Santa Pawpa....

my mom volunteers for an organization called "new beginnings" for animals.... she does kitty cuddling, originally starting on tuesdays for 2 hours.... slowly that became, tuesdays and thursdays for 2 hours each time.... sometimes she even picks up other "shifts" and covers people who leave town, or can't make it....

well recently, she volunteered for "Santa Paws" at the pet store (where she does the kitty cuddling).... she asked if we could all pitch in and help make this thing possible. they needed a photographer (tuety did a great job, thank you tuety).... she was going to help with the photos and collect the money.... and we.... well, we were just going to visit her.

so yesterday comes, and she and michelle go and take these pictures and do this great deed.... it goes great! they did a great job!

then today comes.... and they weren't going to have a santa paws claus.... somehow mom manages to talk poppa (now known as Pawpa) into being Santa at the pet store.... poppa really doesn't care for kids much (or so he tries to act like he doesn't like kids, but i think he secretly loves them.... probably as much as he loves rabbits in his bedroom).... (inside joke.... he's SUPER allergic).... anyway.... he goes WAY out of his comfort zone, and even buys his own mustache and beard (so he doesn't have to swap spit with the santas before him....)

i tossed around the idea of going in and taking our picture today, but quickly decided to do it as soon as i found out HE was Santa Paws.... (i didn't know until this morning).... needless to say, that since Jason had to go to work (and even if he didn't), we now have a wonderful picture with Santa Pawpa!

what a trooper Pawpa!!!! =)

anyway.... i guess where i was kind of going with this, was how wonderful a great marriage is.... where you leave your comfort zone and do things out of the norm.... things you wouldn't do on a normal day or for another soul on this planet.... (but you will for this one partner....) i know how much this organization means to mom and i know that poppa knows it too.... michelle (my sister) and i were just talking about how wonderful it is to see my mom light up about something.... she doesn't light up this way about much,.... and definitely not for humans.... but for ANIMALS?! now that's an entirely different story.... she works all these hours (well VOLUNTEERS her man time and hard work) for these animals to have a chance at having a good home.... would my stepdad do this on his own free time? no, i don't think so. he'd more likely spend his time capturing photos of strange people, or beautiful flowers, or see how close he could get to a hummingbird before it flies away.... but he sat in a HOT santa suit, sweating his brains out, with animals (and kids) because he loves my mom....

now THAT is a wonderful feeling....

folks, true love exists.... good, real, genuine love exists.... it's about compromise.... and bending out of your comfort zone. it's about snuggling a rabbit even if you're allergic.... okay, so not really.... but it's about being Santa Claus, when you'd much rather catch the sunday football game.... THAT'S what love is about.... it's about seeing mom's face light up when people come in to take their picture with their animals....

heck, i would have been santa for that..... =)