Our New Addition

Saturday I was minding my own business with my nose burried in a book......one of my favorite things in the whole world.  Anyways, the back door slams open and N announces that he has something that I just have to see.  I acknowledge this announcement with barely a sound, because this is really nothing new.  Typically it's some new move he's come up with on his rip stick, or a cool looking rock, or a new injury of some kind.  

He yells again, "MOM!!".  I grudgingly got up from the chair to see what he had for me.  He had his two hands cupped together and already I've got chills running up and down my spine. Hands cupped together means he's trying to keep something from escaping.  Something small.....something he found outside.....something undoubtedly with more legs than me.  Lord Jesus, please help me not to scream.....or faint....or beat the creature to death with my just read (and therefore sacrificial)  People magazine while my son is standing right there.

He slowly opens his hand to show me some pathetic little creature I thought was a baby mouse.  Our neighbor had found its nest in his yard.  N looks up at me and utters the killer 4 words every mother dreads to hear:

"I've already named him."

Oh great!!!  I fast forward 20 years when we are around the dining table at Thanksgiving with both my boys and their wonderful wives who insist on spending every holiday with me (it's my dream, right??).  I know N will tell this story with one of two endings.

A.   "I showed my mom the baby and she looked at it with disdain and ordered me to immediately take it outside and let nature run its course.  I've never forgiven her for having so little regard for baby animals......I wonder to this day whatever happened to that sweet bunny I named Buddy."

Then my daughter-in-law will look at me in horror and my visitation with all future grandchildren will be miniscule.

OR.....

B.  "I showed my mom the baby and she looked at it and immediately took it into her hands while searching for a safe, warm place to put it.  Mom and Dad proceeded to read articles on the internet about orphaned bunnies and ran out to get Goats milk and the tiniest eye dropper they could find to feed it.  The first night my mom got up in the middle of the night twice to feed the bunny before she read that they eat only twice a day (SCORE!!).  Mom and Dad both warned me that the baby might not live without its mommy, but they loved and cared for the bunny as best they could."

Then my daughter-in-law will look at me with awe wondering how in the world her children were lucky enough to have a grandmother like me.  She will be determined to let them spend as much time as possible with this loving, caring, nuturing grandmother.

So, in the interest of this generation of Jenkins boys and those to come, we now have a new member of the family who has managed to survive 48 hours with us.  Am I getting attached?  Let's see, if wrapping it up in something warm after he eats and having him snuggle with me while I watch TV, or cooing over him when he does a good job eating, or showing the boys how well he did going potty means I've bonded.......than yes, I've fallen head over heals for this little creature that has everything going against it.

Like every new mother, let me show you some pictures.......

Isn't he cute??  Honestly, do you think he has my nose?