I'm with you, it should have been 'first come, first served' and I am a little disappointed with Admin. Having said that, I like your elephants too, and I admire you for choosing something else. Perhaps when you find something personal to you, (see my avatar, a quilt I designed myself) then you could change to that.
I agree also with beachlady, I tend to identify people by their avatars, and it throws me completely until I learn the new one.