For the past few years our daughter has been begging us for a puppy. And everytime she is met with the phrase "Not going to happen!" She'd then walk away with that sad look on her face that would litereally make me melt inside. Of course I would love to give her what she wanted but unfortunately I know a puppy would not work for our family for varied reasons. I have to admit I did look into it from time to time and seriously thought about it as a future birthday gift for her, but it just wouldn't work.
About two months ago my wife and I were eating at Red Lobster and suddenly the subject of a cat arose. We have had our time with numerous cats over the years and none of them ever worked out for one reason or another. Our cat Mittens was our first together. She was an orange and fiesty one from the start and we had her for a little over a year before our daughter was born. At that point we knew we could not keep her around. When our kids were older we tried our hand at others. We decided to go to the shelter this time and it proved to be a huge mistake as each one we had proved to me more problematic then the last. One even passed away within 3 days of us getting it because the shelter spayed it when it was still too young. That was a sad day as I was already getting attached to it. And about 5 years ago we found a co-worker that had a fresh litter and decided 2 was the answer for us this time around. That lasted all but about 3 months however as our kids literally tortured them crazy. Knowing they were not ready to handle a pet we had to give them up and swore off getting another pet.
But sure enough we found ourselves eating shrimp and discussing the possibility once again. By the end of the conversation we actually was so convising on our reasoning that we immediately hit craigslist when we got back home and starting looking for that new addition. Surprisingly there were only a few options local to us where there were kittens less than 2 months old (which was ideal for us). One didn't have any photos listed and lived about 45 minutes away so we put that on the backburner- not literally because that would be cruel. Another one had a photo but it was a far away shot of the kitten on the floor board of someone's car. We thought to ourselves if that was the best photo he could get then that kitten would be trouble. Finally we found the most perfect kitten we could have ever imagined. Her face was right up to the camera and it looked so cute. We instantly fell in love just off the photo alone. I immediately emailed the person and waited for the reply that she was still available.
The next morning I get the reply that we were hoping for and that evening picked her up before anyone else could. Since that first day she has been a real treat to have around, but it wasn't without it's trials. After a few days she started feeling sick and those feelings of "here we go again" starting to come about. But this time I was prepared with the internet as I researched my ass off determined to get her better and within a few days of nursing her she was back to her normal self. It was at that moment that I realized that this one was going to stick. Not just because she is one of the most loving cats we have ever had (who shows no favorites and is always open and lively) but because I was the reason she is still with us and that meant something special to me. I felt an instant connection that to this day still has not left. The best part is both of our kids are 100% ready to help take care of her. They have no problem feeding or cleaning up after her and our daughter can't even leave the room without giving her a snuggle hug.
It's amazing how much one little addition to your family- no matter how small- can make a huge impact on your life and the way you view the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment