Requesting Prayers

Our dogs are very special to us.  My husband and I have made it our life's goal to rescue those that can't fend for themselves, and throughout the years, those we've most been able to help have been four legged.  Of course, our goal is to adopt several more children as well, and our daughter is more precious to us than life itself- we are so blessed she joined our lives.  Sometimes I wish it was as easy (and it isn't always easy to rescue animals) to rescue kids as it is animals.  I wanted to ask special prayers tonight for one of our rescued little ones.

Banshee is a Border Collie we rescued in 2002.  She came to us because even as a puppy she was too much of a heathen for anyone else in our rescue organization to handle!  Banshee caught my eye because she looked like the baby version of another Border Collie I had lost (to a terrible, incurable disease) 2 years previously who was a dog of my heart.  She has been an ornery little pistol most of her life, but she definitely has LOTS of character.  She sits in straight-backed chairs like a person, drinks from straws and water bottles (she prefers Blizzards), talks back, carries around her dish like Snoopy, sits on the toilet seat while I put on make-up in the morning, sleeps on my head, and just generally makes sure we all notice her presence.  She is 9 1/2, due to turn 10 in April (we picked a birthday of April Fool's Day for her because she was such a stinker!), but you would never guess- she is just as active, busy, and bossy as she ever was.

I am pleading for your prayers for my little Banshee as I have found two lumps on her in the past couple of days.  One is on her ribcage and is hopefully just a "fatty cyst".  More serious and frightening is the small round lump I've found under her jaw in the area of her lymph node.  This could be serious (like the C word).  I am terrified.  I have her scheduled to see a vet Monday (found the throat lump Friday- that was the soonest we could get in).  I am praying that it is nothing- just a fatty lump and enlarged lymph gland from a slight infection or something minor.  I beg that you would pray with me.  She is so very special to our family.  Her loss or an expensive treatment for lymphoma will seriously derail our family both emotionally and possibly financially.  I have often thought that one of the things Satan attacks is pets that are dear to us... so many adoption stories I have read (including our own) include a pet dying shortly after a family has adopted a child.  Something seriously wrong with our Banshee will throw one more roadblock in the way of making our next adoption a reality.  I have a hard time remembering that God can move all mountains and win all battles.  Will you please pray for my silly little dog with me?  (If you're one of the folks who doesn't treasure dogs like we do and you find this request offensive, please realize she means a lot to me.)