Our Sweet Tuxedo

Don't you love it when God takes opportunities to show us that He loves us, He hears us and He is with us? Well, today was a day that I really felt God's presence and His awesome power in my life.

This morning, our sweet doggie Tuxedo decided that he would have an adventure wondering around our neighborhood. I was in the backyard watching Caleb and Kathryn playing in their little swimming pool while Tux was relaxing on our patio (or so I thought). I had been out our gate a few times turning the water on and off for Caleb, but I didn't think that Tux would sneak by me and get away. Apparantly I was wrong!

After about 20 minutes of watching the kids play, I looked around to see where Tux was. After I couldn't find him in the yard, I started to get a little worried. I asked Caleb if he had let him in the house when he was getting more toys for the pool. He said that he did, so I quit worrying. After a few more minutes, I decided to go inside and make sure that Tux really was in there. After searching the house and not finding him, I was panicking. I mean, Russ and I got Tuxedo 8 years ago only 2 months after we got married. Tux is one of our babies! (well, not quite, but almost). I was so scared, I immediately ran outside and grabbed the kids out of the pool dripping wet. I piled them in the car and we took off around the neighborhood trying to find him. It was a very helpless feeling. We called and called him and I prayed and prayed. I even called my mom and close friend to ask them to pray too. I was trying to stay strong, but I just had fears that something bad had happened to him. Caleb and Kathryn were calling for him too and we all just kept praying that God would help us find him. I asked God to please protect Tux and lead me in the right direction to find him. After driving around, going back home to search some more and then driving around again, I decided to go through an older neighborhood that is behind ours. I didn't think that Tux would be back there because we don't take walks back there or anything, but I just felt like I needed to check. As I was driving down the road and calling for him, I noticed a lady in a could-a-sac waving to me. When I turned to see her, there was Tuxedo standing right beside her. I just started crying and we were so happy. She was the sweetest lady and was so kind to get him off the road (there were no sidewalks). She had even gotten him some food and water in her garage. He doesn't wear a collar because he has never gotten out before, so she didn't know what to do with him. She said that she was walking through her house and noticed a little black dog walking past her window. She figured that he was lost, so she went outside and got him and decided to wait to see if any car came by looking for him. I was so very thankful to the woman and to God that we found him.

God is so good, I just couldn't stop thanking Him for helping me find Tux. It was a wonderful opportunity to show Caleb how God does hear us when we pray, how He does answer us (even though it is not always the answer we want) and how He is ever-present in our lives. He cares for us even in the little things. He is just a prayer away and we can call on Him anytime for anything! We were all so happy to get Tux and take him back home. Now we just have to get a collar for him!