Rescue Rangers

Two years ago this weekend, JT and I adopted Tiger and Lucy. We rescued them from a local animal shelter but if the truth is revealed, it's been clear in these last two years that Tiger and Lucy did a lot more to rescue us than we did to save them.

When my ex and I went our separate ways, she took our family dog with her. JT and I missed Sam but caring for his many health issues and ensuring that he had a regular walk was just too much for a single parent to manage. With Sam's departure, our newly shrunk family felt even smaller and more vulnerable. Our house was terribly quiet when we came home after school.

Both JT and I had expressed desire for a cat. And so it was that one morning in early October I announced that today we would find ourselves a kitten. And that quickly turned into the desire for two kittens, so that they would have a buddy while we were away. Our friend E went along for the ride and tried to talk us into adopting ALL the cats in the shelter (as well as the pig outside), but we settled on two kittens. JT chose Tiger and I picked Lucy. They are brother and sister to one another and far more than that to JT and me.

Instantly, they made our home happier. Kittens are silly, of course, and laughter was in short supply that fall, so their wrestling and running through the house was most welcome. When they flew across the living room on a midnight ottoman sail and chased one another up and down the stairs it made us both laugh.

They welcome us home from school each day, spying our car from the windows and waiting for us at the front door as we come in the house. Every night, they join us in JT's bed while we read the evening's book chapter. They take every opportunity to curl up in our laps and enjoy a pet. With a soft reassuring warmth and loud purr, they cuddle against us at night.


But most of all, Tiger and Lucy have reminded us that loving another creature can help to heal a broken heart. They've made our house a home and we are so grateful for the rescue.