Oliver Twist!

 Warning! There is kitten cuteness overload ahead!!

Since Christmas, we have been anxiously awaiting our weekend of travel to get our new "baby," as we call him:) A week and a half ago, we hopped in the car after Ben got home from work and drove to Chicago. I think most people thought we were a little crazy driving so far for a cat but most people don't really understand what this kitten means to us. It's actually hard to put into words.

We started dreaming of him when things were falling apart in Chicago and we were making our choice to leave or stay. He became a goal for us, a sign of hope and healing, maybe. So we started our Kitty Jar and all five of us, and a few other people along the way, added to it little by little and it's hard to believe he's finally here!

We had another good reason for going to Chicago, too~we got to spend a little bit of time with our dear friends, whom we have missed so much! It was far too short of a time but we were able to get in a little play time with their adorable boys and catch up a little over some amazing flourless chocolate cake! (mmmm, my mouth is watering, remembering!

This was our first glimpse of our baby! The breeder brought him out and we all melted into a puddle and unanimously agreed that he was way cuter than we had hoped for:) He ended up in Ben's arms, purring, while I signed papers, etc. Darling!

Oliver is a Blue Minx Mitted Ragdoll. The Blue Mitted part means that he has gray ears, a tail and nose, and white "mitts" on his front paws and all white back paws. The minx part means that his fur is a blend of colors (cream, gray and a hint of a brownish-gray color) instead of being just cream (which it would be if he was only blue mitted.) And of course, his eyes are a beautiful blue, as Ragdolls are supposed to be!

He slept in his carrier almost the whole 7 hours home, except for a brief stint in my arms. I couldn't resist!!

Look at those baby blues!

He has quickly adjusted to his new home! His favorite place to sleep is behind my head on my pillow:)

After a few days, we let him check out our school room and he found a safe spot to nap!

He is a snuggle-bug! He loves to climb right up by my face and purr his little heart out and sleep! Sometimes he gets into such a deep sleep, he rolls down and I catch him in my hand and he stays asleep:)

Running up and down the stairs is exhausting!

He is everything we hoped for and dreamed of and we are all crazy about him! Welcome, Oliver Twist!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 I have finally figured out how to get pictures from my phone to  my computer, using the good old fashioned usb cord:) I think picture-less blog posts are so boring!

I made a new tree skirt this year for our tree!I got some fabric last year and never did anything with it (story of my busy life!) but finally decided to spruce up our tree:)

Funny...I never took a picture of the actual tree! It was pretty and very tall! The tallest tree we have had yet!

Eliana got shots a couple weeks before Christmas for her 5 year check-up and this was her reaction to the polio shot:( Poor baby!

Eliana and a couple classmates waiting for ballet class to begin:) So sweet!

Speaking of sweet.....Eliana had her first ballet recital just before Christmas! It was the casual Christmas recital (and SO cute!) and the fancy recital is in June. Eliana did a great job! Actually Eliana's class did the best out of most of the younger classes, if I don't say so myself:)

We made cookies over Christmas! Ben took the week off of work and we relaxed and hung out!

I was sick with a stomach bug on Christmas Eve so I felt pretty crummy on Christmas, unfortunately and had to take most of my Christmas pictures from the couch! The kids have really been into duct tape lately and they made each other (and us) lots of duct tape presents:) Samuel is holding his present from Zakkai~a printed picture of our family in a duct tape frame:)

Christmas morning at my mom's house. I barely made it but I so hated to miss out on all the fun! (Samuel is wearing his duct tape baseball hat:)

Eliana and Cousin Evy:)

The boys with some fun educational toys!

We also got money for a COSI membership (a really fun local scienc-y museum) so we went last week with a couple of friends. I haven't been since I was a little girl and since they built the new one so it was fun for all of us. Now we know what to do during winter!

And Zakkai belt-tested this week for his purple belt! For the first time, there was no one else in his group testing so he was all by himself. He was nervous but he did such a great job! We are proud of you, Mr Z!

We are so proud of him for all that he has learned and the confidence he is gaining!!

And THIS was our best Christmas surprise of all!!! It was a fun story how God worked it all out and we were able to surprise the kids on Christmas morning with the news that we will be headed to Chicago next weekend to pick up our new baby! (just one). We are so excited to meet our new addition!

Happy New Year!

Tears

 We said goodbye to our kitty today. There was a brief moment last week after I found out we couldn't keep him where I tried to slide the sleel bars down over my heart and not let any more love creep in for this little fur-child.

Why? To save myself more pain? To make saying "goodbye' a little easier?

It didn't work. He wormed his way right into the cracks between the bars and nestled in to stay. I've always had a very sensitive heart; one prone to loving and hurting easily. Most people will never know how easily they can bruise this heart of mine because it's easy to pretend that things don't hurt as deeply as they do. Or maybe others scorn a sensitive heart, branding it as "weak" or "silly."

I thought about posting a quick sentence about his leaving but then realized, this is me. It's okay to admit when I'm hurting. It's okay to receive comfort. It's something I've had to learn since being here in Chicago. Being "Miss Tough Guy" doesn't help anyone, least of all, me!

I grew up with cats and have had some very special ones in my life. Cats who came during the very worst of times and provided a constant presence of comfort and love and cats who were here during the best of times.

I have missed having a kitty in my life and I was really excited to become a kitty-mommy again.

So pardon me if I tear up for a little while. I'm still looking around waiting for my little buddy to come snuggle in my lap. I'm still listening for his footsteps as he scampers around the room playing. I'm still listening for his baby meows. I'm still finding little kitty toys on the floor. There's still a dish of water and a dish of half-eaten food sitting on my bathroom floor. And a cat carrier with his soft, blue blanket inside.

But he's not here. And I'm really sad tonight.

And I'm thankful for the little arms that wrapped around me this afternoon, giving innocent love and comfort.

We all miss you, Friedrich.

The Miracle Kitty

Meet Friedrich. He has earned a new name today and I'd like to share it with you.

Be prepared to rock back in your seats today and say, "Whoa!"

Ready? This is long so be prepared! So, last night when I was putting all kiddos to bed, I put Friedrich in the bathroom where his cat carrier/bed and all supplies are so he could be in a safe place since I usually keep an eye on him when he's out and I was going to be busy for the next hour.

I put him in at about 6pm and at 7pm after all people 6 and under in the house were in bed, I opened the bathroom door, assuming he would poke his head out of the cat carrier immediately, meow and come out to play, as he usually does.

I went downstairs to get something (Ok, ok, some ice cream!), came back to my bedroom and read for a few minutes before dozing off. I woke up at about 10 til 8pm realizing that it was pretty quiet and I could see hide nor hair of Friedrich.

I quickly checked the bathroom and found him still curled up in his soft bed. Thinking it was rather odd that he was still sleeping, I picked him up and brought him into my room with me, where he curled up next to me and went right back to sleep.

All through a conversation with Ben on the phone shortly after, I kept telling Ben that I thought something wasn't right with the kitty. He didn't want to eat or play and kept sleeping. Ben said he was probably fine, just extra tired.

Awhile later, as I was preparing for bed, I picked up Friedrich to take him with me downstairs and noticed he was really warm~more than furry-kitten warm. Starting to become more and more concerned, I even tried to tempt him with a bit of his much-beloved kitten replacement milk (he had it at his home b/c his mama died shortly after he was born and we've been giving him teeny bits once a day and weaning him off it). He gave a few half-hearted licks and then ran around meowing and howling frantically.

I rushed him upstairs thinking maybe he had to go to the bathroom. He did and then when I checked on him right before bed, he was curled up in a ball way at the back of his bed. I reached in to pet him and noticed he was trembling all over.

Knowing this was not a good sign, I quickly started researching on the internet and realized he had a fever. That, coupled with his refusal to eat and now to drink even water, told me that this kitty was in serious trouble!

I was up til the wee hours of the morning trying to find a low-cost place to take him this morning and find any tips to help him through the night.

It was like having a new baby! I was up a few times, feeding him water through a dropper, just to get some liquid in him. He didn't even meow, just whimpered and curled back up into a little ball. I held a covered ice pack to his belly for brief moments to help bring down the fever that caused him to shiver and tremble.  I prayed and prayed that he would wake up back to his frisky kitten-self but when I went to check on him just after 6 this morning, he was even worse than before.

I called my mom, a long time cat owner/lover, but didn't hear back from her til about 7am. When I described his symptoms and told her he had barely moved all night and wasn't even drinking water, she knew it was really bad. She tried to help me come up with a plan to help him make it through the next few hours until I could get him to a shelter or humane society.

And towards the end of the conversation, she prayed. Because there is never anything too big or too small for Jesus to handle! She asked for healing for this little kitten, knowing that my already suffering heart would break to pieces to watch this birthday kitty of mine die in right front of me.

And before we got off the phone, she told me to go check on him and she would stay on the phone and wait for me. I had a ball of dread in my stomach as I made the short-trek to the bathroom to check on him.

He was curled up, just like before, at the back of the carrier with his back to me. He didn't respond at all when I touched him, called his name and even rattled the door. Not a movement except rapid very shallow breaths.

I burst into sobs, knowing that this was the end of my little striped kitty cat. I hurried back to the phone and sobbed out to my mom what I had found. She told me he was probably very close to death and to find a shoe box and place him in his soft blue blanket that he sleeps on every night, inside the box so he could pass away there and I wouldn't have to move him.

I crept back to the bathroom, scared at what I would find, hoping to give my sweet boy a few final moments of love before he died. I got down on my hands and knees and peeked in the carrier to find the kitty, who only moments before had been completely unresponsive, peering his blue-green eyes at me sleepily.

I was shocked and stammered out to my mom that he was looking at me. She told me to try a few drops of water again and maybe he would make it til I could take him somewhere. We hung up and I pulled out the kitty and held him on my lap, only to be surprised to find that he was trying to purr at me while curling up in a ball in my arms!

I thought, "This is it. He is going to purr to me and go peacefully in my arms." I held him and stroked him for a few minutes, watching each breath nervously. And then I squeezed a few drops of water into the side of his mouth.

And then the most astonishing thing of all happened! He got up, stepped out of my arms, went into his litterbox and went potty and sat down in front of his food bowl and started eating!!

I sat there completely shocked and couldn't believe he was moving. Eating. Breathing. Alive.

After a few moments, I called my mom back who answered the phone with dread in her voice, expecting to hear the sad news that he had passed away. Instead my voice, filled with shock and joy at an unexpected miracle, sang across the line!

"Mom! He's awake! He is eating, Mom! And here he comes in my room. He's taking a bath! And sharpening his claws!"

We were stunned and amazed! The kitty, who 10 minutes before was on the brink of death, was sitting in front of me purring, cleaning himself and doing normal "cat things!"

Throughout the rest of this day, I have been continually amazed, my lips filled with praise for a loving God who spared me the agony of watching this little kitty die, as Friedrich has crept back towards a vibrant life.

He slept long and hard this morning but greeted me with a fierce, loving purr everytime I came to check on him. He kept coming out to eat and everytime he has made a step towards life like drinking water again and venturing downstairs briefly to play and meow at me, I say, "Thank you, God!"

Because the God who created and cares about the colorful flowers in the field and the birds in the air and the 1 or 2 pound kittens who are deathly ill, cares so much more about me! And you!

Wow.

My miracle kitty is curled up on my lap purring right now, a testimony to God's grace.

I think he should be renamed "Lazarus." Because he was brought back from the brink of death and is alive!

Amazing!

Heart Break.

I am heartbroken tonight. It's been a pretty crappy day around here, unfortunately. First of all, Zakkai, who was better yesterday, is back to being sick today. He laid around most of the day and the other times was just crying and crying, saying his tummy hurts:( He didn't eat all day and tonight his fever came back in full force. He fell asleep curled up in a ball on the couch around 6pm. Poor little guy!

And then the t-ball coach didn't call us with the information for Samuel's very first t-ball game tonight and we missed it! Ben was a bit upset, considering it's only an 8 week program and he's really enjoyed doing this with Samuel.

But the saddest part of all, the thing that has me in tears over here tonight is that our landlords said we can't keep Friedrich. We thought there would just be a pet deposit, as there has been in every single other place we've lived but they won't let anyone have any animals. It was our fault for assuming and not double-checking, something we are kicking ourselves for.

I was embarrassed to break down in tears in front of her but I couldn't help it. I fell in love with this little guy the minute I saw his little striped face. He is one of the best cats I've ever had! He loves to play, of course, but also loves to cuddle and sleep next to us for naps. He meows for me and will settle down on the bed as soon as I come. He lets you stroke him as long as you want and even rolls over and lets you pet his belly.

He is doing a great job being around all 3 kiddos. He was really nervous the first couple of days but his spunky spirit is coming out in full force. He loves to play with anything or nothing and Samuel has really enjoyed spending a lot of time playing with him the past couple of days.

I am so so very sad and praying that we can find the right home for him. I am praying that maybe someone in my family will take him so we can still see him or even take him back once Ben's gets his job.

So there you have it. A sad, sad day in the Thomas household. I'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers tonight....

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

And that's just what they'll do
These Boots were made for walkin'
And they'll walk all over you.

Meet my other birthday present.

Am I crazy or what??? One of Z's preschool buddy's family owns a western wear store (largest in the midwest) that apparently has serviced even famous people (unlike myself) and I had this conversation several months ago with the mother about boots. Apparently they are awesome and you'll fall in love with them and not want to wear anything else.

Shoe-wise that is....

So I pooled together a giftcard and some bday money and splurged on myself and am the proud new owner of cowboy boots.

Awesome!
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Oh, and kitty has a new name. Yesterday it was Monty til I got to the end of the day and didn't like it anymore. Then it almost became Lionel this morning until I didn't like that anymore either.

I also tossed around Hamlet and Lancelot, Pippen and Rascal (because he is one!), Darcy and Samwise Gamgee....some seriously and others not so seriously. But then I got to thinking that it would be fun to pick a name from a favorite book or movie....

And as I was researching online for ideas, one of my favorite movies popped into my head: The Sound of Music. And I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you think through the names of the characters from that movie and see if you can find a winner!"

Not Liesle.

Not Gretle.

Not Maria or Kurt or Brigitta or Captain Von Trapp (although that is kind of cute..)

How about....

Friedrich.

That's right. My cat's name if Friedrich (Free-drick) and I'm proud of it!

And of my cowboy boots, too:)

Kitty, Kitty, Who Art Thou?

Well, I was all set to start uploading my many Ohio pics but our power went out at about 7:30 this morning due to a short, violent storm (seriously, it was like a monsoon outside!) and didn't come on til a bit ago!

It was very sad as it took a good 5 hours to cool down the place last night; it had been 85 downstairs and at least 90 upstairs. We finally got it to a wonderful temperature only to have to start all over again tonight. Sigh. We were awfully bummed by the kiddo's bedtimes when it still hadn't come back on. It was like a sauna upstairs and Eliana just cried and cried so we finally put her down in the basement where it was really cool and the boys on the floor in the living room. It was really hard for them to fall asleep because when the house is that silent, every creak and footstep is like a crack of thunder in the night!

Zakkai, who has been off-again/on-again with his fever/listlessness all day, fell asleep the quickest. Poor kiddo:( Then E had to be soothed several times before she gave up. That left Samuel who could not settle down and just wanted to ask what we were doing and see what the kitty was up to. Thankfully, he eventually gave up, too!

And speaking of kitty....poor nameless kitty! We decided on a name earlier today and now I don't know if I really like it anymore! Who knew naming a little animal could be this hard??

How about a vote and/or a few ideas? A few names we are considering: Monty, Jasper, Huck Finn and Lionel......

Can't wait to see what you think! As long as you're nice anyways....;)

Home

Sweet Home!

We arrived back home around dinnertime tonight after a fairly uneventful drive (always nice!) and I must say, it was SO nice to enjoy coming home to our new place instead of dreading it! Not that I don't miss family so much.....

Unfortunately, Zakkai got sick within minutes of arriving home. At first we thought it was just from traveling all day (you know how that can make you feel "ick") but then I came down from putting the baby to bed and found him sitting on a stool crying:( I felt his forehead and he was burning up and complaining of a sick tummy:( We finally got him to bed where he fell asleep immediately with a cool cloth on his head (not only did he have a high fever~it was also 85 degrees in here!)

Thankfully, when I just peeked in on him, he was cool so his fever has broken. Hopefully he will wake up his chipper self!

And......da da da! We brought home something very special with us:

 Well, yes. We did bring home these 3 creatures and they are awfully special!

 But we also brought home one of these.....:) Meet my surprise birthday present!

He has no name yet but several are in consideration (Samuel is hoping for Snoopy or Peter and Zakkai's one contribution was Goopy....). He is VERY sweet and a cuddler but also has a bit of spunk! We think he'll fit in fine;)

Happy Sunday!