sooooo....2 items of note today.

#1. we got our building permit this afternoon, and we dig tomorrow!!!!
everything gets crazy and exciting from here, but i can't wait to get things going.

#2. i think it's always best to start with the good news, and then finish with the bad news. and #2 is tragic.
i have mentioned before that i'm just not good with pets, but i was really proud of myself for getting my kids a kitten and taking on another responsibility. for letting her in the house and for learning to like her. for bathing her regularly and clipping her nails so that i wouldn't mind holding her. for letting the kids kiss her and sneak her in their beds when they thought i wasn't paying attention....

i'm sure you all know where this is going.

after our weekend at the lake i was thinking about how good starla did at sleeping outside, and i figured it would be a good time to transition her to sleeping outside once we got home. so monday night i put her and all her equipment out on the front porch. we had sealed up an old box and cut a hole in it for her to sleep in, so i put her in it and said goodnight.

she did just fine. she cried at the door quite a bit but that was to be expected. i opened the door 1st thing in the morning and she bounded in just purring her little heart out. she was fine.

so then last night....after the kids were in bed dave and wren and i had a great time playing with starla. she was running all over chasing toys and pouncing on wren- making all 3 of us laugh. and then once we decided to head for bed i set her out just like i did the night before.

and that was the last we've seen her. :( the kids opened the door this morning to let her in and she was gone. and still is.

i'm thinking it was a coyote...the poor thing...dave saw one in the yard about a week ago, and with all that crying i'm sure the coyote knew right where to find her.
i feel terrible- it's all my fault. the kids keep asking me all day, "but why did you put her outside??? she was so little!"

I'M SORRY!!! i didn't know! it never crossed my mind that a coyote would come close enough to get her! she seemed old enough to me to sleep outside....

it's just best to not dwell on it all, right? to just put it all behind us and move on.

i'm sorry, starla!!









you were the pefect kitten and we will miss you!!!