within 5 minutes. I watched my house burn, totally engulfed and at times with flames up to 100 feet....completely engulfed as this photo shows,within 20 minutes.I am also thankful that there were doggy doors and that the other 9 pugs all exited. It is such a blessing that we didnt have puppies inside. Nobody would have been able to enter the house to save them. Perhaps this is the reason for the recent failed breedings.We have yet to find Chloe. I so hope and pray that she did make an escape 10-15 minutes before the fire began. Thank you for praying for her return. Thank you all for your prayers. I am sure that is what is carrying me through at this time. I know that God is still a good God and He will see us through this. He saw to it that none of us perished in the fire.My daughter said that as she turned the dryer on, the thought came to her that she shouldnt run it during the day. She said "Then something stopped me from turning it off, Mom, so I didnt! It was so strange, so I turned around,cleaned the kitchen and went to the bathrooom to wash my face. When I came out I saw smoke behind the dryer, threw a pitcher of water on it and the wall went up in flames!"(the dryer had been on 10-15 minutes, we estimate)I have also given Myra permission to post a photo. Unless you see it, I dont think it is even imagineable what occured. It isnt even real to me yet.You can see what the house originally looked like on our website.This is all surreal. Where do you begin anew? A toothbrush and toothpaste, a hair brush, shampoo, body wash and borrowed changes of clothing...You cant even imagine how bizarre this is.You think "OK, this isnt THAT big of deal,as long as Chloe is alive and we find her. We are all safe". Then the thought comes "OH MY GOD....35 years of collected Christmas ornaments, my grandmothers antique buffet! Steves grandfathers antique clock,his dads war medals and flag from his funeral The family photos on the wall,in the photo albums NONE REPLACEABLE! All of our childrens baby photos and home videos,Katies first steps as a baby on one,their school programs on others,my computer with years of stored photos, its all gone!" I have found myself on the wet,muddy ground in front of the remains, face down, just screaming and thinking I will never be able to pull myself up from here....then the thought, "All were simply things.Its not such a big deal.Thank you Father, I have my memories,my husband and my children and the 9 pugs are alive." We can rebuild. We have insurance. Then the lamenting cycle begins again. It is a roller coaster.I have never felt so emotionally exhausted.I am in such a fog that I havent driven since the fire and am afraid to try.BUT, then there are the things that REALLY matter.SO many people have shown so much love. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MATTER. NEVER TAKE ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. IT CAN ALL BE GONE IN 20 MINUTES.Again, thank you and God bless all of you (and in a way that you KNOW He has done so), for your show of concern,love and encouragement. There are no words to express my gratitude at this time when I need this the most.One of my favorite Scriptures is Romans 8 :28..."and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose" (Emphasis on ALL THINGS!)Another one speaks of "beauty from ashes"...I know that I have to just keep putting one foot in front of another, not think of what "was", but "what will be". God is faithful. Always faithful, no matter what.I feel a peace at least 80% of the time that has to be from Him.I am so thankful for you, my friends, and that you care.LoveRhonda
Architectural wonderland?
No leash! No Fence! the pugs would be in heaven!
We took this to a Granville Island. This Island was full of gorgeous shops and farmers markets.
While on Granville Island we ran into the original Mini Sirloin Burger Cow.... Impressive how she eluded burger-dum.
This is near the beginning of our 8 or 9 mile bike ride. It was gorgeous. We rode around Stanley Park which is a peninsula on Vancouver.
Got hungry .. Oh Boy Oberto!.... worst Jerky ever.... Beware...
Ok... so I have not ridden a bike in like 10 years.... No helmet! Woo Hoo! This was so much fun! So beautiful too!
This little guy could be found on our hotel balcony at any given moment... he likes cherries... mahmah...mahmahmah...mahmah...
This is one of the only photos of us from the weekend... I think we waited on photos of us thinking the weekend would never end... Vancouver is on our top 10 for places to move.... or top 3... It is in the top... 
Check out this.. moving walkway?!? So... no stairs on their up 
Guillermo, your just too strong... No one panic, we have several back up wine keys :)
