the cat that started it all…

There hasn’t been a time, as long as I can remember, that I didn’t have a cat.  I grew up with them, and have always loved them.  When Dan and I bought our first home together in 2004, he promised to get me a kitten for Christmas.  Little did I know that when we went to the shelter to pick one out…we’d end up with two.  We enjoyed many years together in that home.  We survived a move to St. Louis after getting married, where we spent a year with Dan’s family until our home could be built.  And then we survived that move…all in tact.  Several years into living in our home, our beloved cat George was diagnosed, and later passed from cancer.  While I feel you can never replace a pet with another, after some time, I felt ready to add another animal to our home.  Enter Wally.  My family was visiting from Kansas City for my birthday several years ago, and my brother really wanted to get me a new cat for a present.  We searched through rescues, none of which I could seem to find the “one.”  On our last stop, at a local Pet Smart, Dan noticed this charismatic little orange tabby.  He mentioned how vocal he was, and the little crinkle in his nose when he screamed for your attention.  Although he was cute…I just couldn’t make up my mind.  Did we really want to add another animal to our home?  After all, the death of such a loved animal really took its toll on me.  After giving it much thought we went back and decided to give the little guy a forever home.  Wally settled in immediately, though I don’t think we could have EVER expected how much personality he had, and how he would change our home!  Once Wally became a part of our home, I felt like I quickly became “the crazy cat lady.”  I found myself sharing stories daily with my family, friends, co-workers…anyone who would listen really!  And after some time together, I decided I would start documenting these stories through pictures and daily “lessons” that he was teaching me.  So here you are…lessons from Wally!  Hope you enjoy!