Yin and Yang

For Mother's Day, I got breakfast in bed, the hubs checked B in and out of Sunday school at church for me, a drive in the country and 2 kittens! :o) We'd been going back and forth about pets for a year. He claims to be a dog person and I am a cat person. However, we have had 2 cats in the past, and they loved the hubs more than me! He is a closet cat whisperer. ;o) We rent, so permission was needed from the owner to get any pet. The hubs told me he had received permission from the owner six months ago to get a dog but I was not OK with it. One of the many things I love about my marriage - we do NOT make big decision, like getting a pet, without the OK from the other. So, we had no dog but no cat, either. Unbeknownst to me, the hubs contacted the landlord in late April and asked her if we could have a cat; she said yes.

After church on Mother's Day, the hubs told me we were going for a drive in the country. We ended up at our county's animal shelter. I was so excited when he told me, "We are here to just LOOK. LOOK!" This man has been my soulmate for 16 years; if he drove us here, we were getting a cat. It was 11:10am, and although their website stated they were open from 10am - 4pm, their 10am hours were administrative; they did not open for adoptions until 12pm. I was worried the hubs would take it as a sign and chuck the cat idea altogether. Luckily he didn't.

There is a farmer's market further down the road that we frequented last Summer, so the hubs suggested we go piddle around there while we wait for the animal shelter to open for adoptions. As we perused their fruits and vegetable and savored the smells of their homemade breads and pies, I remembered a visit from last year. While we checked out the previous July, one of the owner's daughters came up to us with a kitten. "Would you like to take a kitten home with you? They're free," she said. My face lit up, but the hubs informed her that we rented and were unable to have pets. I quickly reminded the hubs of our last visit as it was our turn to check out. As the gentleman was just about done ringing up our purchases the hubs said, "You know? The last time we were here, you had some kittens to give away..." A woman behind the checkout man stepped up immediately and said, "KITTENS?! Do you want a kitten? Some kittens? Our barn cat has had another litter and they just happen to be ready to leave the mother right now! After you pay for your things, I'll ride in your car out to my farm and you can choose whichever one you want!"

True to her word, she followed us out to the car, climbed in and proceeded to direct the hubs to her farm. We got out, walked to the barn and the owner ushered us in quickly, so as to not let the kittens out. They were so beautiful! There was 5 in the litter and they were 7 weeks old. The owner had started them on cat food 1 week prior, so they were weened from their mother's milk. Three kitties were grey and black tabbies like their mom. The sole girl and one boy were what I call tuxedo looking - all black except for white paws and a white diamond on their chests.

I really wanted a girl. Our 2 previous cats were girls and very loving. My favorite cat that I owned, Emmie, was a grey and black tabby. I was so disappointed that all the tabbies in this litter were boys. The owner put the only girl cat in my arms and she let me pet her. Paul picked up one of the tabby boys and placed it in B's arms. Although the cats were not used to being held at all, they were calm while in our arms. I was torn and the hubs could tell. He said to the owner, "I'm worried that a cat who has never been inside a home and is not used to being held by humans may not adjust well to our situation." My heart sank and I refused to look up at him and show my tears. I just continued to nuzzle the boy in my arms. "I was wondering," the hubs continued, "if taking two cats, instead of one, would make the transition easier on them..." My head shot up, and I dared to be hopeful as I looked at him. He was trying so hard not to smile at me! The owner replied, jokingly, "I actually think it would best if all 5 of them stayed together." We all laughed at that. "But you are right. Two is better for them than just one. In fact, if you were to adopt from the county shelter, you'd be hard pressed to just get one. They want animals to be adopted in pairs so they have company." I happily left with the girl in my arms while B was just as proud to be carrying a boy!

We tried to come up with names on the way home - Luke and Leia; Sonny and Cher; Donny and Marie - but none seemed to fit. We got them home, let them loose and they promptly disappeared! I do not know how the 3 of us had no clue where the 2 cats were, but that's what happened. We decided to give them some space to adjust to the new environment. After a few hours, however, we became concerned. We started to search and found them under a sofa. The hubs had lifted it up, and they were curled up, butt to face, asleep. B and I said at the same time, "Awe! They look like the Yin Yang symbol." *Light Bulb Moment* We all exchanged looks and yelled, "That's what we should call them!"

They were perfect names for our pets! The hubs and I have alway felt that we are Yin and Yang to each other. We never saw differences when we got together; we realized that we complemented each other perfectly. His strengths were my weaknesses and vice versa. So, Yin is the boy and Yang is the girl. I decided on that to make it easier for ME to remember which is which. I am a Grey's Anatomy fan and Christina Yang is one of the characters. That is why I named the female cat, Yang.

But they have proved to be perfect names for the cats, as well. They are complete opposites, or complements. Yin is very trusting and loving. Yang is defensive, protective of Yin and independent. Yang will rub up against you and purr, but as soon as you start to pet her she takes off. Yin wants to be held and petted all the time. Neither one wants to use the litter box alone, however. One stands outside and mews for the other and they both go in together. It's getting mighty tight in there; don't know how long this can go on.

Yin was on the sink in the master bath (I was getting ready to clean it, that is why I let him up there) and looking in the mirror. He kept pacing back and forth, trying to get into the "other room" but "another cat" would NOT get out of his way! He was so annoyed! LOL!

The first time I pulled the vacuum cleaner out of the closet was hilarious. They looked up. Heads turned to the side. Eyes widened. Pupils dilated. "Hmm! What's that? Let's go see." They ran up to it and started sniffing. After sniffing around it they looked up, up, all the way to the top. "Wow! That's big! And so pretty - blue and purple! I want to climb it!" Before they could climb, I started unraveling the cord and they were distracted. "Game! Get the cord, get the cord, get the cord... I got it, no wait, another piece! I got my front paws around this piece and my back legs around that piece and I'm gonna bite THIS piece...." Before turning it on, I warned them. "I think you may want to step back now. It makes a loud noise!" I nudged them with my foot. "Go on, now, shoo." "Are you kidding me?! Not with all this heavenly cord to attack!" "OK, here we go!" I turned on the vacuum cleaner and they took off like bats out of Hell! They poked their heads around a safe corner in another room and glared at the vacuum cleaner with a mixture of fear and defiance in their eyes. When I turned it off to move a piece of furniture or pick up something off the floor, they both attacked the vacuum with all their might. "Yeah! You're not so scary now, are ya, Big Blue! Not when mommy ain't holding your hand! You're not that tough. We can take you!" WHRRRRRR, went the vacuum, as I turned it back on, and those cats ran so fast you'd think Scotty beamed them out of the room! They are so funny!

They can be frustrating, too, though. As they were running all over the place, reeking toddler-like havoc this evening, I was getting annoyed. Then I had a Divine intervention. I have those from time to time. Usually they save my life in traffic or prevent me from putting my foot in my mouth. This one whispered to me, "They are preparing you for the real thing." What was that? What does that mean? I've learned to be still in moments like these, listen and this is what I got from it - we are almost 9 years older than we were when we had B. And we had B later in life than most people. Having another child or baby is going to be so much harder on us. But we want one; have prayed for one. Dealing with these kittens and kitten-proofing the house, may be training, preparation for the real thing. Now, I am NOT claiming to be Mary's cousin, Elizabeth here! And another child to love may never pan out. But I heard something, and I will be open to receive. If there is one thing I have learned in my 39 years it's this - God doesn't always answer your prayers the way you want Him to, but he does answer you.