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I have heard a couple different versions of the holiday story, but this version is my favorite. I think you are going to like it even if you are not really a pet person. Nicole and her husband, Greg had a dog named 'Peppi'.

Peppi was a real character as far as pets go. Whenever Nicole and Greg had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because
Peppi would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Nicole or Greg would go to Peppi's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Peppi's other favorite toys like the Nobbly Wobbly featured above. Peppi always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened one Christmas season that Nicole found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease ....in fact, she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy exactly 12 days before Christmas day, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Peppi. A thought struck her ...what would happen to Peppi? Although the three-year-old dog liked Greg, he was Nicole's dog through and through.

If I die, Peppi will be abandoned, Nicole thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Nicole than her doctors had anticipated and Nicole was hospitalized for over two weeks. Greg took Peppi for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Nicole to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Nicole
was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Greg made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap. Peppi stood watching Nicole but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Nicole sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Nicole woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Nicole realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Peppi owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.

He had covered her with his love. Nicole forgot about dying. Instead she and Peppi began living again, walking further and further together every day. It's been 12 years now and Nicole is still cancer-free. Peppi? He still steal streasures and stashes them in his toy box but Nicole remains his greatest treasure.

Remember.... live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget.... the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards They are the ones that care for us.

Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer. Amen

Labels: Christmas dog toys, Dog Toys