You know it's a recession when...

We were getting toilet papered last night...again. It seems as if we're getting toilet papered a couple time a month, but I guess that's what happens when hou have two and half teenagers.

It wasn't too late, only about 11:00 at night. I was in the kitchen (a little late night snack) and I heard Kali start barking. I heard a couple of thumps, some running, and a car screeching away. I immediately thought "Oh, @!#! we're getting toilet papered again."

I flipped on the lights outside and ran out. It wasn't too bad because Kali scared them away soon enough. I know she usually barks at the toilet paperers, but we're usually asleep and don't always here her because she likes to bark on the opposite end of the house.

I was so happy this time I heard her because when I ran out I found so many barely used rolls of toilet paper. I quickly scooped them up hoping that the three second rule applies to toilet paper as well--doesn't it? After all, toilet paper seems to be getting more and more expensive and I now have about 8 barely used rolls that were left in my yard.

Every 15 Minutes

There's a pretty good video of the Every 15 Minutes program that Kelsie was in at her school. You can watch it and see how "real" everything seems to be. Kelsie is one of the "Living Dead," you can see her at the beginning and the end of the video--as well as her cute baby picture and current picture.
Check out http://www.vimeo.com/3606083

Kelsie's Untimely Death

Kelsie died today. We knew it was going to happen...but it's still a strange feeling. She was chosen to participate in the school's Every 15 Minutes program, which is an education "experience" to remind students of the dangerous consequences from drinking alcohol.

In this program a drunk driving accident is staged behind the school with real cars that have been in real accidents. Several students are "victims" who are actually in the car and the Jaws of Life have to get them out, another student is the "drunk driver" and other students represent the Living Dead--others who have been killed in alcohol related accidents.

I didn't really want Kelsie to be one of the victims because then I would either have to go to the morgue and identify her body, or go to the hospital and see her on life support or suffering from other injuries. I don't like hospitals(I don't think I would like a morgue either) and I really didn't want to willingly go through the emotions that accompany such an experience, so we asked the director to have her be one of the "Living Dead." I actually wouldn't have minded if she was the drunk driver--I would have had to go to "court" and watch her trial, but I think I could have removed myself more from that experience than that of being an accident victim.

As it was, two policeman and a chaplain went to Chris's work this morning to tell him that his daughter had been killed in a drunk driving accident. Why did they go to Chris's work? Because they videotape the experience and show it at an assembly tomorrow for the school. We saw the video from last year and all the parents are crying and I didn't want to be on video for an assembly--I'm not a pretty crier-- so Chris volunteered for that part. He said it was very surreal. He knew they were coming. He knew what they were coming for. He had warned the "counter people" so that they could send the officers in, but he said it still felt very real. He felt such a range of emotions; what if it had really happened, knowing that it could possibly happen, and empathy for families that have had to go through this trial.

Meanwhile, Kelsie gets to miss two days of school (no wonder she wanted to do this). She even had to leave her cell phone at home! She was at the accident scene this morning, went to the hospital, went out to lunch, went to the morgue, then she goes and watches the "trial" of the drunk driver. Police officers drive the students everywhere they go. They have dinner tonight with guest speakers, stay the night at the Brandies-Bardin Institute, go out to breakfast in the morning, and then tomorrow there's an assembly where their obituaries are read.

The parents "get" to go to the assembly tomorrow. We also get dinner tonight and attend a luncheon tomorrow...so it's not all bad. It's an interesting experience. When I first learned of this I thought it might benefit someone else more than Kelsie--perhaps someone who may be more inclined to drink and drive. But as I've experienced this, I've realized it's a lesson all of us need to remember. The importance of life. The blessings of family. The importance of faith.