The Sweetest Thing

Baby Bash!

One of the sweetest things Big has ever said to me is, "How could I get rid of him? Look how happy he makes you."

He was talking about the boy cat.

So one day, we were on our way back from family court after having Big's child support cancelled because his children had aged out.

Can I just say that it is absolutely ridiculous that you have to actually file to have child support cancelled when the kids age out? It's not like family court and the child support enforcement unit don't have entered into their databases every tiny detail about who you and your kids are. And there is a set age limit for when child support ends, no matter what. In New York, that age is 21. I feel like instead of making the parents take time off work, and instead of taking up the court's time, there should be a setting in the system that ends the court order on the child(ren)'s 21st birthday.

Obviously, if circumstances change, and the child is "emancipated" (defined in New York as married, self-supporting, or in the military), you'd still have to file to modify the order, but it's ridiculous that right now, we have to waste everyone's time (and taxpayer money) with ceasing a court order that, by law, is required to end on the child(ren)'s 21st birthday.

ANYway...

Big's kid drove us to court and we'd decided to walk home because the courthouse was only a mile and a half away from our flat.

Ahhh...city life.

On the way, this little half-starved ragamuffin started following us. I picked him up, and he started purring. Big was insistent that we not bring him home...until he licked Big's hand, and all protesting went out the window.

The kitten quickly became a problem, though, because he wouldn't let us sleep. He had a weird eating schedule from living on the street and having to find his own food, so he was always hungry. And when he wasn't keeping us up at night, he was fighting with Priss.

One day, Big and I had a HUGE fight about it. Big had some big meeting, and Bash had been relentless.

Frustrated and heartbroken, I screamed, "Then just get rid of him! But do it yourself, because I refuse to be involved."

At some point, we calmed down and went to sleep. The next day, I scooped Bash up in my arms and cuddled him, and then we played for a while, and I laughed the whole time. In truth, I was just trying to spend time with him before Big found him a new home. But ultimately, my love for the baby won out because Big couldn't stand to separate me from the one thing making me smile at that point in our lives.

When he gives up sleep and sanity to make you happy? That's how you know he loves you.

Happy Valentine's Day, Big. I love you more than life.

💜