Tuesday, May 15, 2007

You are kidding me, right?

Today a bank robber was hanging out in my neighborhood.

Yes, you read that properly. My street was COVERED with police officers, a K9 unit, guys in bulletproof vests, police cars, a fire truck, and three (three!) helicopters circled my house for a couple of hours. The police officers told us that the suspect was "pinned in a house" and that we were safe; no need to take the kids elsewhere.

Unfortunately, here's the update:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_051507WABwestseattlerobberyTP.710940ae.html or
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003707888_webbank15m.html

Nobody knows where this guy is now.

Nice.

For the record, this (the house they thought he was hiding in) is about 9 houses away from our house, if I counted properly. My doors are locked tonight, though I suspect that this guy is LONG gone (I think that this area is the last he'd want to hang out in, based on the number of cops that were here).

Sigh. Here's hoping that Seattle's finest catch their man tonight.

Kristina

Monday, May 14, 2007

Yard Sale Results; Happy Mother's Day! (part 2)

Saturday's yard sale was a success! We raised something like $2400, give or take a little. HURRAH! We will distribute the money to the 3-Day funds a little closer to the event when we know everyone's standings, as most of our walkers are still in mad-fundraising mode (hurrah). Our team has raised $42,000+ in donations, in addition to the yard sale funds, and I am so immensely proud of that fact.

The yard sale was busy, busy, busy, with tons of shoppers and tons of helpers. We filled up three yards (thank you to our neighbors!) with goods, and the team really came together to make the sale a success. Jenny & Heather made signs, Carol brought morning pastries for the team, Bryona rented a U-Haul to bring large items to the sale, and Jenny, Dawn, Anna & Kevin and families (husbands and kids, too!) came over on Sunday - Mother's Day! - to haul away huge loads to the dump and to be donated. Thank you to everyone for going above and beyond!

I have no idea how many families donated goods to the sale; I believe at least 100. Thank you to each - we couldn't have done it without you.

I can hardly believe that another Mother's Day has come and gone. My first Mother's Day was in 2002, but I didn't yet know that I was pregnant (though I was very hopeful and thought about it all day!). Since then, five Mother's Days have passed, and all I can say is that with each passing year, I'm more and more grateful to be a mother, and more and more delighted by my family. I have been blessed.

I hope that your Mother's Day was wonderful. Loving thoughts to my mother, who raised me with love and affection and the belief that I could do anything I set my mind to, and who has always been there for me, in good times and in times of tears. I love you, Mom! Additional loving thoughts to my mother-in-law, who raised a son who is kind, funny, and smart, and who treats her daughter-in-laws with love and kindness. I know how lucky I am to have these women in my life!

I hope that one day I get to see Tessa become a mom. She will choose what is right for her, and I certainly don't want to rush things - I enjoyed "waiting" to become a mom - but I hope that one day that is in our future. And, of course, I hope to be alive to witness it, should it come to pass.

Happy (belated) Mother's Day!
xoxo
Kristina