Pets
We are not pet people. Matt is allergic to pretty much any animal (hamsters and horses top the list). We have made it very clear to our children that we will never own a pet with fur. Secretly, I like to use Matt's allergies as an excuse to say, "No" to my children. I know every mother hears the incessant whining for a pet, but the whining in this house doesn't last long with the whole allergy excuse.
Matt and I get kind of freaked out by the thought of a dirty animal roaming our house. Now I know there are plenty of clean freaks out there who own pets. My friend, Kimberly, opened my eyes to this. I realize it can be done.
Matt made a statement one day that solidified my pet stance. "I shower every day," he stated. "I am a clean person who brushes my teeth, wipes when I use the toilet, and even uses deodorant." He goes on, "If I ever sat naked on your furniture, you would burn it, so I can't figure out why people let their dirty animals do it."
Alright, so I know I did not make many friends with that confession. Many of you own pets and I think it's great. Especially since my children love to come to your homes to play with them. (What poor, deprived children I have!) I have also seen how losing pets can be very traumatic. I cried when Roni and Kimberly's dogs died. They loved those dogs as if they were their children.
Let me tell you a little story about the one pet that has lived in our home... Charles.
Charles is a beta fish. My sister, Tami, gave him to Tyler for his 11th birthday. (Note to self: Never give pets as gifts to unsuspecting victims.) Charles helped us to realize that pets can find a way to your heart. "A fish?" you say. Well, we grew to love Charles. Even in the last few months of his life I felt like a mother to him. He died of a fungus about 9 months after we had him. I took care of him in his final hours. I would come into the kitchen each morning, turn on the light and he would swim to the top of his bowl waiting for his breakfast. I enjoyed watching him swim around. I even learned to not mind cleaning his tank, although Tyler did most of the cleanings.
We knew Charles was almost ready to go. He started to swim crooked and his poor little body was very bloated. I started to pray that he would not have to suffer and would be taken quickly. I couldn't stand watching him suffer.
Finally one day we came into the kitchen. Charles was not swimming to greet us for breakfast. His swim had turned into a backfloat. I called the kids in a told them. I don't think the grief hit them at that point. They were far more interested in looking at the dead fish.
Later that night we had a funeral for Charles. Tyler dressed up in his best suit. He made a tombstone on the toilet seat. He had tissues (napkins) available in the bathroom for the mourners. We had a full-fledged service for Charles and gave him a flush.
When we exited the bathroom, Marcus and Aubree started crying hysterically. I hugged them and cried, too. Tyler tried to be brave. Caleb was still intrigued with the fact that we just flushed a fish.
Now you may think this is the end to my story, but it is only the beginning. I told the kids that since we had all the fish stuff, if they wanted to buy another beta, I would let them. All of them said, "No way! I don't want to clean the tank." That was the end of that in my mind. Until a visit from Grandma Julie a few days later...
You've got to love grandparents that want to make their grandkids happy. Grandma Julie, bless her heart, was at a wedding that had some beta fish and asked to buy one to give to her mourning grandkids. One night while we were out, Grandma stopped by and presented the kids with a new fish. They all just kind of stared at her.
When we got home later that night, the kids said that Grandma had just dropped off a fish, but none of them wanted to take responsibility for it. (Cleaning fish tanks is kind of gross.) We didn't have the heart to give it back, so guess who is the tank cleaner... me! I really don't mind. Although this fish is going down a similar path as Charles. (Why do I keep killing beta fish??) Today it is swimming kind of crooked and I fear the end may be nigh.
Matt and I get kind of freaked out by the thought of a dirty animal roaming our house. Now I know there are plenty of clean freaks out there who own pets. My friend, Kimberly, opened my eyes to this. I realize it can be done.
Matt made a statement one day that solidified my pet stance. "I shower every day," he stated. "I am a clean person who brushes my teeth, wipes when I use the toilet, and even uses deodorant." He goes on, "If I ever sat naked on your furniture, you would burn it, so I can't figure out why people let their dirty animals do it."
Alright, so I know I did not make many friends with that confession. Many of you own pets and I think it's great. Especially since my children love to come to your homes to play with them. (What poor, deprived children I have!) I have also seen how losing pets can be very traumatic. I cried when Roni and Kimberly's dogs died. They loved those dogs as if they were their children.
Let me tell you a little story about the one pet that has lived in our home... Charles.
Charles is a beta fish. My sister, Tami, gave him to Tyler for his 11th birthday. (Note to self: Never give pets as gifts to unsuspecting victims.) Charles helped us to realize that pets can find a way to your heart. "A fish?" you say. Well, we grew to love Charles. Even in the last few months of his life I felt like a mother to him. He died of a fungus about 9 months after we had him. I took care of him in his final hours. I would come into the kitchen each morning, turn on the light and he would swim to the top of his bowl waiting for his breakfast. I enjoyed watching him swim around. I even learned to not mind cleaning his tank, although Tyler did most of the cleanings.
We knew Charles was almost ready to go. He started to swim crooked and his poor little body was very bloated. I started to pray that he would not have to suffer and would be taken quickly. I couldn't stand watching him suffer.
Finally one day we came into the kitchen. Charles was not swimming to greet us for breakfast. His swim had turned into a backfloat. I called the kids in a told them. I don't think the grief hit them at that point. They were far more interested in looking at the dead fish.
Later that night we had a funeral for Charles. Tyler dressed up in his best suit. He made a tombstone on the toilet seat. He had tissues (napkins) available in the bathroom for the mourners. We had a full-fledged service for Charles and gave him a flush.
When we exited the bathroom, Marcus and Aubree started crying hysterically. I hugged them and cried, too. Tyler tried to be brave. Caleb was still intrigued with the fact that we just flushed a fish.
Now you may think this is the end to my story, but it is only the beginning. I told the kids that since we had all the fish stuff, if they wanted to buy another beta, I would let them. All of them said, "No way! I don't want to clean the tank." That was the end of that in my mind. Until a visit from Grandma Julie a few days later...
You've got to love grandparents that want to make their grandkids happy. Grandma Julie, bless her heart, was at a wedding that had some beta fish and asked to buy one to give to her mourning grandkids. One night while we were out, Grandma stopped by and presented the kids with a new fish. They all just kind of stared at her.
When we got home later that night, the kids said that Grandma had just dropped off a fish, but none of them wanted to take responsibility for it. (Cleaning fish tanks is kind of gross.) We didn't have the heart to give it back, so guess who is the tank cleaner... me! I really don't mind. Although this fish is going down a similar path as Charles. (Why do I keep killing beta fish??) Today it is swimming kind of crooked and I fear the end may be nigh.
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