Escher made another big step this week. This handsome boy is shy and awkward and still gets frightened very quickly. If he’s lying all cozy on the bed, he’s okay if Justin or I walk into the room but if it’s both of us – he bolts. When the doorbell rings – he bolts. When company comes over – he bolts.

This week, my sister Shannon came by for some visiting. The kittens have known Auntie Shannon since they came to live with us but still, sometimes she won’t see them at all, especially Escher. ​Not this time!

One day, Shannon looked at Escher and Escher looked at Shannon and something amazing happened; he walked right over to her to say hi!

That was already swoon worthy but then he did something else, something that is his own odd little quirk, something that doesn’t sound very pleasant but is in fact a wonder: he gave her his bum. That’s what we’ve come to call it. When he turns around and offers up his butt, it’s an act of trust. It started when the kittens were wee. Whenever you reached out, Escher would quickly move away. He was always leaving. If you got lucky, you might be able to pet the very end of his back before he was gone and so that was the first place he got used to being petted. Knowing this, Shannon reached out and was able to give a little pet to her furry nephew to the delight of us all.

You never know when or how the magic is going to happen. But if you are patent and you pay attention, the opportunity for magic will arrive.

(Luckily it doesn’t always look like a cat’s behind!)