Now Where Did I Put My Kids?

So I can't find my keys. Or my wedding ring. Or my cell phone (I know, it's not the first time).

We may have a burglar who enjoys stealing one item at a time.

Or I've lost my memory along with several of my possessions.

update: Found the keys! Half the set right where the should be; other half left at the parents when they borrowed car.

Jeff

Johnathan wrote a nice tribute to my brother, Jeff, on his 52 Photos site.

Sissy slap Monkey fights, gourmet "pressed head", AK-47's, rebellions, babies, witches, curses, fires, plane crashes, stranded, dredging dead bodies from mucky waters, snakes, COBRA'S, poisonous centipedes, children's hospitals, betrayal, threats, broken bones, riots, theft, machet, viruses, soldiers, orphans, hunger, refugee camps, LRA, ADF, muzungoo, teaching, prayer, faith, love. Believe me the list goes on and on. Many will die having never lived... not Jeff.

Jeff embraces life. ALL OF IT. When Jesus said, he came that we might have life and have it abundantly, Jeff believed it.

Read the rest of it here.

Random Thoughts From My Thursday

Every year I say that I'm going to get my taxes done "early", but then I have to spend an exorbitant amount of time organizing before I can print out my nice spreadsheets for my lovely accountant. Once again, I find myself surrounded by bank statements and receipts at the end of March.

I just realized that my phone has not rung since Monday. I'm glad, because I really don't like talking on the phone.

When I was confirming the above statement, I saw that I had received a text from my seven-year-old. She's so cool.

My oldest two have been in central Oregon with my parents since Monday. I feel a bit guilty that today is the first day that I have really missed them.

My baby's tonsils are so big that it may be keeping her from regularly eating solid foods. That could explain her resistance to finish nursing. Surgery is likely in our future (for the tonsils, not the nursing).

I made up a recipe last night for Life Group that worked! Layer inch-cubes of potatoes, frozen Costco corn (the only non-fresh corn to eat), bite-sized hot dog slices, and a healthy heaping of Tillamook cheese (of course, the only cheese). Same layers again. Pour 2/3 cup of milk over. Cover with foil; bake for 90 minutes at 375. It would be great with sausage, ham, chicken, or hamburger, too, I'm sure. Yum!

I'm not going to make dinner tonight. I'm not in the mood and I don't think we have any dinner-worthy food in the house anyway. Fiona & I already ate the leftovers from the above recipe for lunch.

Easter candy should be more about quality chocolate and less about marshmallows and cheap jellybeans.

If you are my friend, you should be twittering. I'm kristicw in that land. For some reason, I find twitter oddly enjoyable and addicting.

Enough of a break - Back to the tax slog.

The Not-So-Long Road Trip

It's the first day of spring break, so although I'm not going anywhere this week, my spirit is ready to hit the road. I shared a while back the road trip that I've planned for this summer. Nine states in three weeks! Lunch from the cooler in the backseat! Alphabet license plate games! Historical markers along the freeway! Good times ahead! Or maybe not.

I don't know if you've noticed, but gas prices have gone a little out of control. And they're only projected to keep going up. So here's a little math to work through. Let's say 4800 miles at 18 or so miles per gallon times $4 per gallon. I think that puts us at about...a whole lot of money. Like four numbers across - before the decimal point [cough, cough]. Of course that doesn't count food, a few days of lodging, and any sites that might require a few bucks (so much for a day at Disneyland).

Or, for the same amount of pesos (or pound), I could hop a plane by myself for ten days in Scotland.

Or, I could lock myself in my house, organize the basement and paint a few walls and not answer phone or email for a month.

It's a tough call.

Ah, Sweet Sleep