"A special calf answers child's prayers"

"Pet comes with owner's initial on its forehead"

Adapted from: Erin McKeown, The (Brazosport) Facts, picked up Monday, May 5, 2008, by the San Antonio EXPRESS - NEWS.

"SWEENY -- For Jamie Zimmerhanzel, to get to keep a calf from one of her family's cows, it would have to be a female and have to be black, her father said.

"So the 7 - year - old prayed hard.

"She never imagined how that prayer would be answered.

"The second of four calves born was a female.

"And it was black.

"As added proof that it was meant to be Jamie's, the otherwise all - black calf was born with white hair on its forehead in the shape of the letter J."

As the little girl tells us:

"Mommy brought me home from school and she told me there was somethng special about a calf and I tried to guess it, but I couldn't guess it."

Her mom had to be pretty tactful:

"The 6 - day - old calf was dubbed J., and Jamie's mother Jana said Jamie wanted to bottle - feed her.

"They had to tell her that J had a mother, but Jamie could be her second mom."

Jamie's mom then thoughtfully adds:

"I just like her to stay busy doing something and to have some responsibility.

"Even at 7 years old, it's important to have some responsibility and have something to keep you accountable and not to spend time in front of the TV all the time."

As for Jamie's own views of her future, her mother Jana tells us: "When she grows up, she said she wants to be either a teacher or a veterinarian."

A good, good story, huh?