Nieces and Nephews: Hanes

Yes, it's Hanes, the cat. Since she is my sister-in-law's cat, we call ourselves uncle and aunt when we "talk" to her. In that sense, she is our "niece," the feline one. But I guess this post is also a way for me to update on Hanes, because it has been a while since I last posted her pictures.

When I met Hanes for the first time (if we could call it a meeting), she was sleeping on the couch at my mother-in-law's house. It was before Hubby and I were married, so it was many years ago. She did not get up (or get away) so I did not even see her face or any movement. She was just a ball of fur on the couch. She did not seem too "friendly."

Then, I saw her move around the house during our subsequent visits, but she was shy and I still did not know her much.

Hubby became her keeper almost three years ago, when my mother-in-law moved and we moved hubby to our current town (I was still in school in Florida). Since I was not moved yet, I would see her once a month for a weekend, but she had become much more "friendly."

When I joined Hubby in our current town two summers ago, I spent the first couple of weeks of summer at home unpacking boxes from my move from Florida and his move from his apartment, and setting up our new home. But I spent most of the summer finishing my thesis. Hanes began to let me love on her and we developed a bond over the summer. She would come sit on my lap while I was writing, and she let me play with her.

Now, Hanes is no longer just the ball of fur that kept a distance. She is my "little one" or "sweetie," as I sometimes call her. I love it when she comes and drapes her head on my arm, or just sits on my lap, because she lets me love on her.

Below are some pictures of Hanes. Enjoy!

Hanes likes sleeping on Hubby's shirts, like this one (note her paws, very proper like a lady)

Napping on the couch by the window

Cute!

Robo-kitty!

She likes paper

Having a sweet moment with Hubby

Napping, again (but her paws were all over the place that day!)

She also likes shoes

and bags

and boxes

and Christmas presents

Hanes hanging out on my lap

On Hubby's lap

I love this picture of Hubby and Hanes, even though Hanes seems a bit indifferent

Hanes on my lap as I was sipping tea

Robo-kitty (with laser-sharp eyes) in her box

Hanes "hiding" behind my tennis bag

This post also officially concludes my little "Nieces and Nephews" series. Hope you have enjoyed it!

Goodbye/Hello

Right around our first anniversary, Hubby and I decided to sponsor a child from Ecuador through Compassion International, and five-year-old Patricia became a part of our family. We wrote letters to her, and she would draw for us, usually about the landscape around her house. We would always proudly put each new drawing on our fridge so we would see it every day. Then she learned to write, and she would both draw and write a letter to us. She would tell us what she had learned in school, what her favorite Bible story was, how her family was doing, and how she would like us to pray for her, her family and her teachers. She also asked questions about us. She had such a beautiful heart and she was growing so much, both physically and spiritually. It was such a privilege to get to know her.

Then we received a letter from Compassion last Thanksgiving weekend. We were told her family had moved away from the area where they ministered, so Patricia was no longer in their program and we could no longer be her sponsored parents.  It came as such a shock to us but there was nothing we could do. Compassion did not know where they had moved and we could not locate her.

I was sad. Although we had never met Patricia, we had gotten to know her through the letters and her drawings. Occasionally, we would also received her photos. It was difficult to let go just like that, because there was never a goodbye.

But at the same time we were informed of Patricia's move, we were told we could sponsor another child. Compassion chose for us teenaged Susana, also from Ecuador. We wrote her an introductory letter while back. Over the weekend, we received the first letter from her!

Perhaps just as Solomon said, there is a time for everything. Perhaps it was time for another couple, or church, to minster to Patricia. And we know God has entrusted Susana to us right now to minister to her. We don't know for how long it will be, but for as long as we have her as our sponsored daughter, we are going to write her letters and pray for her!

Happy Easter!

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " Then they remembered his words.
Luke 24: 1-8

Happy Easter!