Random Thoughts 8/31/07

• Here's yet another expert (via Pundit Review) who says we're Iraqis are making progress, the so-called civil war in Iraq is fading away, and the idea of retreating at this point is absurd.
• We are a few chapters into our third Narnia book. I'm reading The Horse and His Boy to Brennan and Tanner every night (and occasionally Eli too–but he loses interest easily at his age).
  
• I've always prompted the boys to approach soldiers in uniform to thank them for "fighting the bad guys." Tanner especially has responded to this. Today he approached an Army Major in the frozen food section and told him thank-you all by himself, with no prompting. I was really pleased.
• We're getting ready for another Dave Ramsey class next month. For any family that's willing to face the truth and not just stick their head in the sand, Financial Peace can be a life changing thing to have.
• I had the day off today, so we ran some errands and then hung out at home–Shannon, me and the five children. Five? Yes, we were babysitting a friend's infant girl. So everywhere we went strangers were congratulating us for "finally getting our girl." And, as a first for us, when we were asked if the kids were all ours, we could actually answer no. But why is there a stigma against large families? What if we did have five? or more? At the moment we're content where we're at but I'm a bit defensive about the incredulous looks we got.