Pet Beetle

It was kind of sad and pathetic to me several weeks ago (Yes, that is how far behind I am with my blog posts!), that Sky Baby was so excited about her new pet beetle.  Little did I know how important the bug jar she had retrieved from her classroom's treasure box, was going to mean so much to her in a matter of a day or so!  She went on a quest to find insects, but it seemed like it went a little deeper than that, especially when she found this horned beetle and named the little guy; however, for the life of me, I do not remember its name!

Yes, she found this insect and named it as she gave it a home.  She even researched the insect and discovered what kind of beetle she had in her care and what kind of food and such the little beetle would prefer, which was great and was a great project for her to do and to learn from, but I discovered that it went a bit deeper than that for her.  It was her "pet".  Yep, we had a pet beetle in a bug jar that she decorated.  She fed it, and she talked to it, and she was proud of it!

Some of you may be wondering why this beetle being her pet became a big deal to me.  Through this pet beetle, who has since past on to the great beetle heaven in the sky, I realized how much my kids--all of them--would like a pet.  However, now is just not the right time for various reasons.  While I have my legit reasons, knowing they desire a companion as I had as a child growing up, made me a little sad that I am unable to provide that for them at this time.

Scot and I used to have a dog named Toby.  He was a Cocker Spaniel (did I spell that right?) mix, and although I was warned by a tech vet who knew that one day we wanted children that such a dog wasn't good with children and were over bread, we got him anyways.  Well after several years went by and two children had arrived with our third one on the way, Toby couldn't take it anymore and to be frank we couldn't take him anymore as he started to snap and try to bite us--even Scot.  We finally made the difficult decision to return Toby to the rescue society before he ended-up biting one of us or our children, which would have made finding him a new home even more difficult.  This dog also had various health issues, such as doggy IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and cleaning up after him and having kids playing on the floor was just beginning to be too much.  Being in a townhouse also didn't provide us many options.  We didn't have a garage or anywhere to keep him, especially if his mess well... you know... um... had gotten on his fur coat, and a bath was required.  One night all we had was our cold, tiny, backyard for the guy until we were able to attend to him, which seemed cruel in a way.  So we returned him to the rescue group detailing to them that he needed a home with no children whatsoever.

Scot and I also had a cat named Pippi.  She was a good cat.  Just a bit stubborn and cranky, but she was good.  However, she ended up also being a cat with medical problems, which included allergies that needed the occasional steroid shot, and IBS as well.  And let's just say that even though she used the liter box, there were still several times that well... well... there was a mess all around.  Anyways, about two years ago, Pippi went into renal failure and was eventually put down.  We haven't gotten another cat for several reasons, but the main one is that this house is just too small for a pet right now.  There is just no place at all for a liter box.  In fact, Pippi's liter box eventually ended up (drum roll please!) in our master bedroom as our family expanded!  Yep, laying in bed listen to your cat take care of business and the smell that would often fill the room just became a bit much and very unromantic if you know what I mean!

Also, being a mom of four kiddos, I simply do not have the time to take care of another being at the moment.  A dog would have to be walked continuously, as our backyard is just way too small for animal waste and the continual clean-up.  I don't have the time to feed another mouth or make sure that someone feeds another tummy.  And sure, you all can say, "Make the kids responsible."  However, an adult--me--would have to ensure that the animal is being cared for appropriately.  The responsibility would most likely fall upon my shoulders, and over the last few weeks I have added more tasks to my already growing list of responsibilities without adding an animal to it. 

Someday when we have waited patiently, planned carefully, and can enjoy the benefits of delayed gratification, we will move to a larger house, and the kids will be older, and perhaps, I will be more adjusted, and another animal will be considered; however, as of now, a pet such as a dog or a cat, will just be too much.  Though Scot and I, okay may be more me, have been considering getting the kiddos a little hamster or the like in about six months or so.  I will let you know if we follow through on that idea!  And whether I am crazy or not!

Now I will close by saying that I may consider the beetle a pet of ours however brief a pet it was and although its name I cannot remember, because I have a memory of that beetle that I may remember always.  One day after observing the beetle had not moved for about 24 hours, I gave Sky Baby the sad news that I believed her pet had died.  She was sad but for a brief time and moved on.  The next day or so while the girls were at school, I heard a peculiar sound in my kitchen.  It was loud scratching.  I looked all around to find the source of the sound, but could not find it.  I kept hearing the noise, and I searched on and off for a bit.  I narrowed down the search area and started to worry that there was a mouse in our wall when I discovered that something was moving in the bug jar.  I looked at it closely.  The bug I had deemed to be dead was in fact a live and well.  It was so healthy in fact that he was moving a stone that Sky Baby had placed in the jar!  I had a good chuckle about our reincarnated pet beetle!  And it only lived a few more days after that!