It was a really special day today.

Vivienne

Ethan

I got to spend the morning watching my neighbor’s 6 month old twins, Ethan and Vivienne.  They are precious beyond words.  I got to kiss on baby skin.  Listen to baby giggles.  Cradle baby bodies.  Rock and feed and change little lives that are changing and learning and growing every day.  One look in their eyes and you know that every cell in their bodies and their brains is working full time to process each new thing they discover and adapt to every day.  Little miracles in footy pajamas…

Side Note:  I was also reminded while watching them that potty humor begins as soon as the baby leaves the womb.  They were all smiles with everything I said and cooed at them.  But when I made raspberry “fart” noises at them or said the words, “Ah, Poo!”  they laughed rich belly laughs ’til they got the hiccups.  Poop is funny from the time we’re born to the time we die…

The second part of my wonderful day began last week.  I will try to describe it as best I can.  It’s pretty dang remarkable.  Miraculous, if you ask me…

A week or so ago, one of our regular customers came in to see us.  Her name is Deb.  I had heard her talking on her phone in the past and knew that she was an expert, a professional, when it comes to anything canine.  She rescues dogs, she trains dogs, she raises therapy dogs to work with Alzheimer’s patients and she matches dogs up with just the right owners.

When she came in this last time, she brought in a little friend with her that she had just adopted  for someone.  A precious little Morkie puppy – half maltese, half yorkshire terrier.  I had never seen anything so cute!  While I should have been working, I could not take my hands or eyes off this little girl.  It felt like I was supposed to take her home, and yet she belonged to someone else who was eagerly awaiting her arrival.  I played with her and carried her around, all the while my sad little heart getting more and more attached.  But we already had two dogs at home and a third dog made no sense.  Thank goodness I am not often guided by logic…

In the days following, I could not get that precious little ball of fur off my mind. My “grandma fever” and the need to have someone to cuddle when I am home alone prevailed.  I called Deb at the beginning of this week (after Mark gave his blessing, which only took a few tears 🙂 ) and told her that I would love her help in finding a similar puppy to the one she had brought in that had captured my heart.  Preferably, a rescue.  Still, my heart didn’t believe that there was another one out there as special.

I also looked on line for Morkies.  They were hugely expensive and most required another $275.00 to be shipped to Denver.  I kept going back to Deb as my guide and counselor in all of this to keep me from unknowingly getting involved in some type of scam.  Deb continued to encourage me to stick with the idea of a rescue.  I trusted this woman.  And instead of furiously looking and trying to make it happen, I heard a voices telling me to be still and just LET it happen naturally.  God even cared about my puppy love and told me He would supply at the right time.  Peace.  That’s what I had.

Yesterday afternoon, Deb texted me and asked if I’d found a dog yet.  When I told her I was looking at a couple, but that no, I hadn’t found one, she said she might have found a little girl for me! A rescue adoption.

I was so excited!  She asked me to fill out an application and said that she would come for a home visit this afternoon.  My mind went bananas.  She sent me a picture of the little gal, and she had the same coloring as the one she had brought into the store.  I was thrilled. I asked God to give me a name for this little peanut if she was to be mine, and clear as a bell, I knew that her name was LILLY.  I texted Deb and told her that I was going to call her Lily.  She responded by asking how I had come up with that name.  I told her that it had just clearly come to my mind (later I shared with her that I felt like Jesus whispered in my ear.) She told me that if things worked out, she had an interesting story to share with me.

I went out this afternoon (hoping I would pass the home visit test!) and purchased a crate, toys, blankets, bedding, little clips for her hair (I know, I know), pink doggie dishes and even a pink collar and leash.  I was like a little girl in a candy store!  It was like shopping for one of my babies all over again!

Deb came to the house and after meeting the kids and our other two dogs and scoping out our house and yard she said it was time for the story. She pulled out her phone and held up a picture that she had taken of me with the pup that she had brought to the store.  The one I fell for.  I showed it to my friend Becky who said, “Is this like the dog that you’re getting?”  To which Deb responded, “That IS your dog!”

I almost fell over.  I couldn’t believe it!  But how was it possible?  That dog was spoken for and had already been delivered to someone else.  But she assured me that that precious little girl was mine.  She explained how the other situation did not work out.  That after she had delivered the puppy, a few days later she received a call that it was not going to work out.  That little dog in my store that I felt was supposed to be mine was now actually going to be mine!  And here is the kicker.  In those few days with that family they had named her.  They had named her LILLY!!!!  God had told me that she was mine and even told me her name!  How amazing is that?!  Literally, a little match made in heaven 🙂

There are other little details of blessing even beyond this in this story, but that is the gist of it.  On Sunday morning, Deb and I will take a four hour drive to go and pick up my little Lilly and she will truly come home.

And in the process of being blessed with a new little bundle of fluff and love, I am also being blessed with a new friendship and partner in this new adventure.  Deb also has a Morkie and has promised to guide me through the process of owning an itty bitty dog.  And for that and everything else she has done, I am so very thankful.

Thank you, Jesus, that You love us so much that You even name puppies and offer road trips for new friends. Help me to allow this little ball of fur to add a little sunshine to the lives others as she will to mine…

IMG_1160-10.MOV  (video of when Deb came into the store with Lilly.  In the video she is talking to the “future owner” about her new puppy.  I am in the background and you will see me playing with the puppy, not knowing that in a week, she will be MY puppy! I just watched it again and noticed that she found ME!)

New Puppy, New Friend - Lilly and Deb

Little did I know at this point that I was holding my future puppy!