February 8, 2016

White Dog cuddled against me. She had asked for a post breakfast story time and had requested an old favorite. The rest of The White Dog Army settled around us in a half circle. It was a precious sight...YoYoMa had curled his paws around three-legged blue bunny...Zsofia held her precious Dragon...and Sachi rested his head on the little green tennis ball. I was reading what they already knew by heart.

We read for some time. Each time I thought my audience had drifted off to nap and started to close the book. White Dog nudged me to continue. Then the mailman came and I was put on hold as the song was sung and mail brought into the house.

All the pups flocked to the box that come from the online store where we order roasted nuts. This order also included a special treat for Steve and the WDA, yogurt covered pretzels. Only White Dog passed up the delicious smells and curiously nosed the other box. It was from our most amazing family of the heart, Sonya.

Sonya had been Ferguson's foster mom and when we adopted him into the White Dog family, we adopted her. The box contained a gift for White Dog.

"Me?" White Dog said, genuinely surprised. "What is it?" "Well, let's look together," I told her and suddenly the entire WDA was interested.

The box was a nest of sparkling tissue paper and WD had to reach deep inside to find the most amazing gift. It was a small white, well loved, Queenly White Dog stuffie. White Dog looked at me, her eyes shining. "It is like the Rabbit," she said. The Queenly pup wore a beautiful crown and a sash of lovely kind thoughts. White Dog gave a soft growl as Zsofia tried to reach for the gift.

Sonya's card rested in the very bottom of the box.  "Dogs," the front said, "have a way of teaching us love, loyalty, joy and friendship."

The handwritten note inside spoke to White Dog. "This is a gift to White Dog, Siku Marie, Little White Dog of Sue's heart, Sue's Daemon, "Cotton Blowing in the Wind"...the matriarch and Queen of the White Dog Army. Watch over your soldiers and ease their fears when it is time to leave us. Watch them closely and love them unconditionally as they do you. Love, Sonya."

White Dog sat with me for a long time with a paw on the Queen pup and a far away look. Finally she turned to me. "Momma where can we set this beautiful gift where I can see it and ask you to let me hold it but the others won't take it and play without understanding?" "Let us think on the best place," I told her, "but for now, how about if we place her on my desk where she can watch over you all night?" "But she needs a proper special place," WD insisted, "because she has 'become' and is so full of love."

Thank you, Sonya, for filling the heart of one little white dog on the frontier...and her momma.