Animal Farm

It seems that this is what we are becoming.  Technically, our house is sitting on the place that was always the "family farm", but it hasn't really been much of a "farm" farm for many years now, however, if Luke has his way...it may just get there again someday.

I would just love to hear someone try to argue that my child does not LOVE animals.  Since Scott and I have lived here, we have always had cats.  Do they get much of the glory that comes with being a "pet cat"?  No, at least not from us.  They help keep the mice at bay and they are pretty much free to go on as they please.  We keep them fed and watered...then they're somewhat on they're own.  Luke, on the other hand, refers to these cats as his "kitty friends", "catty friends", or "my buddies" on most occasions and insisted that they have a house, despite the fact that they can get into the old house or any of the sheds/barn/old buildings on the property.  So, last fall, Scott built them a house and we painted it.

Scott has always had a deep fondness for rabbits and finally got back into raising them a year ago in February. As expected, Luke took to them immediately and has been loving on the new litters of baby rabbits that we've had.

Then last August, we decided to add a dog to the mix, Chester.  Appropriately enough, we picked him up on the day of Luke's 4th birthday!  He loves the dog and even had to open the van door before we left for town today, just to say goodbye to Chester.

I write about all of this because today we picked up a fish.  Luke has been wanting one for quite awhile and we used this as an incentive for helping with things around the house.  He finally earned it yesterday and today we brought home a fish!  As I've said before, Luke LOVES it!

When I remembered that we also have a can of worms sitting on the porch (he brought them home from the sitter's and we're hoping to use them for fishing at some point), which we refer to as our "worm farm" and he refers to as his "worm friends" I decided that I better write about our ever growing "farm" before the next animal arrives...whatever that may be! :)

And when I say that Luke loves all of these things, I mean he loves them.  He always refers to them as "my [insert type of animal here] friends" and is constantly trying to give them hugs and kisses.  I would not even be shocked to find out one night that he tried to give one of his "worm friends" a kiss and tell it goodnight.  He also always makes sure that all of these animals know he will miss them too, if he is leaving.
He is nothing if not sweet!  That's for sure! :)

So...quite by accident, we are apparently becoming some sort of animal farm, I guess! ;)