When most parents think about getting a pet for their kids to grow up with, they're probably imagining a kitten or a puppy, maybe a bunny or a hamster. And like those parents, Lacey Gray and her husband never imagined taking in, say, a baby cow.
But after meeting Molly, they can't imagine bringing anyone else home.
Lacey works as a photographer in Memphis, Tennessee, and recently, a client asked for a calf to be part of their photoshoot, so Lacy talked to her uncle, who owns cows.
Her uncle explained that loaning out a baby cow would greatly upset both the calf and the mother, so Lacey decided to call off the shoot.
But the very next day, there was a tragedy on the farm. One of Lacey's uncle's cows was fatally injured, and without her, her tiny calf would likely not survive, either.
"He called and asked if we could take care of her. I said yes. I hadn't even told my husband yet," Lacey says. "I thought, oh my gosh, I'm going to be a cow mom. My husband didn't know that he was going to be a cow dad."
And their two-year-old daughter, Kinley, had no idea she was about to get a new sister. Lacey had no idea how her toddler would react to suddenly having a baby cow in the house.
But Kinley jumped right into the roll of big sister to the family's new addition, and welcomed the baby cow, named Molly, into her home with open arms.
[H/T: The Dodo]
When Molly came to the house that night, Kinley got right to work making sure the confused baby cow felt at home.
"We brought her inside the first night, because we didn't want her to be scared," Lacey explains.
"My little girl sat down with her and said, 'Hey Molly! Hey Molly!' Molly wandered into Kinley's room, and Kinley said, 'This is my room. These are my toys.'"
"Kinley became really close to Molly very quickly," she says. "It's like they are sisters."
After the first night, the family made a cozy home for Molly outside, but that doesn't mean she gets any less love and affection.
Because she's still so little, Lacey bottle-feeds Molly several times a day, while Kinley makes sure she never feels lonely.
"She likes to feed Molly all on her own…when Kinley steps out there, Molly loves to lick all over her face. She'll kiss her nose, and both of her ears," says Lacey.
"She doesn't like to kiss just one ear. It always has to be both. She gives her hugs, too. It's just the sweetest thing."
Molly will stay with the Grays as she grows larger, stronger, and more independent. When she's old enough, they'll decide whether life will be better for her with them, or back on Lacey's uncle's farm with other cows.
But for now, they're all enjoying the new member of their family.
And Lacey finally got that baby cow photo shoot she'd wanted to do, but this time, Molly was the costar.
"I wanted to give Molly the feeling of having a great mom," Lacey says. "Even though she's an animal, I wanted her to feel like she could depend on someone. We have a great bond, but I just love the bond she has with Kinley.
"It's something I didn't expect, that we would be so connected, and that we would love her so much and that she would love us so much."
It just goes to show that sometimes, the most unexpected additions can bring out the most love! SHARE this adorable friendship with everyone you know!
