What you Don't want to hear your child say....and the turtle tales continue

You don't ever want to pick up the phone and hear your child on the other end say, "Mom! somthing terrible has happened!!!!" Noah and I had just gotten up with the birds to take my car in for a front end alignment. We were pulling into the Hardee's parking lot afterwards to grab a biscuit, when Mackenzie called from home with the above mentioned words. In that second before se told me what had happened, several different scenarios went through my mind-all of them involving injuries and one or both of the other children that were at home with her.
"What is it?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know.
"It's the turtle.." I felt extreme relief...just the turtle, I thought...but then...
"It's got blood and maggots coming out of the crack in its shell and it's not moving...and it smells really bad!" I could hear Lexie in the background saying, Turtle? Turtle!...."
I told her to take it out to the woods, and then broke the news to Noah. He tried so hard not to cry, and it was pitiful watching his little lip quiver. I told him someday we would find another turtle, and I promised to stop by the side of the road and take it home. He sniffed, 'but Franklin was going to go to Florida with us!" A biscuit softened the blow a little bit, and he perked up when I suggested inviting a friend over. 20 minutes later we were on our way to pick up his friend, when lo and behold, what did we find crossing the road? I almost gave us both whiplash when I slammed on the brakes! I had never been so happy to see a turtle! I jumped out of the car, grabbed the little guy and said, "Look,God gave you another turtle!" He was so excited- "Can I still have my friend over, too?" when I answered yes, all was immediately well in his litte world-a new turtle, a friend to play with....Life is good. Later, when Mike came home, Noah said, "Dad, come look at the new turtle God gave me!" Isn't it neat how God takes care of such tiny little details to affirm the faith of a child? Oh...and turtle number two's name is Goliath. We are hopeful he will last a little longer!