~there is this cat~

There is a cat who is coming to live at our house tomorrow, a cat that the shelter called "Cobble" because of the street that she was found on here in town.  Since mid-September when someone brought her in very much pregnant with five kittens, she has been a resident there.  After the kittens were delivered and she was able to nurse them for a sufficient time, all were put up for adoption.  The mother and her babies all in one fell swoop were listed as "in need of a home".  One by one they were chosen until only the momma cat remained.  For whatever reason, no one seemed to want her.  That is until yesterday.

I've been thinking about getting a cat here along the Western Slopes for some time now.  Yesterday I "convinced" Mike that we should stop out there and take a look.  I'd visited the animal shelter here in Montrose a couple of times before with my daughter and how fun it was to look at all the animals there who needed a home.  The last time I was there in late July, there were a dozen or more cats/kittens just waiting for someone to take them home.  When we stopped in yesterday, I expected to see that many again.  I was so surprised when we walked in and saw only two of them in their cages along the wall.  One, a little gray kitten, was already spoken for and the other, a long-hair calico about a year or so old remained.  I walked right over to her and stuck in my finger to gently pet her.  I looked at Mike and I'm afraid that he knew right then that she was going home with us.  It was inevitable.  Two minutes after we saw her, I was ready to take Cobble home.

One thing that I will say about Mike Renfro is that he has a soft spot in his heart for his wife and for animals.  

She didn't seem to mind posing for pictures too much and that's a darn good thing in this household.  

It's a wonderfully strange thing about animals.  They are good at sensing things, detecting how we humans are feeling.  Yesterday was kind of a "down" day for me.  Our Christmas holiday back home in Kansas was great but now it is over.  I saw so many precious family members and dear friends but it will be a while before I see them once again.  Yesterday life seemed "bittersweet".  I felt it all morning long and was still feeling it when we walked inside the animal shelter but the moment I picked up Cobble, the feeling subsided.  It nearly went away instantaneously.  The feeling of her soft fur and the sound of her gentle purring made me think of my old cat Oblio the Roundhead.  I was "sold" on adopting her from that moment on.

It surely must have seemed like forever to Cobble that she would find a home somewhere and live in a place much larger than the confines of her appointed cage.  The shelter here in Montrose does an excellent job in caring for the animals that arrive there.  They were so happy that finally she had a home to go to and people who would love her.  It was easy to tell that the staff there are animal lovers and believe in the humane treatment of all God's creatures.  

Tomorrow Cobble will get a new name.  "Crosby" will be as she is called here in our house.

Mike and I are keeping our fingers crossed that she and Sally the Dog will get along with one another and since I still have a few days off for vacation, we can slowly introduce them to each other.  We hope that she will become a good "mouser" or at least scare away any little critter that tries to make their way into our house this winter.  And after a long day at school/work, it will be nice to come home to a cat AND a dog.  

The day ahead is a most busy one for me.  I'm heading to school for a good share of the morning to try and get things ready for "the 22" to return next week.  Christmas decorations will come down and "Happy Birthday Kansas" decor will go up.  Supplies must be replenished and the reorganization of desks will occur.  The children's best friend, "Mr. Renfro", will see to it that they have plenty of dry erase markers to use and anything else they need for that matter. He is a good sport.  

Bittersweet emotions or not, I am so glad that I went home to Kansas.  Oh, and one other thing.

I'm glad that I have a home to return to here in Colorado.  God continues to bless me.

Oblio the Roundhead's very first Christmas back home in Kansas in 2010.  She was only 6 months old and would absolutely NOT leave a Christmas tree alone.  After several attempts of trying to dissuade her, I just gave up.  Looks like now we are going to have that little "challenge" once again and THAT makes me most happy.