Bunnymatch.com

I made a mistake. I don't admit it often so certain folks should soak that in.

First, we moved to the country. Then we got a dog. The dog ran away every day for a year regardless of our attentions. The dog got a new home. That's the short version.

On my oldest's twelfth birthday, I went on a visit to a friend's house. That friend was dumping a large rabbit hutch. The light in my brain turned on saying "Take the hutch, give the girl a rabbit for her birthday!" The light must have been a distorting black light because in the long run ... I made a mistake. There, I said it again.

Don't get me wrong. Thumper was great fun and a great guy. There couldn't be a better rabbit out there. We loved him. We had adventures with him. But as all things with novelty are, the last little while has seen him just hanging out in a rabbit hutch staring out through the bars at the kids who used to play.

What to do. What to do. Suggesting Craig's listing him brought oceans of tears. Thoughts of a "disappearing rabbit trick" whilst kids were at school just seemed wrong. But ongoing captivity wasn't right either. And then a solution opened.

One day during a visit with another friend and conversation over kids and pets, I mentioned my rabbit predicament and concerns over childhood emotional well being. Her eyes lit up and she informed me that her niece works for an organization that takes in rabbits, pairs them with a companion of the opposite sex and re-homes them to "forever families".

Could this be? Match.com for rabbits? Did I laugh? Yes ... but later in privacy to spare my friend's enthusiasm.

Now to sell it to the kids.

There were tears .. at first. Then there was a family night lesson on "Fulfilling the measure of your creation ... and that means rabbits too." There were still tears -- but lessened. So, we followed with bedtime tuck in conversations about how it would feel to be denied the opportunity of finding an eternal companion in this life ... and that means rabbits too.

And we let that sit and sink in for awhile.

Tears were wiped, children made honorable decisions and I'm pleased to say my mistake has been made right as we delivered Thumper into capable hands and watched him snuggle up to a bunny just right for him. It felt good and the kids left feeling good. It's been a few days now and our dad reminds us, "You know you've made the right decision when you still feel good about it days later -- now stop cluttering our lives with more pets."

I agree whole heartedly .... now. That's good advice and hopefully I won't make that mistake again cuz I'm notorious for falling in love with all things little and bringing them home without asking for a second opinion. Now go get that chick catalogue that came in the mail yesterday, kids, cuz spring's a comin' and we've got an empty hutch ...