Wrangler Dani

I was probably eight or nine years old, and something had upset me. I wandered into our garage, and sat down on a box to have a good cry about it. I was halfway through my first satisfying sniffle when I felt a tiny, warm paw on my calf. Before I could properly get my cry on, Tarshi the cat was snuggled into my lap, purring like a tractor and sticking her claws into my thighs to share her joy. I was all set to have a long tear-fest, but now here was this little warm furry body, blinking happily at me and seeming so content, I couldn’t very well bawl now, could I?

I have missed having animals and pets around ever since I left home, and it is SO fun to have pets again. Guinness the puppy is so much work, but who knew that 50 lbs of energy and excitement could be so fun to wake up to every morning, to play fetch with in the afternoons, to hug at night when she finally gets sleepy enough to snuggle?

Bandit the cat follows us all over the ranch, interrupting us with his companionable meows and wanting to be petted even at our most busy. Even though our cows are gone, they too lent their own earthy companionship to our little place, blinking at us with their soft brown eyes, looking doubtfully at Guinness and following each other around our pasture in their tiny herd.

I can’t wait to raise my kids to love and appreciate animals – for what they give to us and what we can learn from them, for the lessons of husbandry and stewardship and responsibility. Someday I hope to be as loving and faithful as my pets, but in the meantime, I’m just grateful we have them.