announcing...

...Dora, the cat!
(did I make anyone think something different ;)

Yes, we got a cat.  Killing two fish this past year wasn't enough for our family, so we decided to torture rescue another of God's creatures. 

Bill and I spontaneously decided on Saturday to go to the animal shelter to look at cats.  We've been talking awhile about getting one, mainly when I would take the girls to PetSmart to look at the animals and I would see the kittens, and text him let's get a cat!  We always decided against it, so I don't know what changed Saturday.  So Saturday, we went to the animal shelter, which was overwhelming, at least to me.  The girls were way too excited, there were cats in cages in every where you looked in this small, unpleasant smelling room.  When we would ask to see a cat, they were very nervous, and when I realized that the girls working there were not appreciating Emma's and Maddie's squealing and running around, I had had enough.  During our visit there, a cat pawing through the cages scratched Maddie's finger.  She didn't cry, but still, even today, will show me her finger if I ask her what the cat did.  Emma, on the other hand, did cry when we left, because she wanted a cat.

So we went to PetSmart, where we met Dora (can you guess who named the cat?  She was down to Dorothy, Tinker Bell, or Dora).  It was a lot calmer there, and we were able to let the girls pet a few cats in a small room.  Dora did not mind Maddie's squealing, or when Emma would pick her up, or the few times Maddie bopped her on the head with the cat toys.  We filled out the application, and kind of forgot about it the rest of the weekend.
Monday they called and said we could come pick up the cat.  So after dinner we went over, and when Emma realized we were actually taking the cat home with us, she was beyond happy.

(This picture makes me laugh.)

The cat so far is great with the girls.  She really seems like she just wants to be around us, and will follow us room to room during the day.  The girls are kind of rough sometimes (especially Maddie!) but the cat just walks away and seems indifferent.  They love running around the house with the cat feather toy, and the cat runs behind chasing it.  Dora seems kind of bummed when they go to bed, and slept on the steps outside their rooms last night.  The cat actually only seems to like to eat when we are standing next to her, which works out, because the girls are fascinated and are sitting by her side every time (Emma usually petting her back occasionally, Maddie trying to resist the urge to splash in the water bowl.)  So far, it's going well!