Robin,

I wanted to write you and thank you for bringing Stephanie Grossnickle and Sammie into our lives. Not only were we blessed with my "pretty girl", Sammie, but I also gained a lifelong, treasured friend in Stephanie, her foster mom.

Sammie has a guardian angel (maybe, our Harry!) that led her into Ashley's heart. Thank goodness Ashley drove back a week later to MCAWL to save Sammie from a horrible fate. Not only did she lose her 8-yr old boy, but she could have lost her own life and the lives of her unborn puppies. Sammie was so lucky to have been brought to the Stephanie to deliver and nurse her 7 beautiful puppies. Stephanie knew that she was a special girl and a fantastic mother to her pups. Stephanie sacrificed a lot to take on the tremendous challenge of caring for those puppies, in addition to Sammie. She never complained.

When I read Stephanie's bio on Sammie on the website, I knew that I had to meet Sammie. I arranged the first visit, which turned out to be 4 days after the pups were born. It was instant love. I knew that I wanted to be HER forever mother and let her be the "pup" she never had a chance to be. Over the next 8 weeks, I would visit weekly, once with the boys, Mitch and Axel (a FFN veteran). We knew that she would make our family complete.

I couldn't have asked for a better outcome. Sammie came to live with us on Friday, December 2. She settled in right away and seemed to know that we were anxiously awaiting her arrival. She and Axel have become inseparable. Axel didn't know how much he needed some canine companionship, until she arrived. They follow each other everywhere. They race each other around the yard (Sammie is FAST!) and play tug-o-war with their toys. They both run with me in the mornings, side by side. Sammie alternates sleeping with the boys every other night.

Sammie has been lucky enough to see "Lola", now Holly, out the kitchen window every day, where she lives with a neighbor of ours. Sammie is happy that she gets to watch her grow. I also tell Sammie about "Mason" who was adopted by our son's kindergarten teacher. Both pups have fantastic families that adore them.

Here are some photos of Sammie that I think you may enjoy.

God Bless you and all the "angels" at the Furry Friends Network!

Amy Haines
(Mitch, Bailey, Tanner, Axel & Sammie)