I've taught the twins the location of New Zealand on the globe in their living room.
Now Thiel will say, "I found New Zealand! See, Missi?"
And Abby will say, "You going to New Zealand, Missi?"
I reply with, "Wow" and "Yes," respectively.

They start daycare in two weeks and I will be out of a job (but it's a way bigger deal than just that).

These days

It is strange and sad to have to drive home now after hanging out with Joel and Amanda.

I will be saying this a lot over the next three weeks: I am more than a little heartbroken.

Following up with...

Kona just brought a squirmy mouse into the house. And lost it under the dishwasher.

Help?

So, I'm moving in about two weeks. In with my parents (oh god, oh god) for about six weeks before I leave on the trip.

I have a cat, but my parents are no longer cat people and now I must find a home for Kona.

There were a few friends and acquaintances who have expressed an interest in adopting her, but that is as far as anything has gone. From what I can tell, my options thus far are:

A. Carmen's parents' house in Seattle. Kona may be mauled by the strays that her parents take in.
B. Find a home through Craig's List.
C. ...Humane society?

Really, that's it. When I went to post an ad at Craig's List there was a warning on the page from PETA that many animal abusers use the classified ads to find animal victims. There was a story about a man who would take his kids to go and get people's pets to hurt, and the authorities were alerted by the neighbors when he had partially buried a live dog with a noose around its neck. Granted, this is extreme; my assumption is that most people are not animal-burying psychopaths. Nevertheless, I am distraught. What can I do?

Pastor Sylvia found me on the porch just a bit ago, crying about the whole situation. She hugged me and said a little prayer for me and then told me that the neighbors across the street are Major Cat People and that they might be able to help me out in some way. Maybe this will all work out. I hope so. At the very least I'm glad that Sylvia took the time to sit with me in my misery.

Why I don't watch the local news

Gena had the news on when I came home from work this evening, and as I sat down beside her to eat my dinner the reporter said, "Sleep with your windows shut tonight! A woman in Vancouver was raped last night by a man that is still on the loose!"

That may not have been exactly what happened, but they did offer a friendly reminder to peer fearfully out one's window at the slightest provocation.

So, here I am at 2:30 in the morning. I'll need to wake up in about four hours to go to work. The neighbor's dog started barking in a strange way about fifteen minutes ago and I have convinced myself that there is, more likely than not, a predator stalking around our house, looking for a way in. I got up and shut every window in the house, but even that wasn't enough. Amanda and Joel are on their honeymoon, Melissa is never home these days and Gena rarely is, and my cat won't frighten off anyone.

If I could think of someone to call and have stay over I would have been on the phone with them five minutes ago. Instead, I have carried my blankets and pillow out into the living room and will be sleeping on the floor tonight with the house phone next to my head.