Simple faith of a child

Not long after Christmas Andrew's little doggie got lost. This is not just any doggie. His doggie has been him soulmate, companion, best friend since he was about a year old. It has been with him with him during his kidney surgery and all his medical tests, almost every night in bed, and through the thick and thin. The dog's name: Doggie. At first Andrew didn't seem too upset that we couldn't find him so we assumed we'd never see him again. The last we remember seeing him was when the boys were outside playing in the back and front yards while Steve was doing yard work. But I'd already searched the backyard and front yard and had luck.

Then yesterday morning Andrew woke up about 5:00 a.m. crying hysterically. He wanted Doggie, missed Doggie, had to have him. I'm pretty sure he had a dream about him. It broke my heart to see him so sad and I wished I could make him magically appear. Andrew was able to go back to sleep and when he woke up again about 6:45 he was still upset. He came and crawled in bed where I was reading. He snuggled up next week to me and we talked about Doggie. Then all of sudden Andrew said with enthusiasm, "I know!!! We could ask Jesus to help us find Doggie!!". Not what I would've come up with but Andrew has tremendous faith. So I suggested we say a pray at which we knelt down by the bed and prayed that we could find Doggie.

Then my doubts came. What if we don't find Doggie? What do I tell him then? Steve suggested we tell him Doggie went to heaven. But what if we tell him that and then we do find him? My idea: Doggie was resurrected.

Well, yesterday I did some serious searching again thinking that maybe I missed it on my quick search a while ago. No luck. Last night as Steve and I were talking, trying to think of any places in the house/garage it could be the idea came to my mind: what about that little basket on Aaron's tricycle? Sometimes Andrew would put Doggie in it. But I got distracted for forgot to check. Until this morning.

While I was on the phone and the boys were in the garage dorking around I went in their to make sure they weren't getting into anything harmful. Then I remembered the tricycle basket, lifted the lid, and I held my breath. Was it Aaron's "twin" doggie (Andrew knows the difference) or was it THE doggie. Sure enough- it was Andrew's!!!!! I quickly ended the phone call and put the basket lid down and yelled for Andrew. When I saw the look on his face when he saw that dog I started to cry. To put it lightly, he was ECSTATIC! He immediately began talking nonstop to that dog as if to catch him on the last 4 weeks.

I asked Andrew who helped us find the doggie and he said, "Jesus." So I told him that we should say a prayer to thank Jesus for helping us, which we did. The picture shown was one I took shortly when Andrew was reunited with Doggie. Tonight when Andrew went to bed he was sooo happy to have Doggie snuggled up against him. And so was I!