When hell freezes over...

Well, I’m not sure that hell has actually frozen over yet, but we have welcomed a pet into the Gallagher home. Yep, you read it right. No need to rub your eyes. Nope, I haven’t lost my mind.

Some of you may know that I’m not exactly what you would call a pet-person. We had dogs and intermittent cats throughout my entire first 18 years of life. Granted, none of them were indoor animals. They were just 4-legged creatures that lived outside around my parent’s house. They would get fed regularly, amble around our huge yard at their leisure, and get attention from my dad, mom or sisters occasionally.

As for me, I was content to just look at them through the window.

It didn’t help that have animal allergies, either. I knew that one lick, scratch, or touch of dander from the dog or cat would rapidly present me with a huge welt, hives and physical deformity. Not to mention the excessive snot production and chest-tightening asthma that would quickly ensue.

So, I’m not exactly an animal-hater. I just really, really don’t like them. Over the past few years, my kids and Bill have tried their best to get me to come around. They’ve suggested rabbits, hamsters, and other rodent-y things. But they're too creepy, stinky and I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to them as well. They’ve suggested an allergy-free dog. But they still poop outside, come in the house and then sit on the carpet and leave poop-germs there, only to be picked up by hands and feet and tracked all over…you get the picture. They’ve suggested reptiles. I’d be OK with those – no hair, not much stink, but kind of spendy.

Then the turtle showed up. There was really no discussion to have or big decision to make. Bill just came home from work one day with a tiny aquatic guy in an old ice cream pail that our friend Rick found at the lake. He smelled alright, didn’t shed, and didn’t sit his poop-germy butt on my carpet. He has been named “Sparky”, “Flame” and “Kevin”…not sure which one will stick.

We made a family trip to the pet store last night to get Sparky/Flame/Kevin some supplies. Wow! I didn’t know a little turtle could be so high-maintenance.

The kids are absolutely thrilled beyond belief.

Bill is the hero.

And I’ve willingly accepted this new addition into my formal dining room décor.