Additions to the Zoo...

I guess just I can't say no...especially when it pertains to more free pets.

Wait I take that back...if it was another dog, I really could (and have) say no. Another kitty might be the moment of caving in.

But when the new pets come in their own home, there was no denying the newest members to the McGuire Zoo...a pair of Zebra finches.


Meet Neko and Inu.

Ivy started a new tradition when she named the Christmas Present Gerbil "Mouse McGuire". New pets will be named an animal name; the finch's names mean Cat and Dog in Japanese.

I've never had a bird before (Kim had a parakeet when we were 8/10ish) so this has been a fun learning experience. They have to stay with a mate and are busy arranging, then dismantling their nest. I'm expecting an egg pretty soon.

I know they're kinda hard to see, but that was the best pic I could get with them being so flighty. Inu the male likes hiding up the the greenery while Neko the female dives into the nest whenever I have to change their water/food.

I love listening to their calls, sometimes they sound like little chickens clucking...quite interesting!

Kim's Deployment

Well, if you haven't heard from her blog, Kim's currently serving on her deployment in Kandahar, Afghanistan. And of course, she hasn't even been at the air base for a week yet and it was attacked. Well, they attempted to attack...Here's the news story.

It's nice to have my brother in law in intelligence as he gets to see the actual reports that come from the region. Granted he can't tell us everything, but he assured me that Kim was completely ok when he called. Adding to that, I got to talk to Kim this morning (they're about 12 hours ahead of us) and she said it was nothing.

Goodness, I hope her deployment isn't gonna be filled with instances like this...please remember to keep her and all our troops in your prayers.

On a side note, but related to Kim...Ivy wrote her first letter! We've been trying to explain where Kim is and why she won't be home until after Christmas, so we showed her and Riley a bunch of desert books and such. Ivy saw a picture of a camel and asked me..."Kim has a camel?" Needless to say, she just had to go draw Kim's new "pets". She also copied a letter that we'll be sending to Kim...It's great practise for learning where those Upper and Lower case letters go!