I am now the mother of a turtle and her name is Chewie. Her name comes from the fact that our Husky, Abby, loves to chew on rocks. In July of last year, I was entering our master bathroom and saw a rock. Darn you Abby, why do you insist on bringing all those rocks in the house? When I picked it up, to throw it outside, it moved! That's when I noticed that Abby had actually been chewing on a poor baby turtle. I'm assuming that when it moved she dropped it where she was. Now Abby has killed birds and squirrels but I guess she didn't want to kill a moving rock.

I've had turtles before but never one injured and tiny (abut the size of a half dollar). The only place on her that looked injured was her shell so I cleaned her up with peroxide, put antibiotic on her shell and hoped for the best. I really didn't expect her to live, hence the Chinese take out bowl, but she's one tough little turtle. I still wasn't sure she was going to make it so I transferred her to a plastic shoebox. She wouldn't move her back legs so I'd run them under warm water until she stuck them out and made her move them back and forth. Dale walked by one day while I was doing this and joked about me giving the turtle water therapy. (Maybe I should add that to my resume - Turtle Physical Therapist)

After several months, and it looked like she was going to live, I started looking for a new habitat (all the while asking everyone I knew if they wanted a turtle) I found a great deal on an aquarium with a cool background, added mulch, fake moss, a rock to put her food on (to keep her toenails short or so says the Facebook group "Box turtles of North America"), a cool coconut house (that she never uses), a mesh top and UV light. I've spent nearly $100 on this silly turtle and I'm still trying to give her away.

Day before yesterday or granddaughter, Taylor, called and asked if she could bring a baby turtle to our habitat that she had rescued from a parking lot . Sure, no problem?

Squirt is even smaller than Chewie. I told Taylor that she could have the whole setup if she wanted it. After running to ask her mom, my Christy gave me the stink eye and said no. I did mention that turtles live a very long time and when we die she would probably have a place of her own and she could have them then.

After the first awkward day it seems they're hitting it off really well and now they are kind of growing on me. It's starting to feel like Noah's ark at our house (2dogs, 2cat and 2turtles)

I'm always saying that God keeps sending all of our pets. I just hope he doesn't decide to send me any more. I'm done.