Proud Mama

I'm such a proud mommy right now! Over the weekend, the annual Mid-Michigan Cat Fancier's Association cat show was held at the Lucas Co. Rec Center. I go every year as a spectator, or booth volunteer, but this year I went as an exhibitor! Last March, they held at show in BG for the first time, so I entered Kia in it. She was extremely nervous, as she'd never done anything like that before, and didn't make the finals in any of the show rings. Not that I wasn't proud of her. After all, she did get her picture on the front page of the Sentinel!
But, anyway, I decided to enter her in the Lucas Co. show this year, since that's the one I go to every year. She wasn't as nervous this time, but still pretty wide-eyed. I took her to the photographer's booth a couple times for a "dose of playtime" because it always seems to calm them down a little when they get to play with the photographer's toys. I also walked around with her in between show rings to get her more acclimated to the environment. Our cage area was next to a couple who were entering their kitty, Emily, for the very first time. Emily was a pretty little Siamese mix, and she ended up getting 7th best household pet in, like, the second ring. Kia, however, didn't make the finals at all on Friday. So, I was worried it would be just like last time, when I would watch the people next to me clean house while we walked away empty-handed. So, on Saturday, Mom told me she was really praying hard for Kia to win something--anything! Well, guess what: On the very first ring on Saturday, they called her number for the finals! I was so ecstatic! The judge gave her 8th best household pet and she got a beautiful red rosette out of it. As if that weren't enough, she made the finals in the very next ring, too! Again, she placed 8th. I was especially happy about that ring because the rosettes were purple (my favorite color!). I called mom and dad right away to tell them the news. They were so proud of their grandkitty!
When we got home, I displayed her robbons next to my Cinderella Pageant trophies and sashes. It's turning into quite a shrine in that corner of my room. I would've been happy with just one 10th place finish, so two 8th place finishes just knocked it all out of the ballpark! Perhaps we'll keep competing and take home even more ribbons in future shows. I guess it will all depend on where we'll be living this time next year. No matter what the ribbons say, though, she'll always be #1 with me! :)