I’ve told the story before, but it’s worth repeating. 8 years ago, I walked into the Williamson County Animal Shelter looking for a cat.

Little did I know that one of the cats that day was looking for me. I turned around and there was this little tortie paw sticking out of the cage reaching for me. She chose me to be her forever human.

Right now, I’m dog sitting in Bellevue for two of the best pups ever, so I can’t give her a celebratory belly rub. But that will happen on Saturday when I get home.

I had hoped to find a cat like my first cat Lucy, but God knew what I needed more than I did. 8 years later, I have to agree.

She really is the most loving and gentle cat I’ve ever known. She spends most of her time napping — usually underneath some pillows or covers. She gets her 15 minutes of exercise with some insane zoomies.

I wouldn’t trade her for a whole bag full of magic beans or for all the money in the world. Here’s to (at least) another 8 years of joy.

Happy Gotcha Day, Peanut!