where Mom was busy boiling baby bottles
and introduced his wife.
Mom thought she might be a cocker spaniel mix
because of her wavy brown hair
so we named her Brown Lady.
She reminded us of Mom
with her gentle ladylike ways.
Daddy was none too pleased
because she was another mouth to feed.
But he knew he was outvoted.
She was a good dog
who knew that Mom came first with Tippie
and who wasn't jealous
never barked or begged
or whined
and was happy to settle down in the dark place
under the front porch.
Mom took to her right away
and put some old newspapers
and a blanket under there for her.
We noticed that she was always happy
and didn't growl way back in her throat
when the hogs and cows were screaming
on their way to death
like Tippie sometimes did.
Her only bad habit was chasing butterflies
who wandered into our yard
looking for flowers
where none could bloom.
She went everywhere with me and the boys.
We had discovered a creek
about a mile past the meat packing plant
and we loved to play in it
looking for crawdaddies
watching dragonflies dance above it
looking for sparkly stones
letting our hands float in it
to get cool.
One night me and Mom and the boys
sat on the porch
looking up at the black sky
and yellow stars
with the living room lamplight
shining yellow on our hair.
Brown Lady wedged herself between me and Mom
on the steps
and Mom reached over to tug at her ears
and she said
"I think these dogs are angels
sent by God."
"One is a protector"
Mom explained.
"and the other is a companion
which we need
because you three have no friends to play with here."
I snuggled closer to Brown Lady
and she looked up at me with her bright happy face
and I knew Mom was right.
"It just amazes me"
Mom said
"how the Lord has provided for all our needs."
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