I am so happy for your family!!! We had that happen to us when our kids were teens, our pom had gotten lost and we searched all night. At around 10 we heard barking only to find standing at the door our beagle who had been gone over 2 years. ( We did find our pom also. She had been hiding in the shed lol) It is such a marvelous feeling that they love you enough to find your way home. Our beagle belonged to our daughter who was fast asleep upstairs. When we let him in he went straight up the stairs and woke her up kissing her..She said she thought she was dreaming.
That is why I say I never give up on God or these little furbabies. They know we love them and their love is as strong as our.