A Smile and a Compliment

We've had a few bumps in the road over here these last several days... but we're still bumping along anyway. ; ) I could tell you about the bumps... but you all live this RAD life too... and you know what kind of bumps we all have. So... today I just want to share a smile and a compliment with all you instead.

We all really do need to try and smile a little more often anyway.

Okay... here's THE SMILE:

I took TLP and D to a pet store tonight and D was looking at a kitten about 11 months old. There was a note on the cage saying that the kitten's name was SWIMMER... and that he would need to have a home without kids... and a patient and loving owner... because he had already had a really rough start and was afraid of people. D was trying to pet Swimmer... and Swimmer kept biting at her fingers and was soooooooooooooooooo hyperactive. He was running back and forth in the cage... occasionally stopping to try and grab (and bite) D's fingers. As we turned to look at another cat... I heard D ask TLP, "What the heck are you doing?" in a strange voice. I turned around and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. TLP had two fingers held up in front of this cats eyes... and he was moving them back and forth... and the cat was moving his head back and forth as he watched TLP's fingers (and of course... trying to bite them at the same time.) Then TLP looked at D very seriously and said, "I'm doing EMDR to help him relax."

If you don't know what EMDR is yet... go read about it... until I get the chance to add that page to the website. If you DO know what it is... I'm sure that you are smiling with me right now. That was just too cute... and one of those moments that made me proud to be TLP's Mom. He knew that the kitten had been hurt... and he wanted to help him. What more could I ask for in a child?

... and here's THE COMPLIMENT:

TLP and I were sitting in the car tonight while D ran into work to talk to her boss. All of a sudden he looked at me and said, "I've been with you for 10 years and you haven't hurt me yet." The YET part told me that he's still not quite convinced that I won't hurt him... and that part made me a bit sad for a second or two... until I realized that it was intended to be a compliment. Kind of made me feel a bit happy and sad all at the same time... but I smiled... hugged him... and thanked him anyway as I reassured him that I will NEVER hurt him.

Once lost... TRUST is very difficult to find again (for people and for kittens)... but I think that TLP's getting VERY close to figuring this all out. I hope so anyway......... because I am just sooooooooooooooooooo tired. Not tired enough to quit on him.... just TIRED! Tired of always having to prove that I'm a GOOD Mom. But... a compliment is a compliment... and I just really wanted to share this particular one. Couldn't have come at a better time for me.

HUGs to all of you! HANG IN THERE and KEEP LOVING THESE KIDS.

Maybe someday.... they'll take some of those skills that they've been taught

and try to help someone else. Even if that someone else happens to be a kitten. ; )

-Suz