Bonne fête des mères

We are so happy to be spending a lot of today with our mama. Last year, she was gone for a really long time and we did not get to see her at all, which meant that we didn't get to make her coffee and blueberry pancakes and bring them to her in bed. This year, she was in bed when we all woke up and we still didn't make her coffee and blueberry pancakes in bed, but that was mostly because (a) we don't have thumbs so we can't flip the pancakes, (b) we're not allowed to use the stove since Izzi shakes whenever it's on and (c) if we did make pancakes, it's there's a pretty good chance that Rozi will have eaten most of them. And, so, instead of 'breakfast in bed', we let her make us breakfast (boiled chicken!) because we know how much she likes caring for us!

Because it's "mama's day", we wanted to tell everyone just how much we love love (love!) our mama! Yes, we are absolutely aware that we are not her "biological children" and she is not our "biological mama": those are just words. Sure, we remember our "real" mamas, but only vaguely, and most acutely when we pass Red Roof Inns (where Rozi was raised) or the motel in which Izzi spent her early days, but those thoughts are fleeting. Because from pretty much the first memory we have in our little brains, our mama was the one who took care of us.

There are so many things that she's done for us that it would take too long to list them all, and - after all - we are scheduled for our daily 15 hour naps soon. But, a few of the things that she's done for us that make us happy to be with her:

• She's been there when we've had to go to the doctor, holding our paws and telling us that we're good girls and it will be okay. And, also, to stop barking while we're in the waiting room. And, the examination room. And, the street before and after our visits.
• She gives us the most yummy breakfasts and dinners! Sometimes, we even get special "bacon" treats because she loves us so much.
• She holds Izzi when she's scared and shaking, which only happens when it's raining or snowing or windy or when the stove is on, so pretty much every day. And, she holds Rozi when she's scared, like when it seems like there's only dry food to eat.
• She makes sure that we don't have any ticks on us, and when we do, she's very gentle as she carefully pulls them off of us, and then squashes them with a level of violence we have not seen since the time we got to watch that nature show about the cobra and mongoose.
• She takes us to the beauty parlor to get us all pretty, like we are now. She told us that we have "company coming" this week and that we have to be extra special good girls, and so we will, but only until the company is actually in the house, at which time we will protect her to the death! Coincidentally and completely unrelated: we're pretty sure there are going to be lots of "time outs" this week.
• She gives us "haircuts" when we have little mats in our hair or there are other - ahem - personal issues that need to be cleaned up.
• She bakes yummy treats for people and we feel bad about how clumsy she is. Almost every time (except when she's making something "chocolate" for her own mama, who's a "Chocoholic"...whatever that is), she drops some of the batter on the floor and no matter where we are, we run to clean it up so that she doesn't feel bad about making such a mess.

These are only a few of the reasons that we love our mama, but we love her so much. When she leaves us, we're sad and sometimes she's gone for thousands of days and we think that she's never coming home, and then she does and our hearts nearly explode and we jump up and down and up and down and can't wait to give her kisses and then we jump up and down and up and down some more.

And, then, we nap.

Happy Mothers' Day, Mama!!!

Arf, Arf, Arf, Yip,
Izzi & Rozi