Bliss and Miss Kitty

Miss Kitty

Today was one of those lovely days that you hope your children remember when they are grown. Not the specifics perhaps, but the overwhelming sense of serenity and happiness that can fill up little and big souls when days are spent like we spent ours today. Nothing spectacular happened (it's almost five pm and we are all still in jammies!), but there was beauty all around. Snow continued to fall for most of the morning, leaving a nice little covering on the ground. School lessons were successful, laundry started, kitchen cleaned. Lunch was soup. Baths were given and now three small heads smell of lavender. Boss is making breakfast for supper. We had no where to be and nothing to focus on but each other and the life we are building inside of our home. Bliss.

Why don't we make days like today a priority? It is fully within my control to slow our lives down, if even just a bit. Why do we let the world pull at us so? Is this what I want my children to remember? The errands, the driving, the different activity every single day? Do I want them to remember more time spent out of our home rather than in it? Or do I want days like today to permeate their brains when they are grown and walking back down memory lane. Just some thoughts to ponder.

In other news, we let the children get a kitten.

In their originality, they have named her Miss Kitty. Except for Jack. He likes to call her Jack. A mighty fine name, if I do say so myself.

Did you know that I have a love/hate relationship with animals? I love the idea of them, but usually end up hating the reality of having them in our home. When I was younger (read high school), I was going to marry a pig farmer and birth five pig farming sons (whom I would dress in matching overalls). In my vision, I saw Christmas cards involving hay bails. I didn't actually know any pig farmers, but was absolutely certain God would place one in my path. It was my destiny. But then, one fateful day, I learned that pig farmers had to rise very early to feed their pigs each morning (who'd have thought pigs wouldn't want to eat brunch at a more reasonable hour?), and it got me to thinking that perhaps my pig farming husband might want me to rise early and feed the pigs with him. See? Darn reality. I never dreamed of pig farming again. And thank goodness for that, because if I had still desired to marry a pig farmer I would have never fancied Boss, my better half. Boss is more of a trendy, sweater wearing, sports loving, suburban kind of guy. And we have, for the most part, lived a very average, suburban life. (Minus the six years where I convinced him that house parenting at a children's home would be a really fun adventure! That wasn't so average!)

Where was I going with this story?

Oh yes, my love of the idea of owning animals (like pigs), but my serious dislike for the reality of owning animals (like having to rise early to feed them). And while the pigs were just a figment of my imagination, we have had enough cats and dogs in our life together for me to know this to be true of myself.

A wise woman once told me that you will never be successful at raising small children, owning animals, and tending to a garden all at the very same time. You might be successful at doing two of those things at once, but if you try and add the third one in, something is bound to suffer. And hopefully the thing to suffer is not the children! Since there are no mighty garden plans in our future, Boss and I decided to let Miss Kitty be our families number two. The kids have been asking for an animal to be let back in to our home for going on two years now, and for some reason, this week, we gave in. I still have no earthly idea how they managed to convince us, but I do know that my children (especially my girls) are over the moon. They have not put Miss Kitty down since we brought her home last night. And I must admit, so far she seems pretty wonderful. There is just something comforting about a little kitty curled up on a blanket, purring loud enough to lull the entire house. Miss Kitty definitely contributed to the loveliness and serenity of our day.

So welcome, Miss Kitty. The children are so very glad that you are here. Boss and I are still on the fence, but I think your chance of working your way into our hearts is pretty good. Just don't expect early morning feedings, mkay? If you are more of a brunch girl, things should work out just fine.