WHY?!

Why is it... for the past two mornings the first thing I have to do is rescue the cat outside?? In the mornings, Megan goes outside to "check on Sarafina". The past two mornings the cat has been meowing at us from neighbor's backyard, who has dogs! Yesterday, the first time it happened, I had to figure out how to get her out because the neighbor had the fence locked. Smart neighbor!

Thinking to self, "Aha! I can lift Megan over the fence... But she will need something to get back over... I will go get the ladder from the garage, tie something to it so that I can get it back over the fence, wait... what can I tie to it? hmmm.. Oh! Cooper's leash, good idea! What about the dogs? They probably won't bother her, they are nice dogs."

I walk into the garage, look around for the ladders, and see that the long one I was planning on using is WAY out of my reach right below the ceiling, above the cabinets. There goes that one... But wait, there's a smaller ladder that I CAN reach. I grab that one, and also grab the stepladder for me. I walk with the ladder through the house, grabbing Cooper's leash on the way.

I set up my step stool and look over the fence to see where the cat is. Whew! She is RIGHT THERE! (little chihuahua dog barking nonstop in the cat's face) I heave the ladder over the fence into the neighbor's yard, quickly figuring out that the leash won't be long enough. "Adam, go get Cooper's other leash!" He runs into the house...Adam to the rescue!... comes back with said leash... I hook the leashes together and voila!! I pick up Megan and toss her to the ladder (mmm... maybe not toss, but you get the gist). Megan rushes down the ladder, grabs up her cat (the dogs didn't even sniff at her), and dashes back up the ladder with cat in one hand and the other hand holding on for dear life. I grab Sarafina and put her into OUR backyard, pick up Megan and place her on OUR grass, and heave the ladder back over with the leashes. Mission accomplished!

This morning was a little different because the neighbor's daughter was in the backyard feeding their dogs so she unlocked the gate for me to go in and get the cat. After a lot of coaxing, she came out from her hiding place and I placed her back into our yard.

Oh, not only did I have to deal with the cat again this morning but Cooper decided to leave presents in the kitchen! I tell you, God is trying to teach me something but I am not sure what it is. Why... me...??? Patience? Be kind to animals? Love thy neighbor? WHAT?