Will and Grace and Just Jack!

We all have our furry little children in our lives. They tend to come into our lives prior to having babies and then after the kids are gone, our four legged friends replace the kids. There's several major differences, of course, our furry little friend don't sass us, throw their toys at us or storm out of the room when we refuse to buy them the latest pair of way too expensive sneakers. They just love us unconditionally.

This big guy here is Jack, the oldest of our clan. Jack is a very laid back kind of guy. His mellow personality can be misconstrued as lazy sometimes. Why expend energy if it's not really necessary? Jack is the one of our cats that was raised by a family, which is why I think he is as secure in his own self. Since he's part Maine Coon, he is destined to be large as he weighs in at about 19 pounds. Yes, he's a big boy!

This pretty little girl is Miss Grace Kitty. She entered our lives just 5 years ago when one day, my daughter called me up and explained to me how she found 2 kittens on her patio steps. In the apartment complex she lived in, the maintenance crew found the body of a mother cat who was hit by a car. Are you crying yet? The entire complex was on the look out for her kittens and luckily, my daughter managed to lure two of them. Will you take one, Mom? How could I refuse such a sad story, yes, we'll take her. Grace is timid and non-trusting of those she's unfamiliar with. She is selective who she chooses to love but once you gain that trust, she is lovable and loyal.

And finally, this little guy is Will. He scoped us out and determined we were the family he wanted to adopt. The neighborhood children teased him unmercifully by throwing stones and rocks at him. He took shelter under the street sewers until one cold December evening, I spotted one set of eyes staring in the window of our breakfast room window. I opened the door and he entered the house as if he lived there for years. Will is the most timid of the three. If the Directv repairmen enters the house, you won't find him for days as he hides in places I don't know existed. Even though he is very shy, he is the one that requires the most love, belly rubs and treats!

Amazingly, all three of our cats travel very well in the RV. Last year, we introduced them to several short trips and they managed very well. They all have their favorite places to lay and hide. Grace likes to lay in the window at night. Will sleeps right next to us in bed. Jack, well, he hardly moves much because he must reserve his energy in the event a bug enters his domain.

Yes, our furry children fill a void left when our children fly the nest. They provide much love and are always worth the minor annoyances. We won't trade them at any cost.