Risso.

Our sweet kitty, Risso, got hit by a car early yesterday morning, so it was a pretty sad day around these here parts. A kind young policeman knocked on our door mid-morning and asked if we owned a striped tiger kitty. We looked out the window, and sure enough, there she was right across the road. The boys were all at the kitchen table, so they heard our whole conversation.

I was so thankful that Kev was home, as he explained to the boys what happened, and then he went and picked her up and put her in a little box for us. Bless his heart. He was so gentle and sweet - and he spent the rest of the morning digging a hole in our frozen ground so that we could have a little kitty funeral.

This is the first real taste of loss for us, as far as pets are concerned. We haven't had the greatest luck with our outside birds, either, but Risso slept on Kaden's bed every night, so this hit way closer to home, and he was by far, the most devastated. Poor little guy. He had a pretty hard day yesterday. It totally broke my heart.

Daddy dug the grave, we wrapped her up in towels, we made a little cross, and then we all prayed together. It was kind of sweet and special, sad and comical all at the same time. Both Kev and I got choked up, Kaden was crying, and Ransom is whispering: "Oh!!! Hear da' biwdy?! I hear da' biwdy!!" with Jesse on the other side saying: "Can I touch the blood?"

When it was bedtime, the big boys asked if they could sleep together, and we said that would be fine. But once they both snuggled in, Jesse said: "Wait. I think I've changed my mind. Kaden toots too much." To which Kaden replied: "I think I've changed my mind, too. Jesse wets the bed." But, apparently they resolved their differences, because when I came home from work, this is what I found. Melt my heart.

(Photo taken by Kaden just the day before. I promised I wouldn't delete it, Love).
Today was better. We agreed that having pets is worth it. And we are going to try our darndest to keep Smudge inside from now on. We'll see how that pans out.

And come Spring, if Grampy the Animal Control Officer finds another stray little kitten, we just may take him in...