I Want a Gerbil...Says Jaelyn

Jaelyn has been begging to have a nasty little rodent in her room for years, and for years, I've been saying "no" and Dan's been saying "when you can behave with no explosions."  We are quickly approaching the no explosions clause.  She is still up and down like a yo-yo and can be a little toot, but she is controlling herself when it comes to the really out of control behavior.  We haven't had a major screaming fit in a while.  Once she finished her horse and sloth research, she moved on to gerbils.  Are they rodents?  I don't know, but they look like little rats.  Yuck.  She's learned all about them.  She can quote you types of hay and why one brand is better than another.  She has researched prices of cages and accessories to know what she wants.  She knows the type of gerbil and colors that she wants.  We've added "a savings of one year worth of gerbil expenses" to her "behaving" requirement because I'm not paying for it.  Tonight she gave us a presentation with a homemade poster with all sorts of facts and a powerpoint presentation that she put together.  I must say, I'm a little impressed.  If she continues to hold it together and saves about $100 (her estimation), then I think Jaelyn will be the proud momma of two nasty little rodents just as soon as we move this summer.  Of course, the day she forgets to feed them or asks me to clean out their cage will be the day they find a new owner because I'm not being responsible.  Cats and dogs are my limit!

I'll have to get Dan to help me upload her presentation.  I haven't figured moviemaker out yet on the new computer :).