DEATH COMES UNEXPECTEDLY

(Five House Points to the first person who can tell me the movie from which my title is taken. :P)

A few months after Eileen joined the family, she informed us that we talked about life insurance A LOT, and that it was really weird that we did that. After thinking about it for awhile, we realized that we did talk about life insurance a lot (pretty odd for a family that doesn't even have an insurance salesperson in it) but decided we didn't care, and 9 years later it's become a pretty funny running joke.

A few weeks ago, James and I went and met with a lawyer in an effort to get our life more together. We need to get wills drawn up, make some decisions about what will happen to our "estate", and also decide where the girls will go in the unfortunate event of our demise . (All candidates are being carefully considered. Winners will be notified by mail. Don't call us; we'll call you! ;D)

We've always talked about what we would do if something happened to either one of us unexpectedly, especially when James was in the Navy (working one of the world's most dangerous jobs), so it's not like the decisions have been hard to make. In fact, we have a little game we like to play called "If you die, I'm gonna..." My list usually includes

- travelling
- going back to school
- continuing to teach preschool
- dating exotic men with accents

James' list usually includes hiring a maid. Sadly, if I die James won't have as much money to spread around. I, on the other hand, will have a hot time living it up on James' generous life insurance policy through the government!

A friend once heard us talking about our plans, and she thought it was totally morbid. I like to think of it as being prepared. I figure that dealing with grief and loss is hard enough. Why complicate matters by trying to figure out what you're going to do?

After James started working out at the base, I had him write down exactly who I needed to call and talk to in Human Resources to make sure I get all of the big bucks I'm entitled to. That info is filed away, along with a list of people he wanted me to contact to let them know he was among the dearly departed. He had me make similar list for him. He had a good laugh when he saw I had listed my user name and password for LiveJournal, which is where I keep up with friends I have made through a Harry Potter message board we all frequent. I thought it was quite smart, personally. If he's the one who's dead, how else will I meet exotic men with accents?? ;)

Long time no blog

And here you thought I had dropped off the face of the earth! (If only.) Here's what we've been up to in the past 2 1/2 weeks, complete with pictures!

1. Both girls came down with Strep Throat right before Spring Break started. We had to cancel the first of our Spring Break plans (seeing old friends in Jacksonville and going to the zoo there). Giving our luck with illnesses so far this year, I'm just glad it wasn't worse than strep!

2. We had a visit from our friend Adriana, who lives in Phoenix and is awesome!




We drove down to the Jacksonville Airport to pick her up. Of course, we had to make a detour out to the beach so she could say she's been to the Atlantic Ocean.

3. James and I took a trip up to Atlanta to visit some other friends and drop Adriana off.


We had a meet-up with about ten other people at this great little restaurant in the Virginia Highlands. I can't remember the last time James and I ate out with other adults and NO KIDS! It was very nice.

4. Easter Sunday was great. I was lucky enough to teach Sharing Time in Primary that day, and I did the Easter in the Eggs. It wasn't this exact version, but I think this is my favorite way to teach the Easter story to small children.

After church was over, we hot-footed it over to Tifton for lunch and the Annual Adult Easter Egg Hunt. (Oh yeah, the kids had an egg hunt, too, but their's didn't involve COLD HARD CASH!! ;D)

All of the "adults" lined up, ready to go


Jed and his favorite sister


The kids getting ready for their hunt


Mom, doling out the cash




Gretchen, giving me a death glare. I had gotten up to go do something, and when I came back she was sitting in my spot on the swing, eating candy. Jokingly I told her she needed to move. She got up, took about five steps and then turned around and shot me this look. Mom and I were dying.


5. This week it was back to school and work, only James came down with a heinous stomach virus that started late Sunday night and kept him home from work all day Monday. We thought maybe he got Food Poisoning from David's Easter Ham, but since no one else got sick we ruled that out. ;) Thankfully James mananged not to spread it around to the rest of us!

6. I spent most of the week getting ready for a Primary Activity at church that we had today. I have to give major props to Katheryn as we stole most of our ideas from an activity her ward had back in February! Thanks Katheryn!! LOL!

It was the first activity our Primary Presidency has done, and I think it turned out really well. I saw lots of smiles and heard lots of laughter, so what more can you ask for?? It was a family activity, and I took pictures of all of the families. Like most Saturdays, James was at work, so he missed out on all the fun. :(


7. This upcoming week is going to be a doozy! The girls have CRCT testing (URGH!) and I am getting ready for Preschool Graduation (fun, but *LOTS* of work!). James continues to plug away at his new job, which is challenging but rewarding. *Fingers crossed*, the stress levels around here will be headed in the downward direction VERY SOON. Summer vacation is only a little over a month away!

CURSE YOU, 7-ELEVEN!!!!

Not only do you refuse to branch out into the southland, you tease me with the Tim Riggins Slurpee Cup!!!!

April is the cruellest month...

...or so T.S. Eliot would have us believe. I prefer to think of it as being puddle-wonderful. At any rate, it's National Poetry Month, which is most certainly a thing of beauty. Over the month I'm going to share some of my favorite poems, and I hope you'll do the same.

First up will be my most favorite poem by my most favorite poet- ee cummings. James gave me a hardback edition of cummings' complete works for Valentine's Day a few years back, and it's just lovely. As is this poem:

i carry your heart
i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)