We lost both of our kitties to IBD complications in July of 2015 and November 2016, and I was hesitant to get new cats again. However my daughter (14) really wanted to get kittens so badly, so in late August 2017 I agreed to stop by our local Petsmart “just to look”. There were two older kittens there that we started playing with, but when my daughter sat down this sweet tabby boy came over and laid down on her lap. He would not get up from her lap as he was quite comfortable on her. The volunteer told us his name was Lightning Bolt, he was 4, and he had been picked up off the streets a few months prior by the Trap, Neuter, & Release program. After being neutered and having his ear clipped they were going to release him back outdoors again but soon realized he was not a feral at all but the sweetest boy ever, so he was brought to Perfect Pals. When it was time to go I could tell my daughter was very hesitant to leave him behind, and that afternoon there were even tears from worry that someone else would fall in love with this kitty boy and take him home instead of us (even though his chart described him as “abominably cute”, and true, he had a bit of a derpy look on his face at the time and maybe not considered traditionally cute). She had truly bonded with him during our visit. So we went back to PetSmart that evening where volunteers were thankfully still there so we could fill out the adoption application paperwork for Lightning Bolt. A couple of days later we were able to pick him up and take him to his forever home with us. That first night we all slept in my bed, and he was just so happy to be home and loved. We decided to rename him Monty as it suited him better. Two months later we ended up adopting a young kitten boy, Remy, from the Kitty Catfe in Edmonds, and when we brought him home we were prepared to keep him separate in a safe room for a while until the two became used to each other. But to our pleasant surprise, Monty adopted his baby brother immediately and was inseparable from Remy, sleeping next to him, grooming him, and chasing and wrestling with him. Here we are eight months after bringing Monty home, and he has been one of the best decisions we ever made. He has helped my daughter so much with her anxiety, and he has been an amazing big brother to Remy.   Anybody who comes to visit is instantly smitten by his charm; he will come up to greet people at the door and stand or sit with us while we talk, as if he were part of the conversation going on. We are truly so thankful that Monty chose us that late summer day. Don’t you just love happy endings?