When my Mom is in the mood for fast food, she famously orders a Quarter Pounder. Just a Quarter Pounder. Not a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, not a Double Quarter Pounder, and – brace yourselves – no fries with that.

Similarly, in the last couple of weeks, all of the Value Meal  kittens have been ordered – I mean, adopted – separately.

Fearless leader Big Mac was first, going home with a volunteer who didn’t want (French) Fry with that. (OK, it isn’t that she didn’t want him – just that Big Mac was already joining a feline-full house, with an appetite for only one newcomer.)

In the triumph of the marmalade kittens, “mama’s boy” French Fry followed his brother in adoption order. French Fry, too, was scooped up by a loving volunteer.

It was at this point that we all began noticing Wendy noticing her babies’ exits. As devoted to her wee ones as ever, mama Wendy redoubled her efforts at enthusiastically loving the kittens in her care – now just Chili and Chalupa.

But the a la carte adopting wasn’t over: fuzzy, fun-loving tomboy Chalupa made quick work of endearing a family to herself, and in a few days, she, too, was in the lap of (human) love in her forever home.

Now before you start feeling too badly for gentle Chili and mom-of-the-year Wendy, let me assure you: this special order has the very happiest of endings. Sweeter than a Frosty, in fact.

With three out of four kittens spoken-for or adopted, a longtime friend of Tabby’s Place, Susan, dropped by one afternoon to visit…and to contemplate adding to her crew. Susan was already adoptive mama to Tabby’s Place alum Jesse and his best buddy Purrcy, and thought her boys might be ready for a new sibling.

Or two.

With great hope, I took Susan to the “nursery,” the quiet, sunny room where Wendy and her brood have been living. “Smitten” may be too weak a word for Susan’s reaction to mama Wendy and her tabby boy Chili. But, still, she wanted to proceed with caution and great care, so she asked me to introduce her to Ace and a few of our other felines.

(And, yes, I did introduce her – but, much as I want Ace and everykitty to find a home, I was sorely tempted to tell Susan that every other cat at Tabby’s Place was unavailable for adoption!) In as gentle and not-trying-to-rush-you a way as possible, I gently reminded Susan that Chili and Wendy were quite likely to be adopted – probably Chili first, and alone, sigh – and that, if she reeeeeeally wanted them, she should put them on hold.

But Susan was careful. Wise. And so, she waited.

And waited.

You can imagine what a burst of glee it was when the phone rang first thing the next morning, with Susan’s happy voice announcing her decision…she’d set her heart on Chili…and Wendy!

Together!

And, now, these last two members of the Value Meal have gone home – together! The only time Wendy and her baby boy will be separated again will be briefly, for Chili’s neutering in a few weeks. But, the mother-and-child reunion will be only a moment away, and then they’ll be together, adored by Susan, and Jesse and Purrcy, forever. Susan reports that, if Jesse and Purrcy will be Wendy’s “brothers,” that makes them little Chili’s uncles.

Sounds like a value-packed new family to me. 🙂

PS: Very special thanks to wonderful Tabby’s Place volunteer John Moore for taking and letting me use these delightful photos, many of which first appeared on John’s blog, “It’s All Good.” And, by the way, his cat-full blog is a real treat – I think you’ll all enjoy it as much as I do.