Kids These Days

So, last month our awful cat disappeared.

She just wandered off into the hills, and was never seen or heard from again. Ah, sweet relief. That's probably the nicest thing she's ever... oops, i mean, we've all been utterly devastated and searching around the clock for her to no avail.

I was beginning to enjoy not having to get up in the middle of the night to swat her off the screen outside our bedroom window she regularly climbs while moaning like a laboring zombie when she wants in at 2am. I was getting used to the idea of not having to rake the logs out of the landscaping bark outside our front door that she decided were more inviting than her litter box. I was noticing how nice it was to not have to vacuum clumps of matted cat hair stuck to whatever area of carpet looked freshest.

But then. One beautiful sunshiny morning as we walked out of Target... one of Tyson's co-workers mysteriously ambushed us outside the store as we were heading to load our car- holding...

A KITTEN.

Its almost as if it had been pre-arranged somehow. But I know that's not possible, since Tyson and I had repeatedly discussed all the disadvantages (there are so so so many!!) of cat ownership, and how it was delightful to be rid of the chains once and for all. It was pure happenstance... odd coincidence!... and this poor kitten soul needed a home, immediately!!, or surely she would perish and a jewel would be removed from our heavenly crown for our lack of compassion on one of God's creatures.

Anyways. This blog is not supposed to be about the spawn, I mean kitten.

Its about how adorable my kids are-

There was a knock on the door and 'someone' left a suspicious box.

Dawson immediately tore it open, and scooped her up,

with Anabelle hot on his tail, I mean trail...


They were pretty excited.

Then, without any prompting what-so-ever... Anabelle pipes up...

"I think Dawson gets to name her, because I got to name the last kitten."

He thanked her, and not 5 seconds later said very matter of fact "Her name is Rosemary." As if he'd been thinking about it all his life and had never been more certain.

Both kids have really been enjoying her, but Dawson is especially adoring.


He thinks about her constantly.

He worries that she will be lonely, or cold, or get lost in the garage she is banished to sleep in.

He doesn't want to leave the house because she can't come with us everywhere we go, and when we finally get home, he races to rescue her and acts like its the first time they've met all over again.


Yesterday he made her a present...

A scratching box.

Tyson says its marketing brainwash at its finest and that perhaps we've allowed a little too much time on the electronic devices in our household... but I personally think its a testimony of how brilliant, creative, and caring our lovely little boy is (duh!).

First, he tied some string to the box 'to get her frisky.'

Then, he drew instructions:


1. No standing on the box.

2. No cutting the box with scissors.

3. No zzzzzz sleeping zzzzz on the box,

4. (Stick figured) Kittens only.


Seems pretty reasonable to me.

Then, so as not to waste valuable advertising space, theres an added bonus!

This scratching box received a 5 star customer rating!!


And also, loyal customers are eligible to win big prizes. Somehow.

So. freaking. awesome.

This kid doesn't miss a singe detail of his surroundings. We've never discussed the 'instruction labels' on the shopping carts or on product merchandise at all, but obviously he's on to them.

And... 5 star rating?

Thats just funny stuff right there.

These kids are a riot. They are proving hard to keep occupied so far this summer because they just want to

DO EVERYTHING!

And BE EVERYWHERE!

And they're always dirty and never ever tired.

Hopefully Rosemary will be a good summer babysitter, oops, I mean companion for the both of them.

And hopefully one day our marriage will recover from the ultimate betrayal.

Although, I must admit, it will be hard to stay mad for long at something that makes my kids look this happy...
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3