On behalf of
the Whipple family, Christmas greetings! I’m taking over the 2016 letter. What
good is a family pet if they don’t help? (Ahem. Lucy? Not so helpful.) And the
whole family adores me. They can’t help it; I’m a fun, handsome young fella
with a mustache.
I’ve been
here since July doing pet-worthy things like playing fetch, licking faces at
night, and biting hands and arms. Lucy’s fairly useless when it comes to pet
skills like those. However, she is an excellent napper. Every day I try to play
with her, but she just hisses and swats at me. It’s fun to torture her…until I
get locked in the basement. The family cuddles me and plays with me. I don’t
mind at all—not even when they carry me like a sack of potatoes.
When Derek
arrives home about five each day, he greets everyone, even the pets. When I
first arrived, his big project was creating organizers for the kids’ bedrooms.
They look great, but I’m still waiting on ladders so I can climb. They say Derek
also coached baseball and football this year. I have to trust them since they
never took me to a game.
Many
afternoons I rest at Annette’s feet while she writes. (Sometimes I pay
attention. How else do you think I learned to use the computer?) She had two
summer milestones: a fortieth birthday and her first book published. (It’s
called Insects as Producers. She
didn’t get to pick the title.) She’s under contract with the same publisher for
two more children’s nonfiction books for the fall of 2017. She enjoys the
opportunity to teach a bit at science camp and at school and library
presentations. (Annette’s website is www.AnnetteWhipple.com if you’re
interested in that kind of stuff.)
Back when I
needed medicine, Meghan handled it like a pro…maybe even better than her
parents. When she grows up, maybe she’ll take care of animals. She likes me to
nap beside her while she reads on weekends. But she’s not always quiet. She
makes a lot of noise with a flute. The more she practices, the better it sounds.
Meghan played flag football in the fall and is eager for basketball this
winter. She’s also getting crafty with the 4-H textile club once a month. She
had no idea she’d have so much homework as a fourth grader. I wonder if she’ll
survive with all the moaning I hear.
I like to
watch Evan build with little bricks he calls LEGOs. (All the kids enjoy LEGOs
and DUPLOs, but he’s the most passionate.) He has a big imagination for design
but doesn’t really let me play with what he makes. He’s really into sports like
baseball and flag football. Like Meghan, he will also play basketball this
winter. I wonder if he can beat my relative, the cheetah, in a foot race. He’s
pretty fast. Evan’s big news as a second grader is that he no longer takes
anti-seizure medicine. The family prays he remains free from seizures.
At age five,
Esther leaves me just three days a week for preschool. Esther plays with me
extra when the other children aren’t around. She adores her brother, sister,
and me. She also appreciates the days when it’s just her and her mom at home or
when her dad runs errands with her. She is a funny and curious kid. Esther
keeps up with her big brother and sister pretty well.
I had a good
life on the farm, but this is the family for me. Imagine how fun it would be if
the kids didn’t bicker so much! I’ve helped make these kids great pooper
scoopers. Sometimes I fetch a slipper, stuffed animal, or pajamas from a
bedroom. Maybe I show off a little by taking them downstairs, but I don’t want
them to think they need a dog. I’m cat enough for this family! On behalf of the
Whipple family, have a blessed Christmas and new year!
Meowy Christmas,
Mookie
