Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Tale of two Kitties

     Well, we are now officially a two cat family.  Just a few days ago Aria Hope came into our life quite suddenly and unexpectedly, but already she has us wrapped around her cute little paw.  I was thinking this morning how Aria and Melody's stories are so different.   And THAT got me thinking about adoption and a conversation I had recently with a friend about the differences between matching with a birthmom and last minute placements.  So here is the tale of our two precious kitties and my thoughts on how it relates to adoption.  What can I say...my mind is a little zany sometimes:) 
     Melody Joy came to us from our good friend Kathryn.  Her cat had a litter of kittens and she offered one to us.  We went to visit the mama cat and the kittens and picked Melody out because she liked to explore, was a little fiesty and seemed to bond with us.  After that, we worked out the details with Kathryn when she would come home with us.  While we were waiting, we prepared our home for our new arrival.  We bought kitten food, a litter box, kitten treats and a whole lot of cat toys.  We tried to kitten proof our home as much as possible.  We were excited and counted down the days until Melody would be home with us.  Finally the big day arrived and we brought Melody home.  Kathryn sent a blanket with her that she had rubbed on the mama cat and sibling kitties.  That way Melody would have a comforting scent to help her adjust to her new home.  Kathryn and her kids came over to visit Melody and lavish some love on her.  And now, even though we live across the country- they still check on her and I post pictures on facebook for them to see. 

Melody as a kitten
 
Melody sleeping
Melody, now one year old

      Melody's story makes me think of the matching process of adoption.  There is an intial contact with a birth mom.  You get to know each other for a while and if all goes well a connection is made.  A match meeting is set up and and the details of the adoption are talked about.  There is time to prepare and lots of anticipation surrounding the birth of the new baby.  There is ongoing contact before and after the birth.  There is a shared love and joy and a committment to each other.  The match is just the beginning of an ongoing and ever evolving relationship.
Our beautiful friend Kathryn and her family-Joey, Kara, Mathew, Quinten, Kiana and husband Colin

     Aria Hope came to us in an entirely different way.  Jim works as a Chaplain at a prison.  He was walking out to the car on Friday and heard a cat crying.  Walking down the hallway, was an officer carrying a very squirmy, very upset little kitten.  She had been found in the prison and the officers were trying to decide what to do with her (take her to the humane society or drown her in the river).  Jim didn't like either of the choices they were contemplating and offered to take her.  Ten minutes later he shows up at home with this tiny, adorable kitten and "poof" we are pet parents again.  Not a lot of time to decide whether we were ready, not a lot of information to go on, just an instant love for this squirmy little kitten who needed a home.  We took her to the vet to make sure she was healthy, made a trip to Walmart to get the essential supplies we needed, and called family members with a "Guess what?  We have a new kitten." 

Aria Hope already settling into her new home

     Aria's story reminds me of last minute hospital placements.  With a last minute placement there is not a lot of time to prepare.  You don't always have a lot of details.  And you have to make a quick decision.  One phone call and your world suddenly changes..."poof" you are parents!  There are last minute trips to walmart for diapers and other essentials and joy-filled calls to family and friends announcing the good news.  Hopefully, there is a meeting with the birthmom and connection can be formed that will lead to ongoing contact and relationship.  But that doesn't always happen and you have to be prepared to have some missing pieces in the information of your child's birth. 
Isn't she adorable

Proud pet parent for a second time
 
     Melody and Aria's stories are very different, but the ending is the same- we absolutely love both of our kitties!!!  It doesn't matter how they came to us, they are both members of our family and our love just grew to include two:) 
     I think it's the same with adoption...when we adopt, our child will have his or her own unique story.  We may have a lot of information and months to bond and anticipate or we may become parents suddenly and unexpectedly with very little information to go on.  But it really doesn't matter, because we already have a love that's been growing in our hearts for our little one.  Not a day goes by that we don't long to have our baby home in our arms.