Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Stuff Josh Likes: His daughter

I talk about Lily quite a bit here.


Before she was born, I knew that I would love her, but I didn't know if I would like her. What if she, despite our best efforts, turned out as a bully, or vain, or shallow, or mean?

She hasn't yet, and I don't think she will. Sometimes, she's bratty, or sulky, or way too smart for her own good.

But she's kind more often than she's not. She wrote this essay for school, after her teachers recommended that she skip second grade and go directly to third, and it was a significant factor in their decision to let her move forward.

I think it's extremely well structured, better than a lot of writing I see from adults. It tells a story in a meaningful way, and the end calls back to the beginning. I'm very proud of her.

One nice August day


One nice August day, a long time ago, a miracle came wandering to our house. My parents and I were sitting in the backyard, just relaxing when…BAM! We heard a huge crash against the shed.

My dad walked over with a broom in his hand, then a beautiful little cat peeked out from behind the shed. She was very skinny and I instantly fell in love with that cat.

We shooed her out, but she casually walked back in to our backyard again. My mom walked over and picked the cat up by the fur on her neck and carried her all the way up the street! The cat ran under someone’s garage and came bounding back again!

After a few days, I finally asked my mom: “Can we name that cat Losey?”

My mom said maybe, and I answered, “Please, please, please, please, pllleeeaaase?”

And my answer was still maybe.

The cat tried and tried to get in the next day. She kept trying until she succeeded, then got kicked out of the house.

By that point, she was eating cat food and drinking fresh water from us. She was getting fatter, but not all from the food.

The neighbor’s knew and my mom didn’t want to believe it, but that cat was pregnant.

About a week later, I was about to leave for school, and we were looking for Losey. My mom looked in a box, and Losey was not the only one in there. Five tiny tails were wiggling around. Losey had kittens!

One was a girl. That was the first we named Losey Junior. Then there is Flash, Blackbeard. Patch and Champ. Bleardbeard was given away first, then Flash, and Patch and Champ went together. Losey Junior and her mom are now free inside and outside of the house.

My dad used to be allergic to cats, but his body figured out that cats are not bad for you. They are great! Now you know about the miracle that came to our house one nice August day.

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