I know I'm running a little late here, I'll catch up - just bare with me. Might make two blog entries tomorrow - I can handle one day late, for now.
Today I am so very thankful for the pets in my life. Angel, Pepper, Molly, even Amy the guinea pig!
I've had Angel the longest. Christmas of 1998, I was two months away from getting out of the navy. I didn't have any leave left really, and so I was stuck staying in Washington for the holiday. My grandma, my Manny, chose to spend her holiday with me that year, selflessly sacrificing her time with the rest of her family and her loved ones, to make some memories with her oldest granddaughter. She and I went to Petco one afternoon in late December. We had no real mission in mind, just wanted to check it out. PAWS was there - an animal rescue group. Well, of COURSE, we brought home a cute little long haired tortoiseshell kitten that was just big enough to fit into the palm of our hand. I named her Angel - because she was my Christmas Angel. That was the same year Manny and I fed all my friends that couldn't go home for Christmas. It was a two day potluck at Becca's house...any lonely sailor that wanted to get some grub could show up with a dish (or not) and they would find food, friends and family for the holiday.
I miss Manny, and will never forget that Christmas. I know her spirit still comes around regularly, in little ways.
Pepper, he's a horse of a different color. I got Pepper for my birthday, in 2002. Don was deployed when everything hit the fan on 9.11.01. We were very much in love, I was working at Qwest in Seattle, he was on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), and deployed when the towers fell. I will not forget that day as long as I live. He made it home some time in the spring, and we realized how important we were to each other. Officially moved in together. When the fall came, we knew we wanted a dog. We went to the the Kitsap County Humane Society and the story is epic. I wrote a story about our finding Pepper Dog, and it almost made the cut for the "Chicken Soup for the Veteran's Soul" book. Almost. At any rate, he's still with us, 11 year later. He's 14 now. That whole story might find it's own description in a blog to come.
Molly, she's our baby. We got her from a family that couldn't possibly love her as much as we do. Clearly - duh - they all but gave her away. She has learned so much from us in the last year and a half, and we've learned just as much from her. She is smart, sweet, and greedy LOL. If we keep her out of the kitchen, all will be well. If she goes into the kitchen, look out, watch her like a hawk. She's sneaky... ;)
And Amy - the Guinea Pig in Paige's room LOL - she's awesome, she's fun, she loves to come out and eat clover, and she will devour any Timothy Hay you put in her path. She needs a friend...we're working on that (James' birthday is coming).
Today, November 3, 2013, I'm thankful for my furbabies. And they are thankful for me and mine. Even when we refuse to give them chicken bones ;) It's all about responsibility.
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