Jenny Page Jai, Minnesota
Bella, a lamb, was born on a cold March day in Minnesota. While her twin brother was large and robust, Bella was small and frail. The next morning, mother and son were doing well, but Bella was weak and cold. I carried her into the house, wrapped a blanket around her, then held her in my arms while telling her I loved her and that God loved her too.
By Lois Stanfield, Minnesota
When my newly adopted, rescued Afghan Hound, Lila, came to live with my other Afghan, Pistachio, and me, I had to help her accept her newfound freedom. Eventually she graduated from being a dog who had lived in a kennel to a beloved house pet. After a while she blossomed into quite a character. She started talking all the time in the way dogs talk. She always had something to say and was quite definite about what she wanted. Ultimately, she ruled the roost.
By Dana Lovell, Minnesota
To increase my ability for giving and receiving love, I decided to adopt a special-needs cat. I also hoped the Soul that had been my previous cat, Austin, would reincarnate and return to me at some point. I’d dreamed this Soul had recently lived a life as a pug puppy with a loving family.
By Benny Callaghan, Minnesota
A friend once gave me a plant as a gift and said, “First, you need to learn to look after a plant; then, you graduate to an animal; and finally, you will be ready for a child.”
By Linda Anderson, Minnesota
My husband, Allen, and I decided an older, mature cat would be the right fit for our family. We figured it would be easy to adopt a senior cat, since aging cats often languish in animal shelters and rescues.
By Dana Lovell, Minnesota
I adopted an orange-and-white adult male tabby cat named Austin. He was rescued from life as a laboratory cat, and his trust in people was low. Austin was gentle, observant, and reserved. He never meowed. Occasionally, he would look eye-to-eye with someone and express deep love without a word.