Leap Year Blessings in Fur

On this day in 2008, my family had a "Leap Day" surprise on our front porch. I'd been feeding a stray kitty who I thought belonged to a neighbor, but apparently the kitty preferred our front porch. After a few weeks, it became obvious she was expecting kittens. Being wintertime, our days were usually cold and sometimes windy, so I placed a cardboard box on our  covered porch in case the kitty needed it.
That particular Leap Day, I left my house late that afternoon to pick up my son at tennis practice. As I went out my front door, I saw the kitty resting on our porch, looking even plumper. About an hour later my son and I returned home, but did not see the kitty. I stepped over to the box, and could not believe my eyes. During the time I was gone to pick up my son, this precious mother cat had given birth to four adorable kittens! She looked up at me proudly, as if to say "Look what I did while you were gone." I remember having tears as I gazed at that mother cat nurturing her newborn kittens. Even in animals, the miracle of birth is truly amazing.
Now eight years later, three of those "kittens" are still part of our family---all large, adult cats who have distinct personalities and coloring. Yes, one is solid white, one is solid black, and one is calico - - yet from the same litter! I'm thankful for these furry blessings that arrived on Leap Day eight years ago, and cannot imagine my life without them.
     And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.   Genesis 1:31