Counting Blessings Instead of Sheep

Friday night was just an ordinary night and I hadn't had anything in particular on my mind.  I wasn't feeling stressed and I hadn't eaten a big burrito before retiring but still I had the most vivid dream of my life.  It involved my children (who are always 7 years old in my dreams) and we were packing to go to the lake cabin.  We were also bringing two Chihuahua puppies with us, a little boy and a little girl.  When we arrived at the cabin my mother and father were there to greet us.  They looked to be in their early 60's about the age they were when my girls were seven.  I could hear their voices as clear as if they were in the room.  It was wonderful to hear them laughing and looking so healthy.  The puppies belonged to them and they were waiting for us to bring them.  I told them what good little travelers the puppies were and everyone was so happy.  The next thing I knew I was all alone and walking toward my street when I saw emergency vehicles and they were loading a very distraught young man into an ambulance.  I quickly walked past them and then onto my street.  Then I saw my neighbor's (who have been dead for 4 years) and they were just puttering in their yard as they often did.  I was so happy to see them and ran as fast as I could to talk to Barbara.  Again, I heard her voice as clear as if she were in my room.  She was smiling and talking to another woman but I could tell by the look on her face that she knew I was there.  Then I woke up kind of startled but I felt so good.  I checked the clock on my nightstand which also displays the date as well as time.  When I saw the date I suddenly remembered it was one year to the day that my mother passed away and then I saw the time and it was 10:10, the exact time of her death.  Now, I know this is all coincidence and most people would just pooh it away but....well, I don't want to think so.  First of all I NEVER SLEEP past 6:00 a.m. EVER!  I can't tell you what good it did me to see my parents healthy and happy and together.  It has been a year since I've been able to dream of my mother in any other way than that last week of her life when she was so helpless and frail.  I have missed my friend Barbara so much and to hear her voice again was icing on the cake.  Instead of the anniversary of my mother's death being sad it was healing and I believe that dream was a gift.  Oh, and I figured out where the puppies came from.  When I was growing up my mother had two Chihuahuas.  Her first one was named Timmy and after he died she got Sally.  In Heaven she has them both!