Animal Lover

I’ve always been a cat lover.  I was 8 when I finally convinced my mom I needed a cat and since that point, my home has always had at least one cat. I could name them all for you and tell you their full stories, but I’ll refrain. 😉 In 6th grade, I had a cat embossed on my glasses.  I flew my cat-loving flag loud and proud.  And I’m not embarrassed to say I also had wedding photos taken with my cats…

Our original four kittens have all crossed the rainbow bridge, but our new kittens – Eisenhower “Ike”, Pierce “Pudge”, and Monroe “Kiki” have brought so much joy to our home over the last two years.

In truth, I’m an animal lover.  All types of animals.  But I am partial to the type that is cuddly and furry.

I’ve wanted a Frenchie for 7 years, but the timing never felt quite right.  I knew that owning a dog was going to require significantly more time than owning cats, and I didn’t want to make the leap until I was sure I’d have the time and energy to give him everything he would need.

Like most things, it all worked out.  Mike told me on a random Sunday evening that he was ready and by Tuesday, we were meeting Chip.  We had to wait a few more weeks to bring him home, but he was worth the wait.

Chip has brought so much joy to our lives already.  He loves to go for car rides, eat sno cones, and chase Anna around the yard.  We are working with a trainer to make sure he learns how to behave and trying to establish a routine that works around all of our schedules.  It feels like our family wasn’t complete before we had him!

It’s become apparent to me over the last few years just how important being an animal lover is to me.  Loving animals and caring for them is one of my fundamental core values. The love, the empathy, the compassion, and the caregiving that one has for animals seems to emulate the love they have for others – and I want to be sure that my children experience that same love.  Sure, sometimes I feel like I live in a zoo — 3 kids, 3 cats, 1 dog… but I wouldn’t have it any other way!