Long Day With Tuxedo

We moved to where we live now in June 2012.

A stray cat decided to adopt us in July/August 2012.

I wasn't going to keep her.

I did not want to be responsible for another living being

at that point in my life

(only 10 months after Rob died).

Really, at that point, I was doing good to be 

responsible for my children.

But my children wanted to keep her.

My children said their dad sent her to them to

help them be less lonely at their new house.

So they won.

I kept her.

The kids thought she was a boy.

(I didn't even look - I just took their word for it

and it turns out that they just assumed-

they didn't look either).

Thinking she was a boy, they named her Tuxedo

because she looks like she's wearing a tuxedo.

She was an outdoor cat.

We fed her and loved her.

She became ours.

When the weather turned really cold one night last winter (11 degrees),

Anna talked me into letting Tux stay in her room.

She then became an indoor cat for nighttime

and loved getting to be outside during the daytime.

Then while we were gone on vacation last June,

Tux ran away.

We had someone feeding and taking care of her

but I guess she decided we had left her.

So she left us.

I called the animal control office,

the animal shelter,

and the local veterinarian offices.

No Tux.

After 3 weeks and 4 days,

we had almost given up.

And then, just like nothing had ever happened,

Tux walked up to Wesley when he was outside.

My kids were thrilled she had come home!

Tux was so, so skinny.

Obviously, her 3 week adventure had not

provided much nutrition for her.

She ate the can of tuna we gave her

like she had never seen food before.

And, because Anna was so fearful that Tux would

run away on another adventure,

Tux became an indoor cat

(but because of Luke's asthma, 

Tux is only allowed in Anna's room).

Last night, Tux started getting sick.

By this morning 

(around 10:30 and right when Anna was leaving 

to go take her last final of the semester),

Tux was much worse.

So it was off to the vet for Wesley and me.

Tux never likes getting in her carrier

and is never sure of riding in the car.

She was okay waiting in the waiting room just

getting a little skiddish when a big dog came in. 

But she sure didn't like the examination that took place.

We had to leave her.

A few hours and $94 later,

we found out she has cystitis

and an antibiotic was prescribed.

We were happy it wasn't anything worse.

All 3 children went with me to pick her up.

Tux was happy to see them all.

So I had all kinds of plans for the day.

Bills, sorting out my mom's and dad's medicine for next week,

school for the boys, putting up the Christmas tree,

and getting the Christmas card made, etc.

But instead, for the 3rd time this week

(my dad and my mom had appointments this week),

I spent my time in a doctor's office,

waiting for results,

and picking up a prescription.

And here we are again,

at 10:45 p.m. 

finishing a 6th grade math lesson with Luke.

I guess I'll never learn that our days seem to never go as planned!

But I have learned that as long as by the end of the day, everyone is home

and healthy (or on the way to being healthy via a prescription),

I am blessed.