Lost

I've been putting this post off for quite awhile now. I guess I was kind of hoping I never would have to "make it official" but its been weeks. So its with a heavy heart that I tell you we lost Muta. About a week before we moved he went out in the afternoon and then we never saw him again. I got worried after about three hours, as he'd never been gone that long. And when he didn't come home all night I thought the worst. I dropped the kids off at school the next morning and walked around our neighborhood calling his name. I ran into a woman and I asked if she had seen a tabby cat and she asked, "Oh did you lose your cat?" and I surprised myself by promptly bursting into tears. We put up signs, checked the pound's "lost and found" page obsessively (and still do), but there's been no sign or word. Though we only had him for a little while that little cat made a big spot for himself in our hearts and family and we're all depressed about it. The kids have taken it in stride, sometimes being very matter of fact about it ("When are we getting a new cat Mama?) to saying out of nowhere, "I just really miss Moo-moo Mama." We've talked about getting a new cat, but we still need to get settled in the new house and a new routine and almost every conversation about getting a new cat ends with either Josh or I saying, "I just want Muta back." We miss you, boy.