The things animals say...

I lay in bed last night, laughing...at myself. I find it humorous how "integrated" my dog, Norman, feels in our family. STORY: I had gone to bed later than usual (class until 10pm, studying to minister Wed. night, and wind-down process had kept me alert until well past midnight), and Norman, being the loyal dog that he is, grudgingly stayed up slept in the living room, waiting for me to go to bed. Once I got there, I was so amused by this DOG...who thinks he owns everything we own pretty much owns everything we own. He had such a difficult time falling asleep...he was tossing and turning, kicking and snorting (he is a PUG after all), when finally he discovered the thing that would aid him in "getting comfortable"...a bone. He rushed off the bed and ran through the house (yes, you can tell he was running...once again, he is a PUG) to find this enormous bone he has been working on for many, many moons. He runs back to the bedroom, jumps on the bed, tucks it safely under my blanket and promptly snuggles up to sleep. It was hilarious. You could just sense that, in his world, something WAS NOT RIGHT!

But the thing that struck me most was that I was paying such close attention to these assertions of my dog's emotions. Why is it, we think we can understand our pets? I mean, I have never heard my prissy cat, Claire, make snooty and rude comments, but I am quite aware of those times that she wishes she could. Claire is also my diabetic cat, to whom I have to give twice daily shots. It's really hard for me (and I am not even the one getting the shot), yet she always nuzzles my hand or face when I am done. It's like she's telling me "I understand, I know you're just doing what you have to do and I love you anyways"...She can't speak so I am obviously reading a lot into a very normal cat behavior...but it's what I need to know, at that moment.

My other cat, Oliver, who gives a whole new meaning to the term scaredy cat can be timid when people are over, is also the bravest beast in the wilderness when he's up against a fly. He's such a lover, yet can be extremely ornery. He cuddles up next to you, strokes your face with his paw, and nuzzles your cheek with his nose, right before he takes a quick, yet small, bite of your face. Oliver has been in our family for 5 years now. I still never see it coming. Not to mention, Oliver is the most vocal cat I have ever seen. It seems like he wants to "talk" all the time, about anything. He doesn't like it when he doesn't know which room we're in (and God forbid we ever shut him OUT of that room), or when we are gone all day...and he tells us exactly how he feels...or so I think...


I had my wisdom teeth removed on Thursday and told Jeremiah I wanted NO ANIMALS bothering me while the drugs wore off. When I woke up, I saw three "concerned" animals sitting outside the baby gate that was hindering their ability to come see if I was okay. Of course, they never said that...So maybe my interpretation of my animal's personalities is simply what I would WANT them to think and say and feel about me. By the way, if Norman was a child...he would be a momma's boy. I am very much his

favorite =)

Just my thoughts for the day.