I knew the tune, so I sang the words in my head:
Whisper a prayer in the morning
whisper a prayer at noon
whisper a prayer in the evening
to keep your heart in tune.
I checked the rear view mirror. My daughter was contentedly watching her new dog as he gazed out the window. She had prayed for a dog for a long time. She specifically wanted a Schnauzer/Poodle mix because they are smart, they don't shed, they aren't huge, and it's just fun to tell people you own a Schnoodle.
Being the practical mom that I am, I kept warning her that Schnoodles were "designer dogs" that could not be found at the shelter, and cost a lot when you finally did find a reputable breeder. I just did not want her to be disappointed. I diligently checked craigslist for Poodle-mixes that might be inexpensive, but most of what you find on craigslist are people trying to sell dogs that are "pure-bread" (I kid you not.), and one guy who wanted to sell his "Dautson". At first I thought that might be some sort of mixed breed, but then I realized he was selling a Dachshund! I came to the conclusion that craigslist might be ok for furniture, cars, and craft items- but not so much for pets.
So on a random day, at a random time, we hit the local shelter. We played with a couple of dogs in the play room, and Abby chose this one. The staff there said he was a Poodle-mix but they didn't know what other breed might be part of his DNA.
A day later, we went to PetSmart to get Friday some small treats for training purposes. As we waited to check out, a lady came in with her little dog sitting in the shopping cart. She saw Abby and Friday and bent down to pet him and oooh and ahhh all over him. Told Abby how handsome he was. Compared him to her little fluffy-dog. Asked Abby what kind of dog he was and when Abby said we weren't sure, the lady confidently pronounced, "Well, he looks just like a Schnoodle."
Abby's eyes lit up, and I thought of the second verse of that song:
God answers prayer in the morning
God answers prayer at noon
God answers prayer in the evening
so keep your heart in tune.
What a wonderful thing, that God would boost my daughter's faith by giving her the exact kind of dog she had prayed for- and at shelter prices.
Nuthin' random about that!
