A is for ANIMALS

My sweet friend, Anna (hi Anna!! I got all caught up last night – mercy, those kids are getting big! And good job on the 5K!!), is doing a little bloggy thing on her blog and I loved the idea, so decided to play along. I’m not in with all that is going on in the blogging world. In an effort of full disclosure, I had over 150 unread posts in my Reader and finally made myself go through them last night. It was daunting, but fun to catch up on my peeps. Anyway I’m sure this little game has a title and origin that I should be citing, but I’m not. My personality: asking forgiveness is easier than asking for permission.

Now I don’t adhere to that motto in certain situations. Murder, adultery, conceiving children, declaring bankruptcy…you get the idea.

I digress.

So this little game is to help me to remember to write, give me thoughts when I have writers block (or feel brain dead, which is more likely the case) and help me learn my alphabet. I will have a letter of the day (think Sesame Street) and write something about my life based on that letter. I don’t know that these are the rules, but personality trait el numero dos comes into play here: I like to make up my own rules. For most things.

A is for ANIMALS.

I’m not an animal person. Don’t get me wrong, I think they are cute and all, but I can’t get past the smell, dirt and worse: GERMS. I’m a germaphobe. It’s getting worse as I get older. And have more kids. (Reason #7,263,384 why I think we are abstaining from having kids.) But while I am not an animal person, I also hate the idea of anything living not being loved or cared for.

This might have something to do with my adoption. If I had a therapist, I would explore this further. Good think I don’t have a therapist.

Back to animals – because I have this heart for all living things, we are now opening a refuge in our home for animals. We didn’t know we were opening one, but the word got out among four-legged-furry-people.
A couple of weeks ago, my sister unintentionally (so she says) brought home 2 very cute strays. We, initially, didn’t know they were strays. We thought they belonged to someone. How could they not? They were so sweet and cute! So we make posters (including pictures taken by the talented Caleb Mad) and placed them all over our neighborhood, surrounding neighborhoods and vet offices. I took the dogs to the vet to see if they had micro-chips ( they didn’t,) put posts on CL and even on the Pet Amber Alert.

And heard nothing.
And are moving in 2 short months.
With 4 kids, 1 cat and a 110 pound yellow lab that could be mistaken for Clifford if he was red.
Who is really going to rent to us with that drama? I wouldn’t rent to someone with that drama.
Which is why JMad said NO to keeping 2 more dogs.
Even though we all fell in love with them. They were so sweet and cute.

Anyway, long story short, after trying to find them homes, giving them a bath, getting rid of ticks, calling NO-KILL shelters all over the city and having all 4 of my children (as well as myself and my man) fall in love with them, we finally found a NO-KILL shelter (an hour away) that could take them. For a $200 “surrender” fee.

Yes, “surrender” as though they were ours. Really.

And while I hate the term “surrender” and hate that it cost $200, I am thrilled that we found a nice shelter that was going to try to get them adopted together.

Thankfully I was at a yoga training and JMad was home because in all honesty, I don’t think I could have taken them there and dropped them off. Apparently everyone was a mess, but especially Caleb. For that matter if there is mention of Spot and Spotty (he named them) he will break into tears.

So we don’t talk about them.

And now he has another 4-legged obsession. Charlie Bear. We are watching our friends dog (I told you we are becoming a shelter!!!) and the kids (and Titan) are all in love.

I really don’t like animals. But I’m going to try to convince JMad to get another dog when we get to Denver. Shhh. Don’t tell him.