What have you done, Wren?

Pets have always had a special place in my heart.  If I see a stray on the side of the road, I stop.  If I can catch it, I bring it home.  This has to stop though because I think I hear the show, Hoarders, knocking on my door.

I vowed not to bring anymore pets home.  Ever Again. 

Then my sister got news they were moving to Germany and could only take two pets.  She had 6.  Yes, she has the same problem.  It runs through our blood.  She had been very sick, and was heartbroken to have to take 4 of her pets to a shelter.  Especially one of the cats that she bottle fed to keep it alive.  I told her I would take Wren.  I just knew I could find this sweet, beautiful little 9 month old kitten a home.

Without telling Kevin, I loaded her up and flew home with her in a pet carrier.   My family fell in love, as I knew they would - Just part of my plan. 

Well after about three weeks, Wren ruled the roost.  She would chase all our cats, scream at them if they came near and we could not believe that this little white kitten was in charge. 

It wouldn't be long before we found out why.

Just this past week, about 3 weeks after we got her, she was howling.  I mean crying, crying, crying.  She was driving me nuts.   Kevin had mentioned (and I had previously noticed myself) that she was getting fat and he thought he felt a kitten head.  I couldn't believe this kitten was pregnant.  For I had every intention of getting her spayed in just a few weeks.

So, I figured she was in heat.  I mean if she were pregnant, she would be nesting, right?  Instead, she was on my tail, bothering me with her incessant meowing.

The next morning I went to wake Kiera up.  I noticed Wren was snuggled in bed with her.  Not a rare sight, at all.  I told those lazy girls to get up.  I started to move Wren out of the way because Kiera was hanging off the bed and I felt something small next to her.  I thought it was this stuffed toy, and thought to myself, "Silly Kiera, Wren doesn't sleep with stuffed toys"  Silly, silly me!

Imagine my surprise, when I picked up the toy and it wiggled and meowed.  I nearly had a heart attack.  In Kiera's bed was Wren and her kitten.  Oh My God!  My kitten whom I didn't really want to take in because that put the cat tally at a seriously scary FOUR, now added one more!

We got her down in the craft room and made both kitten and kitten a bed.  Wren was a pretty good mommy.  I found myself smiling most of the day.

Then I put the kids to bed.  Thinking all was well and we only had one kitten to give away.  Silly, silly me!

I saw this blanket laying on the floor.  I picked it up and it meowed.  Oh My God.  Here's another.  In the baby's room.  So, are there more? 

As my brother said, "time for a scavenger hunt."   Kevin and I turned the upstairs upside down and found no more kittens.

This kitten, Lefty, as I like to call him since he was left behind, had been without food or water for at least 12 hours.  I was afraid Wren wouldn't take to him.  But she did after a little coaxing.  And he made it through the night.  Such a fighter.

Here are some adorable pictures of the kittens.  And should inquiring minds want to know....NO we are not keeping them.  Perhaps you want one?

Mini Wrennie (looks just like Mama) 2 days old!

 

A bundle of cuteness

 

Wrennie being a good Mama.

Beautiful Wren with Lefty

Kevin did tell me, the next time he picks me up from the airport, he will first do a drive-by.  Just to see what I might have brought home. 

Rain, Rain DON'T Go Away

The last time we saw any significant amount of rain was January 24th.

We live in Houston, not Phoenix.

When we had given up all hope and resorted to becoming desert rats, finally on June 22nd, the sky opened up and glorious drops fell from the sky.  The kids had a blast playing in the giant puddle in the driveway.

My flowers had even more fun drowning themselves in the wonderful wetness!

Making Memories

Even though, we knew it would be tight on our budget to get an RV, we decided to do it because we thought it was important for our kids to have solid childhood memories of having fun. 

We definately made the right choice:

We make cute kids!

Just take a look for yourself:

One day late, but not one bit short!

Yesterday was Kevin and my 8th anniversary.  We did not hit the town and spend hundreds on fine wine and delicious steaks.  We spent it doing what we do best - being with each other doing what needs to be done.  Thankfully our anniversary fell on a Tuesday when we have help with the kids.  Kevin and I spent our day moving furniture to my new minsitry office.  We finished with just enough time to run to the grocery store, pick up dinner and make it home to let the nanny go.  We ended the evening with a delicious summer meal of BBQ chicken and strawberry cheesecake.  No cards or gifts were exchanged because neither one of us had time to get the other something special.  We are the parents of small children and sometimes our needs come last.  But, I don't for one second feel short changed about the way my anniversary turned out. 

Yesterday my husband helped me accomplish a dream.  He knew I always wanted to be a part of something new and something big.  I wanted to work for myself.  Yesterday all of that came to fruition as we loaded donated desks into my new ministry office.  I will never forget how heavy that furniture was, but how well we worked together despite the challenges.  It sort of reminded me of our marriage.   Marriage is not easy.  It is a lot of work.  There really is no room for selfishness.  You have to constantly work together to accomplish anything.  The furniture was huge and I knew it would be heavy.  I tried to bow out, but when we realized there was really no one there to help, I know I had to give it my best shot.  Isn't marriage a little like that?   You can bow out and reach out for help, but until YOU are ready to get dirty and give it a shot, nothing will really work.   Kevin was an excellent leader and coach in determining exactly how to get the monstrosities out of the truck and through the small door.  I was a good listener.  If I wouldn't have listened and tried to do it my way, we may have injured each other.  Kevin knew what he was doing and I was his helper.  God designed marriage in exactly this way.   There were a couple of times one of us struggled, that meant the other had to do a little more work to ease the burden.  Again, so much like real life.   I will never forget the feeling of what we had accomplished and heading to Sonic for Happy Hour.  Because of amazing team work, we never fought and got everything done in the time alotted.

I am thankful God gave Kevin the day off and the task for us to do together for me truly to see what kind of man I married and God's awesome design for marriage.

I am very lucky to have you, Kevin Simpson.  I can't wait to see what the next 8 years look like with you! I love you to the moon and back.

Happy Anniversary!

Beach Bums

On a whim, Kevin decided we should go to Surfside for the day.  We hooked up the new RV and headed out.  I would say fun was had by all.  Well almost of all of us (Brie was not crazy about the waves!)

Another Year Passed

In the Simpson house, Summer is in full swing.  I am rather enjoying the fact that we do not have to get up, make beds, prepare lunches, scarf down breakfast and be out of the house by 9:15 three days a week.  I know, rough life, huh?

Actually, we only have one more year of the laid back preschool life, then it is big bad Kindergarten for Kiera.  I cannot believe she has been in school since she was 18 months old.  She went for a summer program first and has now completed three full years at the most wonderful little Christian preschool.   Here she was on her first day ever of school:

 

She has used the same sweet little monogrammed backpack and it has been fun watching her grow into it:

Here she is the first day this year with her future favorite teacher, Ms. Sadia. 

Kiera had some big adjustments this year when her best friend was enrolled the first two months in the same class, but then had to withdraw.  She had a tough time making friends in her best friend's absence.  Also, just juggling the twins made it hard to be involved in her class and she was no longer the center of attention in the family.    But, that didn't stop her one bit.  She learned to count all the way to 39 (she forgets what comes next), learned all her sounds of the alphabet, learned how to write her name and how to write nearly every letter in the alphabet: upper and lower case.  And this four year old learned to read.  Just simply amazing.  Here she is on the last day of school.  As I compare pictures, I realize my little preschool has matured so much over nine short months.