It’s been a while since I’ve provided an update on the kittens that found their way to my home and into my heart last summer.  They have since become the most adorable members of my family.

Bogey (l) and Audrey (r)

Audrey and Bogey have unfortunately spent this long winter shivering out in the cold.  Too timid yet to come inside my house, they toughed out the chilly temperatures from the cozy cat beds I purchased for them after the first frost of the season.  But nonetheless they have continued to explore the world around them.  From falling leaves to falling snowflakes, they’ve chased it all.  And they’ve continued to worm their way deeper into my heart.

Bogey, the little male, has developed into a very laid back cat who loves to sit in my lap and cuddle.  He follows me around, chasing and pawing at my heels as I walk.  If I disappear – it isn’t long before I hear his little squeaky meow calling out to me as if to say, “where’d you go?”  If I hold out my hand he charges at me like a bull and stands up on his hind legs anxiously awaiting that scratch behind the ears.

Audrey, the little female, is all girl.  Prissy and standoffish but exceptionally curious about every thing.  She has more confidence to explore than her brother and seems to be more comfortable with strange noises and new surroundings than Bogey.  Though, as independent as she is, she too does not like to be alone.  She very much prefers me to be in sight, but to stay at arm’s length.  We only make contact on her terms.

As the winter passed day by day… they have just now started to really get comfortable in my house.  At first they would take three steps inside, pause, and then dart back for the door.  Now they will come and spend some time with me inside.  However, the key is to leave the back door slightly open so they have an “escape” if necessary.

The longest they have spent in the house yet is about three hours.  I’m trying to get them used to “house noises” like the dishwasher, running water, and the washer and dryer.  I’ve also introduced them to a litter box, however, for now they are just content to play in it…

The reason for all of this is so that I can make the great migration from outdoor to indoor cats.  (If you have any suggestions for this – I’m all ears.)  You see, my neighborhood has recently seen an increase in stray cats wandering around and I think they are beginning to be a bit of a nuisance for some of my neighbors.  So animal control has been called and they will be placing humane traps to attempt to clear out some of the population. 

I am a little afraid my curious kittens will find themselves in a trap and on an unexpected trip to the shelter if I don’t do something.  Unfortunately I also have some allergies to cats so I don’t know what the outcome will be for me once I can successfully move them inside.  But I’m attached to those little furry creatures now and so I’m prepared to do whatever it takes.  So wish me luck on the great migration.  I’ll keep you posted.

Oh yeah and on a side note… the mama cat that brought me these two lovely kittens almost a year ago and who I was unable to catch for a trip to vet… well, she’ll be bringing me more soon.  Yep that’s right, one day a few weeks ago she showed back up hungry and very pregnant.  When I saw her again, she was still hungry but no longer pregnant.  So in a couple of weeks I’m looking to find out how many she’s bringing me this time when she shows back up with little furballs following behind.  Any takers???

Life after a breakup can be hard.  It is a readjustment to life.  It is the feeling that when you went into the relationship you were a whole person but somehow coming back out of it you are only a half.  He became my other half and I miss that half. 

But slowly and surely I am recovering.  I’ve shed a few tears, had my angry thoughts, dreamt about what could have been and I now find myself beginning to come out on the other side.  Not to say that I can get over it in just a few short weeks, I mean it was 4 1/2 years of my life, but I know life goes on and I must go with it.

It is a strange thought that someone who has been so close and with whom I’ve shared so much for so many years will no longer be around – or at least not to the capacity that he was before.  No more Friday night movies or morning phone calls.  No more workday emails or saying just the right thing to make me smile at the end of a bad day.  But I know at some point in the future the reason for this will become quite clear.  Someday I’ll realize that there is something/someone else meant for me. 

When that moment arrives, I’ll look back on this relationship as a learning experience.  It will always be a moment in time that God put us together intentionally to face the difficulties of those years together.  This relationship is something I had to go through in order for Him to get me to be where He wants me to be.

But until that time comes, I’m trying to remember what life was like before the relationship.  I’m spending more time with friends and family (I thank the Lord for these people).  These individuals have gone out of their way to make sure that my social calendar remains full and they are ever ready with a listening ear.  I appreciate their love and care through this.  As always, I can count on them – they never let me down.

As for him, I wish him the best that life has to offer.  He is a wonderful man with a tremendous heart.  Unfortunately it seemed to be the walls around that heart that I could not break through.  I do hope he finds what he is looking for.