Monday is Baby Kassie’s 11th birthday. Umm, someone… hello?  Honest, she was three years old just yesterday. 

Kassie came into my life in June of 2002. An acquaintance asked me to take care of Kassie for a week while she went on vacation with her family. I was puzzled when she told me, “If you like her, you can keep her.” What?!

Back then, it was just Enzi and me. The day the acquaintance brought Kassie over, the first thing Kassie did was attack Enzi… full-on barking, snarling, snapping and biting. Poor Enzi was understandably terrified. The first thing Kassie did when she came into the house was pee on the floor. I remember the acquaintance saying very softly, “Oh Cassie, no, no.”  Wow, ahem.

A stake and chain were included in Kassie’s “overnight bag.” The acquaintance told me I could put Kassie outside on the chain and leave her there all day. Kassie was used to that, after all.  The first thing I did after the acquaintance left was throw the stake and chain in the trash. 

Eight years later, I’m so happy I didn’t listen to those who told me I was crazy to take Kassie on. I will forever be grateful to the Baby for teaching me a very important lesson in life.  

“If you wish to be loved, love.”

Seneca (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)

She’s my baby, my Kassie, my little baby Kassie. ♥