November 30 days of thanks

Day fifteen.

For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be thrown away or refused if it is received with thanksgiving ... 1 Timothy 4:4

16. I am thankful for our furry friends. We've got four of them. We started off as a 'blended' pet family and then for some reason we decided we needed a fourth (mistake or not, you decide). They each have their own unique personalities, one in particular that is far more prominent than the rest. There is Lillian, a pretty kitty I rescued while still living in Colorado. She is an elegant furry. Super snuggly. And at times obstinate - like in the morning when she won't stop bothering me until I top off her half filled food bowl with some fresher food; not sure why she can't snack on the food that is already in her bowl?  Then there is Patch, Jason rescued this little buddy shortly after he moved to Texas to keep him company. He is a tenderhearted furry. Long and lean. And a big chicken but I blame that all on the fact that for the first several years of his life he was a prisoner of greed, living within the walls of a puppy mill. Sad story I know. Another sad story is that of sweet Beasley (forgot the "e" in the above pic, I am a horrible pet mom). Jason adopted Beasley to help keep our little chicken company while he was away at work and from what we know of Beasley's prior life, he lived in fear in a home full of abuse. So this furry is timid, often hiding in his cage especially when we have people over. But over the years he has started to come out of his shell a bit more and is really an affectionate little guy, just yearning to be loved. Then....there is Mannie, short for Manhattan (What can I say? My husband is obsessed with KState). She was not rescued, we purchased her from a breeder. She is a Bengal and for those of you that don't know what a Bengal is, they are a fairly new hybrid breed of cat, mixed with that of a domestic feline and an Asian Leopard cat. She is an exotic beauty no doubt with a coat filled with Leopard like spots. But a personality enough for 10 cats - no exaggeration here, I promise you. She is a menace, always getting into stuff she shouldn't be. She can't stand to be still for more than a few seconds, so snuggling with her is out of the question. She literally sass talks when she doesn't get her way and scales the door frames, blinds and walls within our home. And more stubborn than I ever thought was possible. But because we are animal loving folks we still love her and will continue to put up with her wild demeanor. She is after all, an excellent hide and seek partner and plays fetch better then our two dogs put together.