we needed a dog

We lost Harlow five months ago and the quiet that she left behind has been unbearable.  Even with two cats, it was too quiet.   Too empty of empathy and interest because unless one had food or a bottle of water, the cats didn't really care.  They loved on their terms.  They didn't love for love's sake.  We needed a dog. 
There were many conversations about what and when and how.  We had decided on a little dog, one that could be bathed in the sink.  We wanted someone that didn't shed as much as Barron and Harlow did.  We wanted someone that could go swimming, on car rides, in purses.  And when I say we, I mean, he.  Danny wanted someone small and more manageable.  I wanted Irish wolfhounds or Scottish deerhounds.  I knew that the big dog days were over and rightly so.  Our lives are different now and we need someone a little more portable.
Norwich terrier, corgies, brittneys.
Too expensive, too thick of coats, too big for our sink.
And all the while I had been praying to St. Francis to bring a dog to Danny.  I didn't want to choose.  I just wanted one that needed us to come to us.  Last Monday the prayer came true.  There was a dog, just a year old that fit all of our ideals.  She was orphaned, polite, trained, small, friendly, cute.  It was ideal and I fell in love with her before she was ours.  There was a wait period and during that time, someone with claim to her decided (and rightly so) that they wanted to have her with them.  She went home last Friday with people that already knew her and loved her.  They also took her kitty friend, which we would not have done, so the family was complete.  But I was so angry about it.  Not angry that she was going to someone else, but angry that all the things I had prayed for were presented to me and then pulled away.  For as much as I like Jesus, I don't know if I will ever figure out His dad. 
So, if you know me, you know that I plummeted into a dark, sad place and said really mean things to God and He probably just rolled His eyes and went back to work.   He wasn't going to bring me a dog.  That's why I have Danny. 
Fast forward to today.  I have no idea how it started, the talk of dogs.  I think Danny was telling me about the happy reunion that was had.  And then we started talking breeds.  Danny said that he had always wanted a miniature schnauzer.  Smartphones were fired up, images were loaded and someone did a breeder search of Iowa.  Someone suggested that Danny call the one with available puppies.  Someone suggested that he call back and arrange an adoption. 
And between the time it takes to finish a dinner and load a dishwasher, we had a adopted a puppy and given her a ridiculous name. 
So tomorrow, Danny, Hayley and Jacob are hitting the bank at 8am to with drawl the necessary cash and are then driving south east for 2.5 hours to pick up Hattie Megatron White. 
Smaller than Harlow's muzzle.  I cannot even grasp her tininess.  She will weigh less than our kitties.  We shopped for extra small collars and sweaters.  Her bag of top of the line puppy food was half the price of Harlow and Barron's Costco food.  When it is time for heart worm pills, she will take half of the smallest pill.  Harlow had two of the largest.  Hattie will fit in my purse, the one with the photo of Barron and Harlow on it.