Our Story of Fish
When John and I met he was living next door to me in a house they called the "Pescado House" because of a particularly gorgeous fish painting above the couch that said Pescado on it. John and a couple of his roommates got fish to place on the mantle to complete the place. So they became lovingly known as the "Pescado Boys" by everyone in our ward. During that year at BYU there were songs written about Pescado boys, many jokes, and while I student taught kindergarten with my friend Charity, she helped me make all kinds of creative fish art projects that I could give to John at the end of the day. That might just be the reason we are married today. :) When we got married we inherited his fish, a hearty beta fish, in a tank with a sign that said, "FISH NEED LOVE TOO." We kept that little bugger alive quite awhile, but when he passed on we decided we really didn't need a pet to complete our family.
Fast forward 8 years...We went to a family party and our niece Kaitlyn offered my girls a couple of fish she had won at a carnival that she needed to find a home for. (I kind of wonder why they pass out helpless little goldfish to kids at carnivals anyway...) The girls were so excited and John and I couldn't say no to the fish. It was a part of our history and we'd had a fish before. We could handle that.
So the girls named their new fish "Goldy" and "Pinkie Pie". They couldn't have been more thrilled to buy a tank and make a home for their new pets. Kelsie told me "I've always needed something to take care of." (Oh, me too!) Emily must have picked up on my pessimistic talk on the life span of a fish because for the first 2 weeks every time she walked by them she'd say, "Huh, they're still alive" with surprise. It cracked me up.
All in all we've enjoyed our pet fish. But the constant bowl changes and finding pet sitters so we can go on vacation reminded me why didn't want a pet. Even two silly little gold fish are one extra thing to worry about and take care of. Three kids are quite enough for us, we just don't need the extra work of a couple of fish. I'm glad we learned this lesson on fish instead of a cat or a dog. I just don't think we're pet people, at least not yet.
But, the pictures of them adoring their new pets sure are cute.
4 comments:
Such a cute story! We're the same way. Pets end up being another thing on my long to-do list. When we had a fish, I felt guilty that the poor thing ended up being near the bottom of the list. I promise that I didn't try to kill it but I also haven't replaced it either. The empty fish bowl now is home to a fish-shaped Ty Beanie Baby - the perfect pet for us!
Oh the memories! Those were good times in those apartments we lived in!
Melanie-I love the Beanie Baby fish in the bowl idea--low maintenance and no guilt--that's my kind of pet!
Pet-sitting is the way to go, Andrea :) I am still so amazed Carter hasn't gotten your fish out of that tank and loved them to death! And really, how awesome are those names the girls came up with?
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