THIS IS A TERRIFIC STORY, BUT YOU MUST READ IT, DON'T JUST LOOK AT THE  PICTURES!!!!!


Puppy   Size  

'Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again.  We've been back to   
This animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now  since  
we started all of this,' the mother told the volunteer.  

'What is it she keeps asking for?' the volunteer asked.  

'Puppy size!' replied the mother.  

'Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for.'   

'I know... we have seen most of them, ' the mom said in  frustration...  

Just then Danielle came walking into the office  

'Well, did you find one?' asked her mom.  'No, not this time,'   
Danielle  said with sadness in her voice.  'Can we  come back on  the  
weekend?'  



The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.  

'You never know when we will get more dogs.  Unfortunately,  there's  
always a supply,' the volunteer said.  

Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door.  'Don't   
worry,  I'll find one this weekend,' she  said.  

Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her.
They both felt she was being too particular.  'It's this weekend  or  
we're  not looking any more,' Dad finally said in frustration.  



'We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size, either,' Mom  added.  

Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday  
morning.    By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the  
section that housed the smaller dogs.  

Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of  
the first row of cages.  There was an observation window so you could  
see the animals during times when visitors weren't  permitted.  

Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to  
take a closer look.  One by one the dogs were brought out and she held  
each one.  

One by one she said, 'Sorry, but you're not the  one.'  

It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup.  

The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up  
the dog and held it closely.  This time she took a little longer.  

'Mom,  that's it!  I found the right puppy!  He's the one!   I know  it!'
She  screamed with joy.  'It's the  puppy size!'  


'But  it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the   
last  few weeks,' Mom said.  

'No not size...  The sighs.  When I held him in my arms, he  sighed,'  she said.

'Don't   you remember?     When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the  sighs of  your heart.  The more you love, the bigger the  sigh!'  

The two women looked at each other for a moment.  Mom didn't  know  
whether  to laugh or cry.  As she stooped down to hug the child, she  did  
a  little of both.  

'Mom,  every time you hold me, I sigh.  When you and Daddy come  home  
from  work and hug each other, you both sigh.  I knew I would find  the  
right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms,' she  said.  

Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, 'Mom, he loves   
me.   I heard the sighs of his  heart!'  

Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you  
sigh.    I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in  the  
caress  of a sunset, the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of  
cool air on a hot day.  

They  are the sighs of God.  Take the time to stop and listen; you  will  
be  surprised at what you hear.  'Life is not measured by the  breaths we  
take,  but by the moments that take our breath  away.'  

I  hope your life is filled with Sighs!