Getting started early (for a change)

I can't believe it. I've already been up for two whole hours. That would be thanks to Chip and his meowing, licking and biting to get me up to take him on his carry. For those of you that haven't heard the story, Chip gets at least one carry throughout the house in the night or early morning. Sometimes it's two or three depending upon how much sleep he needs. He's so cute about it that you just can't ignore him. When I finally get up to carry him on a path that we always follow he is so happy and purrs as he looks out the windows, at the art on the walls and finally when I deliver him to his food bowl he is purring so loud that I worry his purrer (don't know if that is a word) will break. I actually stayed up this morning, got dressed and went to the post office to buy stamps before the army of mini vans hit the streets as school started here yesterday. I'm now headed in to watch the weather to see where Hurricane Hanna and the next ones are headed. With Gary and Jen still floating around somewhere in the Caribbean, I feel the need to keep up with where they are expected to go. They are not due back until Sunday and their itinerary has been changed to avoid them so hopefully all will be well.

Also for those of you who are unaware, this past week has been amazing watching the efforts of bloggers all around the world collaborate to help with Stephanie Nielsen (of the Nie Nie Dialogues) . In case you are unaware of the situation, fellow LDS blogger Stephanie Nielsen and her husband were in a plane crash on the way home to Mesa, Arizona. Their flight instructor passed away but both Stephanie and her husband survived. Stephanie has 3rd degree burns covering 70% of her body, her husband's burns cover 30% of his body. They have four children under the age of 6. Bloggers everywhere joined in a mass effort to help this family by hosting online auctions on their sites with all proceeds to go to the Nielsens. There's jewelry, paper goods, artwork, photography services, baked goods, clothing, toys, big ticket items, etc. being auctioned off for a GREAT cause. Head over here and check it out. The ones labeled "LIVE" in red print are the ones you can still bid on. Please add Stephanie's family to your prayers as their recovery will be difficult and lengthy. Please feel free to post this link on your blogs as the more people that see it, the better.