Tim, what a beautiful story!! I can't wait to see and hear more about Sunbeam! Ripley (little mini in my signature) was a shelter dog. I was at the shelter one day with my daughter who was turning in some paperwork on a cat she had adopted. We decided to just walk through the kennel and visit the pupsters in need of homes. Who did I spy but Ripley! He was a matted mess of a doggie and I literally had to lift up about 4 inches of hair just to see his face. Once I looked into those eyes and saw the sweetness underneath I was hooked. I sat on the floor and waited to see what he would do. He very cautiously walked over and sat right in my lap. That sealed the deal! Soooo, I can well understand the magic that Sunbeam worked on you! What a happy ending for you both!