Thank You, God for Animals!

I was the kid that brought the dirty, dehydrated, malnourished strays' home, left bread crumbs and bottle caps of water out for hungry birds, and gave names to the flies on the screen door and to the ants on the sidewalk.

I was the lonely kid with an imagination the size of the elephant that I dreamed of one day owning. Animals were so much more attractive and interesting to me than humans. I gave every creature I encountered a name, background, and secret agenda.

My home was not always a happy place and to actually have and keep a pet was as likely as finding Willy Wonka's "golden ticket". We would have a dog for a couple of weeks, (just long enough for me to get attached) but then something would get chewed or my little brother would get scratched and that was enough to send my furry friend packing.

I fantasized about having a big ranch when I grew up and having every kind of animal that ever existed. I would call it "The Ark", as in Noah's ark; and my animals would love me unconditionally and the most special of my animal friends would sleep with me and be given a voice to speak with; but I would be the only one that could understand their language. I was going to tame lions and break wild horses and teach monkeys how to ride bikes.

As time zoomed by, dreams of pet salvation slowly diminished and life's ugly realities hit me from every direction. As I grew into an adult I thought less and less of spending time with animals. I admired them in pictures or through backyard fences but I had given up on ever having a permanent animal friend of my own. And then I blinked and I became a mommy....

Something comes full circle when you have a child of your own, you are reborn and the same spark of life you carried as a hopeful child is once again ignited. I am a child again through my child, but with the grown up super powers of choice and decision. I created the home for my child that I always wanted, safe, happy, and stable. And although I don't live in Narnia with talking horses, elephants, and zebras as pets; I have been blessed with the privilege of raising 3 dogs and a cat. Lulu, the saber-tooth Labrador (protector of the pack), Mojo, my 130 lb Mastiff mystery mutt (the next best thing to an elephant), Chief, my little Boston-Terror (hated by many, loved by few, feared by ALL), and Yoji, (a.k.a. Sleestack, the ninja cat with a mysterious background). I have had them all since they were babies and they have brought such a fun energy and unconditional love and healing to my home that I can't imagine life without them. They are giant hearts wrapped in fur and sometimes at the end of the day when no one is watching they talk to me in secret pet talk, telling me the secrets of what it's like to be them and how happy they are to have a home. Thank you God for animals!