Break Through.

 Tomorrow we'll be up and headed east. It is my granddaughter's first communion. Of course we will be there for it. I have a cross that is exactly like the cross that hung in her aunts' bedrooms, and of course there is the charm necklace that I'm excited for her to receive. One of the charms honors her special day. Another is her birthstone. Another is a ballerina, One is a small heart engraved with 'sister'. The last is her initial. A celebration of all that she is and all that she is becoming. 

When I called to talk to my daughter-in-law today, I heard a little voice in the background crowing "HI GRANDMA!!!" Shocked me spitless. Needless to say, she's picked up some crazy language skills since I saw them in September. Of course she has two gifts as well. 

Tim hunted today, and I took his lunch up. I wanted to spend time with the kittens, and I'm glad that I did. Today was a big day. Spoon feeding them seems to have been the thing that brought them all around. A few minutes of that, and then I put their bowl down and they crowd in, purring and twitching their tails as they lap their food up with gusto. 

I've noticed that they're paying less and less attention to me, and more and more attention to their food, so today, on the spur of the moment, I slowly reached out and stroked Sigh. He never stopped eating. So I petted him, right down his back. He did not seem to mind. I probably got a good dozen pets in as he continued eating. 

Emboldened by that, I reached out my other hand and gave Possum a pet. He quickly jumped back, but interestingly enough, he sat watching me closely. So I reached out my hand. Quick as a wink, he got up, came over to me and slipped his body beneath my hand, arching his back and letting my hand go down his spine. He then turned around and did it again. He made several circles back to my hand, and then, without warning, he lay down on his side, and playfully reached up and batted at my hand with one velvet paw. 

It was such a great moment!

I tried it with Tiger and got three pets in and got myself growled at. But he did not run away either, so we'll call that a win. 

Minnie? The pooper will take food from my hand, but she will not allow herself to be petted. I did noticed that she was watching my interaction with Possum and Sigh very closely though. 

I'm going to hit the hay early tonight so that I can get up and get ready to hit the road tomorrow. It will be a five hour drive. We do not have to leave early, because my daughter in law needs to take a nap before she goes to work tomorrow night, so we'll let her and my granddaughter have a quiet and restful afternoon. We'll arrive just in time to meet the oldest girl at the bus stop. 

I'm looking forward to it more than words can say. I will catch you all on the other side.