This is why it is important to keep updated on your posts. I have to back track a bit and add a couple of events that we thought were important.
The end of May Nicki was able to come and visit us while McKay dedicated his life to studying for his exam the first week in June. We spent time making pillow covers and curtains for Nicki &
Mckay's apartment.
We also had another "girl party" for those who could come. We had a great time. You will all be spared our "Blue Steel" poses!
In the spring of this year we noticed a bird was building a nest on this thing that is on our front porch. This hangs just outside our laundry room window. A little robin would sit on her nest all the time, and if I went in the laundry room too early or late and turned on the light she would fly away. Also, if we were too loud in the laundry room, like slamming the door that goes out to the garage, she would fly away. So Kenna, especially, made it a point to remind us, daily, not to be too loud or not to turn on the light when it was dark unless we really needed to. Usually when I go into the laundry room in the dark, I do need light, so there were lots of time the mommy bird would fly away. Kenna also got really upset if the dogs happened to go out the front door because they would also scare the bird away. After a lot of weeks of tip-toeing around momma bird, the eggs finally hatched. This is what we got!
Anytime the momma bird would fly away, we'd go over and peek at the baby birds. We were surprised at how quickly they tried to fly out of the nest, like within a couple of weeks. They grew fast and I suppose the nest was crowded as there were three baby birds in there. They would fly to the garden, which is just in front of the porch, but couldn't get all the way back up into the nest, so would perch on the railing. We tried all the time to get close enough to pet the bird and get them to not fear us. I got close enough to touch one of the birds once, but as soon as I put my hand on it, it flew away and that was the last time any of us got close.
We thought they were cute, but when Nicki saw these pictures, she thought they were disgusting. We loved our baby birds. 
These images from Tuscaloosa are so heartbreaking. Last night Nicki called me. Her former roommate, Rachael, and her husband live in Tuscaloosa where Dan is going to school. They were right in the middle of this tornado and had such a harrowing experience. Apparently they saw the tornado coming, ran into the bathroom and when it was over opened the bathroom door to see their apartment completely gone. They were standing outside. Then Rachael, a nurse, heard someone screaming for help. She found her neighbor just a couple of doors down (or what used to be a couple of doors down) and she was in pretty bad shape. Rachael tried to stabilize her, but she died while Rachael was working on her. Shortly thereafter, Dan and Rachael's hometeachers came and rescued them. Their car was also demolished. This has been such a traumatic experience for this young couple. Please remember them, and all those who are suffering from these destructive tornados in your prayers.
Consider the fact that Homeland Security Chief, Michael Chertoff is the primary promoter of body scanners and a paid consultant for the companies that sell them. Conflict of interest??? Click 
Also, the "We Won't Fly" campaign calls the patdown of minors a "predator-prep" course for minors. Interesting.
I don't know how to make this image bigger, but the tiny print reads, "Helping your child understand why he may pose a threat to National Security". I laughed at first and it would be funny if it weren't so ridiculously stupid. For heaven sakes, lets not profile anyone who may look like a terrorist, but let's sexually assault everyone else, including children and grannies. Typical of our government - extreme, extreme, extreme, with no allowance for any kind of common sense!
