ANSWERED PRAYER
We sent our last dog, Lexie, a black pug, home in March. We have remained dogless until now. Both my husband and my son wanted to get a new dog before this. I was concerned with the amount of travel that was planned for the coming year. And I was justified in my concern. I just finished counting the days we were gone to put it in our Christmas letter and found it totaled 111.
I thought adding a member to our family when we planned to be away for many days was not fair to the new addition. When we returned from Florida, my husband announced, “it’s time to get a dog” and he and my son left for an animal shelter. I will be honest. I had gotten used to not having to take care of another member of our family. Lexie had been blind and deaf. She needed to be carried up and down stairs and taken out on a leash. I didn’t miss the extra work.
I thought we would get an older dog, one that was settled in its ways, content to walk a bit and sleep alot.
I didn’t go with them when they went to look, which was just as well. They looked at TWO — both young. The shelter didn’t allow them to take them home because I had to want the dogs too.
I must admit that I spent an hour or two in the wee hours of the morning debating getting two dogs. When my husband decided that we didn’t need to get a dog — he was disappointed that they spent all that time and didn’t bring one home — I suggested we had to go see who they were talking about.
Now I will admit that I sent a prayer or two heaven bound, asking God to give us the dog that was right for us. And he did. One of the dog’s they looked at was off adoption because of bad behavior. Another had kennel cough. The third needed older children, our youngest granddaughter is four. She is with us often and any dog we got had to be good with not only the children but their dogs as well. The dog we chose had only just arrived.
And thankfully Robin is all of the above. She is a 25 LB. border collie – terrier mix. Not too tiny, but slim enough that I can pick her up if needed and hopefully she won’t knock me down. She has more energy that we can handle but we will try. She runs like the wind, and turns on a dime. She can jump high enough from the floor to land on the dining room table. She is very gentle and likes to play with other dogs. Taking her for walks will give the whole family exercise. She has met our grandchildren and grand puppies. She got along well with all. In fact, she was very sad when they went home.
This morning she escaped the yard when I took out the garbage. I would love to say that I called her, she listened and came back into the yard. Instead she saw a squirrel and was off to give chase. Once again I sent prayers heaven bound. Thankfully they were answered. She heard rattling in my pocket and came back to see what I had. I grabbed her and carried her home, more than a half block. It is a good thing she is tiny, as it was, she got heavy.
Wandering With Spirit 