We've been adopted!

(Disclaimer: I am not becoming a crazy cat lady. Promise.) 

Last Saturday we had a kitty pay us a little visit. He hung around the yard all day & Warren happily entertained him. He is SO laid back. Warren packed him around the yard, made leashes for him, took him for walks and even put Woody's cowboy hat on him. After hanging out around our place for about 10 hours he seemed to be at peace and started to make his case. 

Who can resist this? "I'm handsome, cuddly, I bath myself regularly & I'm totally submissive. Go ahead and scratch my tummy! You know you want to." ;) 

Warren named him Charlie & of course begged to keep him. I was a little nervous since he was stray but he really was a great cat. He was very loving & laid back. We put out some food and I felt so bad because he was so hungry. I assumed he'd wander off during the night. He is a male and they tend to roam anyway. 

The next morning guess who was waiting ever so patiently at my back door? When I opened the door to greet him he looked at me saying "See, what a loyal kitty I am? I waited all night for you. May I pleeease come in now?" He slowly stepped in the house and paused. I responded "I think you ought to stay outside, Sir" and then he very politely turned around and sat right back outside the door! So smart & such a gentleman! 

He won my heart & so we let him in. I know I'm a sucker. Kitty toy? Scratch pad? Playmates? It was meant to be. 

He seems to have adjusted well...

And blends right in with the family...

Warren welcomed him with a handmade kitty condo. 

Although he seems to prefer his bed. 

Welcome to the family Charles...we are honored you picked us! lol  ;) 

Kitty Esther goes to heaven...

Today my doorbell rang and it was our little neighbor girl. She stopped by to tell us that while she was riding her bike home from school she thought she saw our cat Esther on the side of the road. Before she could finish her sentence my cel phone started to ring and it was another neighbor calling to tell us that she also found Esther on the side of the road around the corner from our house and it appeared that she had been hit by a car. My stomach sank.

Of course, its always sad when a family pet dies. We all loved her but I knew this would be particularly hard for Warren. He always told us that Esther was his best friend and he was constantly chasing her around and playing with her. Ben loved her too. Every morning when I go up to get Ben out of bed she follows me into his room to greet him and he usually says hello to her before he says it to me! Well, anyways we are really disappointed to have lost our sweet kitty. She was very affectionate, curious and spunky. I could never sweep the floor without her pouncing on it as I swept. I was often found scatting her out of whatever I was trying to work on: cooking, sweeping, dishes, sewing projects, etc. Her curiosity nearly drove me crazy but as soon as sat down at night she was in my lap purring like a Harley.

I waited until Weston got home to tell Warren and of course he burst into tears instantly. He was a very sad little guy. We talked about heaven and what she was probably doing there. He seemed to be comforted that she was with Jesus now and maybe he had some kitty toys for her there too.

We dug a hole behind the garage and Warren dedicated her final place of rest: "Dear Heavenly Father. We are thankful for this day and for our blessings. We are thankful that Kitty Esther was our Kitty and we got to play with her a lot. Please bless her to be happy in heaven. We love her a lot. Help us to be happy too. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Laying her in the ground.

We buried her with her favorite toy mouse, feather toy and a small branch from her favorite bush that she always rested under. She often practiced her pouncing and hunting skills with pine cones in our yard so we threw one of those in there as well.

Warren was so sweet. I was so impressed how he calmed down after a while and was very intent on taking care of her.

Just after I took this picture Warren said " I am going to miss kitty Esther. I love you Esther." She was about 1 year old.

Poor guy.

Here is a cute video of Ben learning to say her name not long after we got her.

We are pleased to introduce......

Esther.

Sweet. Spunky. Submissive and fearless.

The lowdown: For the last month we have been actively looking for a kitten. We had checked out various pet stores and after being interrogated by the NAZI Kitten agency at Petco I was happy to leave them behind as I was SURE they would all go to PERRRRFECT homes. *ehem*. Subsequently, I started to check around for free kittens in the area and found an online ad for free kittens at a farm & feed off the feeder road headed toward Porter, a neighboring city. If you are not familiar, Porter is a much more....how should I say?....."Country" city. ;) Well, I don't have a farm so, I wasn't sure where that was but thought perhaps they were referring to the Tractor Supply Company, also off the feeder road.

When I walked in the store the cashier was with a customer and as they were finishing up I asked her if this was where they had free kittens. The cashier said, "We don't have any here." Then, both the cashier & the customer said simultaneously with eager eyes....."You want a kitten?" We all chuckled and started to chat. They both described their kittens, I exchanged phone numbers and called one of the girls.

Wed night I went to check "him" out. He sounded cute but I had really wanted a girl so I almost didn't go. When I got there, not only was he SUPER cute, "he" jumped up on my lap, cuddled up and started purring instantly. I decided to double check the sex and to my surprise "he" was actually a "she" and well...after that I just new it was meant to be. (Hey that rhymed!) So... I brought her home and so far she has been the BEST natured little girl. Really submissive but also quite spunky. She has NO FEAR. The night I picked her up she walked right under the belly of a 100 pound Rottweiler and stopped for a little rest, until he tried to EAT her! She hardly flinched! While I could see the owner loved her, I couldn't leave her there with that freak show dog, so I snatched her up and brought her home. So, that is how we got her....and I knew instantly what her name would be.....and it suites her quite perfectly I think. ;)

Warren was SOOOOOO surprised the next morning and has not let her alone for one minute.....except for a few mandatory "Kitty Quiet Times" enforced by mom. He just love love LOVES her and she is so content to let him cart her around, shove food & water, toys & stuffed animals in her face, comb her, kiss her, hug her, bath her (with her watering tank) and constantly put her in and out of her bed.
This morning he carted her upstairs and was educating her about his trains. It was SO funny, she just sat there and watched with the most curious & attentive face.

Warren & Esther. Best Friends Forever. ;) We sure do love her too. :)