Here's the newest member of our family, Fury. Fury is a Bengal kitten obtained from Mystre Bengals of League City, TX. Fury was a surprise present from our daughter, Rebecca, in Virginia. We got her 18 August 2006. She was born 15 May 2006.

The Bengal is a relatively new breed of cat which was first bred in the U.S.A and was originally created by crossing an Asian Leopard Cat with a domestic cat, originally Egyptian Maus, Abyssians or Ocicats. The domestic Bengal derives its name from the Latin name of its wild ancestor, Felis Bengalensis (Asian Leopard Cat). Whilst the domestic Bengal is similar in appearance to the Asian Leopard cat, and its genetic makeup contains a contribution from that wild cat species, its temperament however is purely domestic. The goal in developing the domestic Bengal cat breed was to preserve a strong physical resemblance to its beautiful wild ancestor and at the same time the new domestic breed was designed to be a pleasant and trustworthy family companion. Therefore, the conformation of the Bengal is definitely reminiscent of its ancestors. The Bengal is a large, sleek and very muscular cat with its hind-quarters slightly higher than its shoulders with a thick tail that is carried low. The Bengal should be alert and affectionate and its wild appearance is enhanced by its distinctive spotted or marbled coat. The different coat patterns are either leopard spotted or marbled, on a background color of brown, or sometimes white.
There is no other breed of cat which displays the gold or pearl dusting effect (glitter) of the Bengal. Its pelt has a rich smooth feel of satin or silk. Even the voice of the Bengal is different from that of other domestic cats. They can coo and chirp, and like to jump and somersault. They also love to play with water!
To sum up, the Bengal is self-assured, affectionate and playful, with the stunning looks of its wild ancestor.

Some photos of our family throughout the years.

Hopefully, you'll be able to see how we've grown over the years. Now, we are separated by miles but closer than ever.

At the wedding of Rebecca Goehring and Paul Hendershot on 15 May 2005. Located at the beautiful Kali Kate farms in Buda, Texas.

Their chaplain had just returned from Iraq on duty with an American artillery unit. Their friends and family came from Maryland, Virginia, California, Wisconsin, and throughout Texas.

Hello all! This is the house of Hendershot, where Becky and Paul live. We sometimes call it Animal House, because we are very outnumbered! There are a variety of geckos, 2 and a half cats, and one dog. I say a half, because he belongs to our old roommate, but Nick can't have cats where he is right now. He's the skinny orange one. We have a standard poodle, who is too smart. He's being trained in hunting, is trained in obedience and he shows in the conformation ring. In his first show he got four best of breeds! Since last year we have lost two beloved members of our furry family. Yin had to be put to sleep in November 2006, and we lost Spook in a battle against urinary problems August 23, 2007. It has been very difficult, especially as Spook was a month away from being a year and a half old. He was thrown in a dumpster at 3 weeks of age and Rebecca had to wean him and raise him as carefully as a momma cat. I think it has been so hard because he was so young. However, we should be adding to our standard poodles next summer with the granddaughter of the only silver poodle to win the National Championship! We'll see how she is!

Here are some pictures of our brand spanking new home in the Houston area. We were very lucky to find this home matching all of our criteria: wood floors, large ceilings, big kitchen, and a price we could afford.