What type of animal is covered with fur, makes a barking noise, and is "man's best friend"? The answer to this riddle was given to me as a gift, and the best part is, I had no idea that this would happen!

It all started one morning when my mother was watching the news report on WCIA 3. During the show, a reporter introduced a very sweet dog by the name of Sadie. "This old girl arrived here at the Champaign County Humane Society a few weeks ago," the reporter said. "It would be great for her to spend her last years with a family that loves her." Now, my mom is such a softy when it comes to homeless animals, so this commercial triggered a thought in her mind.

Not long after, we were off to the Humane Society. "Listen to my words, kids," my mom said. "I know you are all excited about getting to know Sadie. I feel the same way. Still, I don't want you to get your hopes up too quickly. You know how your dad feels about adding to our zoo of animals."

"Yes, Mother!" my siblings and I chorused.

When we met Sadie, we realized the newscaster was not exaggerating in the least when he said how sweet she was. Sadie might have been old and grey, but we could tell that on the inside, she could hold a candle to any Westminster breed. Clearly, she felt the same way about us.

Obviously, Mom was right about Dad's feelings on the whole "adding a new pet to our animal kingdom" concept. We kids tried everything. We drew cute little pictures of Sadie in a softball uniform. (Mom suggested that she should be our mascot.) We dropped occasional hints about getting a dog in family conversations. We even got to the point where all we had left to do was beg, fully equipped with panting and whining. By then, mom knew we were itching to get Sadie so badly, we needed flea collars. It was time for her to step up and take charge, after all, she is the big dog of the family.

One afternoon my brother, sister, and I were watching T.V., feeling as bored as basset hounds, when we heard mom yell, "Kids, come up here and say hi to your grandparents when they come by!" That transformed us from basset hounds to terriers. We darted upstairs to wait for Grandpa and Grandma. We were standing on our driveway when a familiar black convertible eased its way down the road.

"Is that our car?" asked Mom.
"Yeah!" we harmonized.
"Is that your dad?" she asked.
"Yeah!" we said again.
"Hey, Guys!" said Dad.
What happened next was unforgettable. He opened the door, and Sadie jumped out!
"Is that our dog?" I asked.
"Yeah!" everyone said. No one could wait to yap about our new dog!

On the day Sadie came home, my smile could have won best in show. Getting Sadie was a great suprise, and she was a doggone good gift.

*Author's Note - While this story was being composed, Sadie was recovering in the hospital.