Don't get me wrong. I like animals as much as the average person should. I don't see them as human wanna bes, but I am a firm believer that every family needs its share of animal companions. I should add that I have mild allergies to both dogs and cats. Sounds like we are a good, one dog family right? No such luck.
Before the arrival of our first child, I filled my need to mother with a dog, a cat and an assortment of abandoned calves that had to be bottle fed. My husband once pointed out that I treated calves like pets and they were not cost effective to raise that way. My hormones were on overload due to infertility drugs. Needless to say, I heard no further comments about my expensive calves. The dog was in an accident, the cat was very self sufficient and after B arrived, we felt no need for more animal responsibilities.
Then my sister called. It seemed the drama department at the college where she worked had purchased a puppy for a play and not really considered what would happen when it was over. Some one said "hey, take it to Karen's office. She loves dogs." Karen is as unable to say no as I am and agrees to find the dog a home. This is how our blue healer, Janie, came to join our family. She is completely B's dog and woe to the person that tries to come between them. This seemed enough for a while. We had a few fish drift in and out thanks to Sunday school teacher prizes gone out of control and a late night misunderstanding by Grandpa, but all was well.
Then as we prepared to go to Russia on the second of 3 trips to bring the twins home, the neighbor's dog had puppies. While we were gone, Grandma came to stay. B and H's first words to us on the phone while we were still on the plane were "Grandma says we can have 2 puppies if it is okay with you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE." What do you say at this point? SO with only weeks to go before we brought home two almost 2 year olds, we added 2 Australian shepherd/ border collie mixes to our already crazy house. They chewed screens, chairs, shoes and anything else they could find, but we hoped they were teaching B and H responsibility before the babies arrived. I personally think they were to teach me how to handle all the added messes!
Enough I am thinking, not one more living creature in this house! Not even a needy calf unless it can fix its own bottles! But alas, the best laid plans of mice and men...... I am taking a shower, which always seems to cause trauma in our house. It is just not possible for Mama to disappear for 15 minutes without all you know what breaking loose. B comes into the bathroom holding a very small kitten. B and H have spent the afternoon with Daddy and have come home with two, yes I said two, very small kittens. I am completely shocked (and sneezing). Brian pulls me to the side and explains he overheard them praying God would convict us to let them keep them and he just couldn't say no after that. So, you guessed it. We now have 3 dogs outside and 2 kittens living in our basement. It is of course being heated to a comfort zone appropriate to Hawaii and Mama is feeding the kittens with a syringe. Did I mention the girls want Hamsters for Christmas?
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