Achievement Unlocked

I have unlocked many achievements over the years. This past June, an epic unlock occurred - Disney Princess Status! If you are an avid follower already of Castle in the Air blog, you already know this... but if you are a newb to the site... Welcome! I am not a self-proclaimed princess. In fact, I can name many people who have bestowed the title upon my person. I made this animated video to explain how my status changed from Princess to Disney Princess. Enjoy! (Picture Source).

Real life examples if you need further proof.

In 2010, my Prince Charming and I traveled to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. On one of the islands, we stepped out of our "carriage" and Charming couldn't find me. He circled our carriage and found me petting this colossal mastiff-type dog, who just trotted up to me hoping I would pet him. Animals just look at me and know that I am a safe human who will love on them.

Friends' pets really shouldn't count as evidence, but they are too cute to resist posting.

Left: I don't remember this dog's name, but he was definitely a lap dog. Picture taken at a friend's house in the Philippines in 2013.

Middle: This is Tiger. Picture taken at another friend's house in the Philippines in 2013.

Right: This is Saba, my sister's "puppy." Saba was probably laying near me hoping I would give her cheerios. Picture taken in Indiana 2020.

Validation of evidence is really found in strays or obstinate pets.

Top Left: In 2010, I met Gabby. Gabby knew I was not a fan of birds, I was quite leery of her actually. She wanted to be my friend anyway despite my objections. She stayed on my shoulder long enough for a picture, then I quickly asked her owner to remove her from my person.

Top Right: In 2011, my cousin's barn cat decided I was her person.

Middle Left: In 2013, in the Philippines, my friend's dog had puppies. The mom trusted me enough to hold her newborn.

Middle Right: In 2013, while walking around Pokhara, Nepal, this random puppy begged me to snuggle.

Bottom Left: In 2013, at a hotel in Pokhara, Nepal, this kitty jumped in my lap seeking attention.

Bottom Right: In 2016, in Columbus, Indiana, My co-worker and I found this abandoned kitty, which his wife granted sanctuary at their abode. I gave him a bath and checked him for fleas.

A Wholesome Reunion

I have always, with exception of a few years, have had pets. I like both cats and dogs, but I find with my busy schedule and traveling from place to place that cats are more self-sufficient than dogs. When my Prince Charming swept me off my feet in 2009, I had to leave my dog with my mother, our new apartment only allowed 2 pets. When we traveled overseas in 2011, my 2 kitties found residence with a new guardian. My one regret moving overseas was having to find other homes for my critters. I felt like I abandoned them, but I knew God wanted me to "go to the ends of the earth" (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8) to share the good news to the nations.

God, in His sovereignty, knows the needs of his followers. When Charming and I were reinstated as US residents, I was reunited with all three within a two years.

Left: In 2014, Gizmo moved to Indiana with us. Gizzy passed in 2015.

Middle: In 2015, I talked my Prince into letting me adopt 2 kitties. This is Nykyrian and Clio. Nykyrian passed in 2019.

Right: In 2016, My pet limit was exceeded due to extenuating circumstances. I was reunited with Selene and Sebastian. Selene passed in 2018.

The Hoarding of Cats

I am pretty sure I have always been a cat hoarder. My poor husband keeps asking, "why can't you share the cats?"

Achievement Unlocked

This past June, Charming and I traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. A substantial population of stray cats call Istanbul home, "with estimates ranging from a hundred thousand to over a million stray cats. Many Turkish citizens view street animals as communally-owned pets, rather than traditional strays" (Source). On one adventure in the Bull, without any provocation or encouragement, this grey kitty decided that I was his person. It took a considerable amount of time to figure out how to remove him from my person. He was quite vocal to my Prince with his thoughts about being picked up. I had to very slowly rise from my chair before he grumpily jumped down looking for another lap to call home.

Without Further ado

So ladies and gentlemen of the blog world, the evidence is abundant. We can all conclude that a new achievement has indeed been unlocked, and I didn't even have to sing. Disney Princess Status achieved. (Picture Source).

*Edited 10 July 2023. Removed potentially copyrighted photos and/or replaced with open source.