The Summer was an unusually hot one. The family spent most of the day and early evening either swimming or fishing in the lake that joined the back of our property. The older children would be at the water from the time they awoke. The younger twins, John and Michael were too young to be left unattended, so they would spend their time in the tree house at the head of the woods that ran along the side of the yard. Baby Amy, being only three months old was in her baby carrier, and went from room to room with me as I did the daily household chores. We couldn't ask for a better life , with so much to be thankful for. Being a religious family, Ben and I gave thanks every night for our five beautiful, healthy children. Three boys and two girls, we were indeed very fortunate.

Early one Sunday morning, as we were getting ready for church, we heard the six year old twins, hooting and hollering with delight. They were always excited about something, but this morning they were especially joyous and loud. Going outside I could see them laughing and jumping around the big elm tree that held their tree house. As I got closer I could see the reason for all this excitement, a small black labrador retriever."Hey mom look, it's Angel." "Angel? then you know this pup?", I asked. They sure acted like they knew this pup, and the pup was jumping and wagging her tail as if she had known them all of her short life. The pup couldn't have been more than three months old. The most striking thing about the pup was the white fur that was only on the top of her ears. Jumping and running, the ears gave the illusion of a small angel in flight. We fell in love with this small energetic ball of fur at first sight.

We knew that we would have to look for the owners and return little Angel (the twins had already named her) to her rightful home. There were no tags of any kind to give us a hint or clue as to where to even begin our search. Well no matter, there wasn't any big rush. Angel was more than welcome to be our guest, until we could take the necessary steps to find her owner. Angel made herself at home almost at once, even claiming a small foot stool as her bed. When in the house, she took to settling herself in whatever room I had placed Amy in.

Ben had placed an ad in the paper and flyers in all the local shops, describing this wonderous puppy. Who would not recognize those amazing ears? We were hoping against hope that someone would claim her, yet knew when the day came, we would have to bid a tearful farewell to our Angel. We were all prepared for that, even though I knew the children were saying their own little prayers each night.

After three weeks we settled in with the comfortable feeling that Angel was ours, for now and maybe forever. As no one seemed to claim her, or seemed to want her. Well we loved and wanted her.

The neighbors all laughed and remarked that Angel didn't seem to be an appropriate name. It was suggested that maybe Smoky or Samantha might be better. No! Angel is what we decided and Angel it will be.

Three Sundays from the day Angel came to us, as usual we had all gotten up early to get ready for church. Each one was awaiting their turn for the bathroom. Amy had been fed and dressed and returned to her crib, until the rest of the family was ready for our exodus to church. Angel of course, settled down under her crib. Amy was never out of her sight, when she was indoors.

It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes, when the most ear piercing howling reverberated off every wall in the house. Ben almost knocked me over the banister, racing into Amy's room. Our darling baby was almost the color of her little dress."blue". Ben grabbed up Amy and immediately started a very gentle CPR on that tiny bundle of blue. Marcy, our fourteen year old, had already dialed 911. Amy was taken to the local hospital, where it was determined that she would be put on a monitor, Amy just forgot to breathe. This sometimes happens to small infants. It's rare but it does happen, the doctors told us. Should it happen again, the alarm would signal us that little Amy was in distress.

Taking Amy home and placing her back into her bed, was the most wonderful feeling a mom could ever have. Sleeping peacefully, we knew Angel would soon be in to guard her little charge.

All the calling and whistling never brought Angel back. All the crying and praying never brought Angel back. Angel it seemed. came and stayed long enough to save Amy. Who says Angel isn't an appropriate name for a pup. It is when it's an Angel in Disguise.