I've come to the end of my journey...

Mommy says that tonight we're going to someplace called my forever home. She says that I'm being adopted by the nice people who came to visit me last week. I did like them...I got tons of belly rubs and chin scratches and they brought fresh, "unsalivad" cat toys for me (which the pesky beagles immediately slobbered on). I'm going to a house with NO DOGS! I guess there's one other cat who's been on a diet for a while so maybe she can help me come up with some good plans for breaking into the cabinets for snacks or maybe she knows how to use the phone to order pizza. There aren't any sexy man-kitties there, but it's a fair trade to be without pesky beagles.

I need to thank everyone who has followed the blog for the last year and a half and my friends who commented on it and supported me on my diet. All of your kind words and motivational lectures have really helped. I'm sad to be leaving my friends here, but I knew all along that my forever home was waiting for me and someday they would find me. Mommy said it all has to be fate because my new mommy contacted her on what would have been her mommy's birthday...so instead of being sad, she was happy that I might have a home. Then on top of that, my new daddy's name is the same as Mommy's daddy's name, and they live on Elliott street, which is a cat here...and my new sister cat is named Olivia, which was always Mommy's mom's favorite girl name for cats. Mommy says that's all too much coincidence and so this must be the right home for me. I sure hope she's right!

I'm going to continue the blog from my new house...so here's the address for it. I hope I see all of you there and that you'll keep writing to me. You're all my extended family and I get to keep you even though I'm at a new house. http://www.thelifeandtimesofkinzicollins.blogspot.com/

Love & Kisses,

Kinzi

PS...I'm going to let Mommy have a few words now:

Hello all...Phyllis here. I need to thank everyone who supported me, Kinzi, and the blog for the last year and a half. I've had several people contact me for help with their fat cat so I feel that I at least helped change the lives of a few chubsters along the way.

Some of you might wonder how I could possibly give Kinzi up after so much time. It was hard...and I almost filled out an adoption contract on her myself more than once...but something just kept picking at the back of my mind that it wasn't right to keep her. She's beautiful, healthy, and full of life...surely she can find someone to love her. I found a little story on the Internet while I was searching for a poem that might be appropriate to put here and I think this may sum it up the best. Any of you who foster will surely be able to relate. Those of you who don't, maybe you'll consider it after you read this.

Thank you.

Phyllis
*************
Thank You for bringing this foster cat into my life.

Had I not made the decision to participate in rescue, I would never have had the chance to meet her. If I had sat here comfortably in my home and said "I already have four cats and I know that I couldn't take in another - even on a temporary basis," I would never have met this cat.

Yes, it takes time to rescue and foster... but who gave me Time in the first place? And why or what was the reason I was given Time? To fill my own needs? Or was there another reason ever so small and seemingly insignificant, like rescuing this one cat, that could make a difference in another's life? Perhaps to add joy, hope, help and companionship to another who is in need?

With great sadness, I sat down on a footstool in my kitchen this morning and watched as this foster cat bounced through the house and skidded across the floor to sit ever so perfectly in front of me. She was the picture of health, finally. She was all smiles for me.... and I smiled back at her happy face. Deep in her eyes, the storm clouds of illness and generalized poor health had blown away, and the clear light of her perfection radiated out from her beautiful soul. She holds no ill will toward man. She forgives us all.

I thought to myself as I impressed this one last long look of her into my heart, what a very fine creature you have created. Tears slowly pooled and spilled over my cheekbones as the deeper realization of how wonderful this cat is sank into my internal file cabinet of Needful Things to Remember. Lord, she's a cat - but she's a better human being than I am.

She forgives quickly. Would I do the same?
She passionately enjoys the simple things in life. And I have often overlooked them.
She accepts change and gets on with her life. I fuss and worry about change.
She lives today and loves today. And I often dwell in the past or worry about the future.
She loves no matter what. I am not that free.

This very lovely cat has gone to her new home today and already I miss her. Thank You for bringing this cat into my life. And thank you for the beautiful and tender lesson on how to be a better human.