Kittens in a Basket

I just couldn't decide which topic to choose for my first Unspeakable JOY blog post.  I have so many amazing things and people in my life.  I've had so many awesome experiences.  Last month, I was in Puerto Vallarta with the love of my life, John, for 8 days/7 nights.  I have the most beautiful children on the face of the Earth.  Allie is 13 1/2 and Cameron is 3 1/2.  I feel so grateful to have them both.  I got to present about Google Chrome Extensions at an educational technology conference at Navy Pier in Chicago last week.  

It was during that conference that my first topic arrived in my life!  The conference was 2 days, a Tuesday and a Wednesday, and I was presenting on the second day.  On Tuesday night, I came home, eager to tweak my presentation to make it better, and instead, I was shocked to discover kittens in my basement!

My daughter, Allie, had come home, and she was excitedly searching the house for her 2 cats, Izzy and Pickles.   Pickles is a cat who had adopted our family last fall and then disappeared for a while in the spring. We kind of figured she'd gone and found a new home. But! She came back.  That night, when Allie happened upon Pickles, she found her in a square, fabric lined, empty basket on a shelf in our basement storage room.  She couldn't see inside because the basket was up high on a shelf, but she heard mewing and hissing.  Pickles (a.k.a. "Momma Kitty") was hissing because she was protecting her two mewing babies who had been born just hours before.  

We didn't even really know she was pregnant.  I think we all suspected it could happen, but finding them there that night was quite a surprise!  

The unspeakable joy in this situation is, for me, the incredible natural power of nature.  Clearly this is a God Design, right?  I didn't know what to do.  I am anything but a farm girl.  I don't know how to take care of baby animals.  I'm squeamish to say the least and a huge animal lover.  If anything had been wrong with the kittens, I would have melted down.  (I was in therapy when Allie's hamster died several years back.)  

But...the amazing thing was...I didn't have to do anything.  Besides taking care of Pickles by making sure she has kitten food (high in calories) and water, she is doing it all.  For the last week, I kept asking Allie about stuff that would occur to me.  Her answer was usually, "You don't want to know, Mom."  My musings were about squeamish things, and when she'd finally share the answer with me, it just made me realize more how awesome God is!  This amazing cat who is only about a year old herself had babies alone in a basket without help, knows instinctively how to care for them, and is just doing phenomenally!  I'm so thrilled!

Each day, as I watch them grow, I am struck with awe.  It is a beautiful miracle to watch.  They are so sweet, and they are doing so well...with very little help from me!  

Unspeakable JOY abounds...