Letter of Rejection

To the Stray Cat in my Garage,

Thank you for your interest in the household pet position at the Morris household. While I am impressed with your beautiful coat and oddly bushy tail, we have concluded that another pet in this house would be too much. We sincerely regret to tell you that your application has been denied.

You showed up in our neighborhood only a few days ago. You immediately caught my eye as I saw you crouched under my neighbors car. To quote Britney Spears, I could tell you "we're not a girl, not yet a woman." With the many outdoor cats on our street, I sincerely hope you belong to someone who loves you.

I must say that I did not appreciate you barging into my house this morning. As I tried to distract our own cat, quiet the crying baby, and shoo you out of the house, I realized you were too much for me to handle right now. It brought a horrible memory of the mental break down I had when Clare was first born. I was holding a screaming baby, while the cat was yowling at me from the couch for attention, and my two dogs stared at me from the window like "Why do you not love us anymore?". I'm sorry, but I only have so much love/sanity to give. And I think another pet might just break me.

I apologize for the mixed signals I was giving you by putting out the bowl of water. It was wrong of me to lead you on like that. It was like that time in college, where a guy flirted with me for weeks. Then when I got up the nerve to ask him to a movie, he just so happened to be busy that day, and the next, and possibly for every weekend that month. I know it's no fun to be toyed with.

You are more that welcome to stay around though. You can sleep on my garage shelf, as long as the door is open. And I'll leave the water bowl out till I know you've moved on. Please understand that even though it will not work out between us, I still do care. I've posted your pictures on craigslist and austinlostpets.com. Maybe your owner will come to claim you soon. You have our best wishes for success in finding the right household for you.

Sincerely,

Mary Morris

CEO of The Morris House

What I've learned after 3 years?

Today, Kevin and I celebrate three years of marriage. I can't help but think back over the time that has passed and how much each of us has learned. Here are the top ten things I've learned so far:

10. When you want a dog and your spouse wants a cat, sometimes the best compromise is to not compromise at all. Get both!

9. Push your spouse to try new things like Parmesan cheese on your pasta or green chilies in your enchiladas.

8. When your spouse has an embarrassing story about having to poop outdoors, don't prod her to tell it in front of your family.

7. Never joke about the "d" word (divorce). It's just not funny.

6. After a few months of being married, you will look back at all the other guys you were attracted to and start to see how all of them were horribly wrong for you.

5. Having children is the hardest thing you will ever do, but paradoxically it will also be the best thing you ever do. They change your life completely, and most of the time it's when you need a change in your life.

4. Be smart with your money and forget the Joneses. They are too hard to keep up with anyway. You don't need the biggest house or the nicest cars, but you do need to manage your debt and save for your future.

3. When you start feeling like you need more from your spouse, look at what you are giving instead. If you work more on giving, then you will receive more than you thought was possible.

2. Never make your husband your God. He is just a human that will make mistakes. But God has a perfect love for you, and his longing for you will never fade. While you love your husband with all that you have, make sure you give a little more to God.

1. When your sitting on a dusty orphanage floor in Mexico with your boyfriend of only two weeks and you feel God speak to your heart that this man is your perfect match and future husband, rest assured that he is absolutely right. You have a beautiful life in your future.

Love you, Kevin! I can't wait to spend many more years by your side.