Okay my line of thought went hmm when you started talking about the animals. Just wondering how many animals you had when your kids were little. At anytime has your wife expressed a want for another child? A lot of people subsitute animals for children. And I noticed your children are of independent ages so it could be a possiblity. I went through a phaze of chickens goats pony ducks cats and dogs. Every time my kids took a step towards independence I took on a new animal. I wanted another child still do. Was subsituting my motherly instincts with animal needs. Lucky for me 70 chickens later I realized what I was doing. Because even though the animals needed me as a infant would to take care of them it was never enough to fufill that need. Oddly I really never liked animals on a large scale prior to this phaze in my life. I thought they were cute. But animal dander animal droppings and animals helping themselves to food my children was attempting to eat always came first to mind when thinking of instilling them in my household and made me ahh not so fond of them prior to this phaze. My sister who also wanted another child but did not have anymore then her 3 also has 6 dogs 3 cats and birds of some sort.Takes in strays nutures them back to health then looks for homes for them. Keeps what ever ones she cannot place.
Well just thought I would add my 2cents Have a good day
