A Real CATastrophe

What can I say?

We rescued the wrong cat.

We got a cat whose shelter name was Leeza. She was also a new mom who had been spade on the same day as OUR mom cat. Just as the shelter informed us, our mom cat was NOT adopted by her rescuer. None-the-less, we took Leeza home, unknowingly, leaving the mom cat who they later named "Tama" and put up for adoption.

We learned all of this information because we were asked to foster a couple of kittens last week. When I explained to the shelter admin that we adopted our mom cat, and she still just wasn't herself -therefore we would forgo taking on any foster pets for now, she returned the sad news.

We have the wrong cat.

She of course was encouraging about how wonderful it is that we have taken this Leeza cat in... noting that the reason the cat was taking longer to adjust and not seeming like "herself"/Tama/Our mom cat is probably because SHE ISN'T!

Talk about a mess.

I cried. I prayed. I felt like it was too big and important for me to keep from you.

So, I shared the truth. You cried and yelled a little. You spouted about how THIS made perfect sense of all the ways this cat was NOT like your cat from the start. Why she wasn't as good to you. Why she didn't want you as much as the other cat.

I thought about the way she acted when she came... like a completely different cat. How I was so angry that she was spade and changed so much from it.

I blamed the spading and loosing her kittens... I just thought it changed her.

You said that you wanted your "real Ming" and not this "fake Ming" they gave you. I explained to you what that looked like... losing the cat you've grown to love over the past months.

You said it was okay, as long as you got your cat back. You talked about how this cat treats you different than your cat did. You were SO sure of what you wanted.

Still, I took you to see her -Tama, at the shelter.

When they brought her to us I held her and cried harder than any cat should ever be able to make me cry.

I do not need to write about my feelings. I will just say, it was a bad visit for me.

You loved seeing her. You were mad that she was so big. She is overweight and you remember her being pretty bare boned. I explained to you that this is what can happen when a cat spends months in a two by two foot cage.

Then I cried harder.

We filled out the information and put a 24 hour hold on her.

I explained that you would need to make sure this is what you wanted... to swap cats. To lose the cat who's been living in our home as a part of our family. The cat we love and call Ming.

You stood firm.

I kept crying???

Tomorrow we are going to get your cat. For good.

We haven't told you, but we will not be surrendering Ming.

We are keeping them both. Ming will be an outdoor cat. She LOVES being outside, particularly through the night, even in storms!

And Our mom cat, who you decided all on your own to name Mia, will be our indoor cat.

What a day!

And what a total CATastrophe this was.

I'm just grateful it all worked out. If that's what this is called.

fourth of july weekend 2011

As always, we enjoyed the weekend with the F family:

Our kids, fireworks and mosquitoes

all grew considerably in size or quantity this year.

Our little country retreat firework show 

was interrupted by the police responding to an area complaint.

So we packed it up and drove the 10 miles 

to the F families' backyard in the city, 

where we resumed knocking through our BAGS of explosives.

The next night we went to our traditional spot

for the big firework show.

Our fifth year in "i love you man" O town, 

where they obtain a permit to blow stuff up! :)

  

lemonade!

The two of you are doing Tuesdays together, all summer.

Last week, you decided to have a lemonade stand. 

A first for you (and Apple).

You had quite a few customers from the neighborhood.

And even more when you added brownies to the stand.

It was so sweet and fun to watch. 

My favorite was when you would both yell, 

"Lemonade! Get your pink lemonade! Just 50 cents a glass!

Fresh coooold lemonade!"

It is amazing to me the way God gave you a sister

to enjoy these sibling-ish things with.

a wonderful surprise

Last week we shared our farmer's market evening with 

some special friends who we haven't seen in awhile.

It was wonderful to be with them again.

You proved yourself at the hula-hoop stop 

where you've been asking for you own indestructible 

hula-hoop since May. 

I promised you could pick one out when we go this week.

And what better time for us to try out the shop of beautiful cakes

than with the little princess herself. :)

We bought a few delicious treats and each tried them all. 

We walked, ate, snacked, raced, and visited booths together,

talking and laughing and sitting close, like old times.

Making old into new again.

We look forward to more.

Kayla & Jada

Two weeks ago my cousin stopped in on her way home to Alaska

where she and her husband are stationed with their their 2.5 kids.

Although you had met Jada and Kayla years ago,

it was most like your first encounter, since you have no memory of them.

These two little sweets stole all the hearts in this house.

We had an AWESOME couple of days with them.

And the honor that there is a chance they could be coming

to join our home and lives on a temporarily permanent basis 

made for an excitement that I can barely contain.

Only God knows what's in store,

and only time will tell. 

Nin-jer Cat & the Cooking Monster

We play Nin-jer Cat vs. the Cooking Monster 

(Nin-jer being your innocent pronunciation for a word 

that you don't have any experience with) 

Tonight I told you the Cooking Monster was going to chop 

the Nin-jer Cat if he didn't go brush his teeth. 

For some reason you found that to be so hilarious 

that you almost laughed yourself unconscious. 

You were shaking your head SO hard to stop yourself from laughing... 

and then when you finally stopped you took a huge breath 

and started to scold me. 

"Mom, you can't do that to me. I need to breathe. 

I almost couldn't breathe at all! I could die like that."

Needless to say, then I was the one laughing uncontrollably.

You really crack me up sometimes.

love to read

I was quite surprised when you asked me for the ipad

NOT to play Angry Birds...

but to read Mouse and the Motorcycle!!!

Does it get cuter?

Maybe.

 When we got home from a day of errands including a library stop

you couldn't wait to dig into the books!

You just sat right down next to the bag of them

and got to reading. :)

Then there's always this:

Random (sometimes strange) reading spots.

Why sit when you're young and strong?

All that reading only enhances your writing ability.

This is a card you brought me for your "hair cutter"

after having your hair cut a couple weeks ago. :)

I love it all.

Especially the you part.

You and Zach have made an art or partying these past weeks!

Both equally in love with Toby Mac 

("booming out your stereo system" about as loud as this Mom can stand it 

even from behind the closed door in your room)

you jam out most of your time together.

Both wildly insistent that you will stay up ALL night long PARTYING!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

I could not have asked for more in a friend for you!

When we decided to take you to the outdoor theater to see Cars 2

on its opening night, you asked for Zach to come along.

He not only wanted to join us, but he stayed the whole day, 

night, and through the next day! :)

You two enjoyed some miniature golf

and the movie was a hit!

The two of you had just enough of a rest on the ride back to 

resume your all night party plans once we were home. 

You claimed that you went to sleep at 1:38a.

You're such teen wannabes. 

the beach

We made our first appearance at our favorite area beach two weeks ago.

We haven't had the best beach weather yet, 

but we were blessed with a short sweet window of warmth.

We were glad to have Jay with us for the occasion.

Of course, this won't be the last of us. 

We will be back!

a dog's life

I forgot how much a puppy sleeps