[AmyAnne]

So, remember back in September, we had an abandoned newborn kitten here for like 6 hours? Well yesterday, I took Austin to the park, with the plan of him playing on the playground and me taking photos. Sometimes, though, plans go awry. I took aim for a parking spot with a pile of leaves at the head of it, until I saw the face of a little black kitten poking out. I quickly parked in the adjacent spot, and was surprised when the cat didn't run. Poor thing was hunkered down in a pile of leaves, blind in one eye, and so cold she couldn't move. Poor thing was still a kitten, probably about 4 months old. Austin was out of the van in a flash, trying to sacrifice his coat to this kitten so it wouldn't freeze to death. He insisted we help this poor kitten, so we loaded her into the van and drove her to the same place the last kitten went. They informed us they were full and if we left the kitten there, it would be put to sleep for sure. We took her home with us, where she spent the night in the backyard.

This morning, Austin was up before us and immediately went outside to see the kitten. He fed her and gave her water, and "borrowed" Jeff's keys to take the kitten to the garage, out of the rain (All of this was in violation of rules). He sobbed hysterically when we told him for perhaps the 700th time we could not keep the kitten.We learned the shelter in the neighboring county would accept the kitten and took her this afternoon.

We tried to keep it very positive. "We have loved having you stay with us kitty, but now it's time to go and find your forever family. We will never forget you and we hope you have nothing but love in your life". Austin was of course upset.

The positive part of this, though, was I witnessed Austin's capacity to love. It's so easy to snow people. Harder to do with animals. I saw my son be loving, nurturing and protective of a small, helpless creature and it warmed my heart. If we could have kept her, we would have, but this glimpse of my child was gift enough.