About five years before my husband went to his heavenly home, he found a tiny blue-gray kitten. She was old enough to drink out of a saucer but didn't know how. After she was with us for a while, we named her Miracle. She became one of our house kitties, and, as with all our pets, we grew to love her very much.

In the summer of 1995, my husband became terminally ill. One day, Miracle suddenly disappeared, and we feared the worst -that she had gotten out when health aides had visited our home twice a week to care for my husband. Worse yet, we feared she might have gotten into one of their cars.

Both my husband, who was housebound now, and I hopefully waited and prayed, doing everything we could to find her. But, there was no sign of Miracle anywhere. She had been gone for a week.

When my husband was weakening and nearing his final day on Earth, we were talking about all our beloved animals. "Jack," I said, "When you get to heaven, will you ask Jesus to send Miracle back?" And he said, "I will."

Several days later, on a Sunday morning, Jesus came and took Jack home. My sister from Illinois, who also loves animals, drove up immediately to be with me at this trying time. We were walking on the front lawn when suddenly I looked up and there sat Miracle in one of the tall bird feeding trays, as if to make sure she would be seen. I called, and she immediately climbed down and ran towards us, whereupon I picked her up, looked to heaven, and said, "Thank you, God."

I believe that when Jack got to heaven, he asked God to send Miracle back to me. The feeling in my heart that day can never be described. Not only was Miracle back, but I also knew that Jack was safe, home in heaven with our Savoir.

Miracle lived for about three years after that, always in the house. She had a chronic health problem ever since my husband first found her. At that time, our veterinarian said there was nothing that could be done to completely cure the condition. She had several "spells" quite far apart, but always recovered...until the last time when I believe she went to be with Jack.

God is always generous. A year or so after he took Miracle, he sent another blue-gray female who looks just like her. Before I could get her in a live trap to have her spayed, she had five adorable kittens, who, by the way are now all spayed and neutered; four of them look just like Miracle. So He took one and gave five, with an extra little black female kitten for good measure. I consider them all my little "Miracles".