I love animals. I REALLY do. Some might even say that I love animals too much. I have such a huge heart for all things furry, feathery, scaly, and slimy. God created each and every one of these creatures and it breaks my heart that people do not show animals the love and respect they deserve. Before I had Harrison, I swore I would never go to the zoo. I didn't want to raise my children thinking that I condoned animals being taken out of their natural habitat. I think that God had a reason for putting animals where he did and that we should appreciate His master plan. When Matt and I talked about how we would approach the issues of animals with our kids, Matt helped me understand that it is not healthy to raise a child to cry on their field trips to the zoo, or want to loose their temper every time they hear about a puppy mill, or need a box of tissues every time they watch animal planet (yes, I do all of those). Instead, we want to raise children that love and respect all of God's creatures. The zoo (as much as it breaks my heart when I see animals behind glass/bars/fences) is a wonderful way to show our children first hand the awesome power of God and His amazing creation. Most of these animals have been bred into captivity and I understand that they now depend on their caretakers. I also understand that they have access to medical attention that they would not have in the wild, but I feel like they are missing out on enjoying life as it was intended for them. I learned this morning that Scotty the baby elephant died at the Louisville Zoo last night. I know that animals die in the wild, but I have had the chance to watch this precious little guy for the last 8 months. As silly as it sounds, I hope there is a special safari for Scotty in heaven :)
