The End of the World?

So.  What's everyone doing tonight?  Something special, I hope.  Something end-of-the-world worthy.  Because as everyone knows, tomorrow is the last day on the Mayan calendar.  Which obviously means that the world is going to end.  Right?  Wrong (At least that's my bet).  I have lived through quite a few "doomsday" predictions in my lifetime, and I'm only 24! (Y2K was definitely my favorite.  Such a catchy name).  Either way, I'm spending this Thursday night with my favorite people (BearFace and Murphleson), just in case this time it's true.

I'm still nursing a nasty cold and a bit of the black lung, so no riding again today (sad news, I miss my friend Chubbles!).  The evening will be spent relaxing on the couch, snuggling with Murph the Surf, and whipping up a homemade meal for the first time in over a week.  Between being sick and our busy schedule last week, I've been lacking some kitchen time.

Speaking of Murphy, the little guy has been quite busy with a ridiculous new obsession.  What could be more ridiculous than his shadow-chasing obsession?  Well, he recently discovered that Drew and I have something in our mouths that moves.  It is called a tongue.  He also has one of these, but it is not nearly as fascinating as the ones that reside behind our teeth.  While cuddling on the bed, I happened to stick my tongue out at him, at which point he went certifiably insane.  He spent the next hour with his face glued to mine, eyes locked on my lips, frozen as a statue, while I did my utmost to stop myself from crying tears of laughter.

I know it's in there.  I saw it with my own eyes, 

and I have nothing better to do but sit here and

stare at you.  All day.  

SHOW YOURSELF, mystery worm!

As entertaining as this obsession is, there have been a few close calls, most of which resulted in a wet Murphy face smush.  Not really sure what his intentions are should he get one of our tongues, but I definitely don't want to find out!  We had to take a little break from this game on Tuesday after he decided to eat a poop stick.  What is a poop stick, you might ask?  Well, a poop stick is exactly what it sounds like.  A stick.  Covered in poop.  It went something like this:

• Murphy:  Hmm this smells SUUUPPERRRR yummy!  Smells like poop.  And it's on a stick. Aaaand I'm kind of hungry.  Mom shorted me a few kibbles this morning.  I bet this poop stick will make a nutritionally balanced snack.  Om nom nom.  
• Michelle: Murphy, what are you doing?  Are you eating something?  Come here!  
• Murphy:  Crap.  She hates it when I eat stuff.  Especially poopy stuff.  I better pretend I didn't hear her and run the other way.
• Michelle: MURPHY get your butt over here!  Right now! 
• Murphy:  She's not buying it.  I better go over there.
• Michelle: What are you eating?! Oh it's just a stick.  Let me have th....AUGH IT'S COVERED IN POOP!  WHY WOULD YOU EAT A STICK COVERED IN POOP, YOU FOUL BEAST!!  
• Murphy: COULDN'T HELP IT.  SO, SO HUNGRY.  

Thursday Night End-of-the-World dinner:

Indian Chicken Stew (I photocopied this recipe from a magazine a couple years ago, but can't remember which magazine it was.  I think Better Homes and Gardens...)

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 tsp curry powder

2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper and/or cayenne pepper

2 15 oz cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp lime juice

9 oz fresh spinach

1. Coat a 6-quart slow cooker with oil or cooking spray.  Add chicken, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker.
2. Add curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Stir in drained beans, undrained tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf.
4. Cover and cook on high 4-5 hours or low 8-10 hours. 
5. Stir lime juice into cooked stew.  Stir spinach leaves into stew, and let stand 2-3 minutes until wilted.  

I usually serve this with brown rice and Na'an for dipping.  You can also whip this up in about an hour on the stove if you don't have time for the crockpot.  Just saute the onions and garlic, then add all ingredients and simmer for about 45-60 minutes.  I have tried making this dish with chicken breasts but they tend to dry out, so I recommend sticking with the chicken thighs.   

May have forgotten to add the spinach...still good though!

  

A Few Words

I woke up this morning thinking about the tragedy at Sandy Hook and the families who were robbed of their loved ones only days before Christmas, and wanted to share some of my thoughts.

Having recently graduated from college (ok, maybe 2 1/2 years isn't that recent!), I have many friends who are now teachers.  In addition to friends, Drew and I both have a number of family members in the teaching profession.  After hearing about the deaths of the young teachers at Sandy Hook, as well as the principal and a number of other adults, my first thoughts were those of my friends and family.  This could just as easily have happened at their schools.  And I can tell you, without even a second thought, that every single one of them would have done the same thing as those brave teachers who lost their lives protecting their students.  This makes me both proud, and afraid for them.  I pray that they never have to face an event as horrific as this one, and that their commitment to educating the young minds of our country will never put them in the line of fire.  That being said, I also pray for the families of those teachers who were lost, and I hope they know how thankful we all are for the sacrifice that their loved ones made.

I pray for the families who lost children in this tragedy.  I cannot imagine sending your child to school and not being able to pick them up at the end of the day.  For the families who were able to pick their children up that day, I hope that this traumatic event does not scar their young minds for the rest of their lives, and that they grow up still able to see the good in the world.

Of course after something like this happens, there are always questions.  Questions of blame, and questions of motive.  Do we blame the guns that the shooter used?  Did he play too many violent video games as a child?  Did his family see this coming and fail to stop it?  In my opinion, the only one to really blame is the shooter himself.  Sure, if guns did not exist he would not have been able to use them in the shooting.  Maybe if he played less violent games as a kid, he would not have had such violent tendencies.  But if someone is sick enough to consciously make a decision to walk into a school with malicious intentions, I think he would have found some other way to do it.  As for motive, what does it matter?  No "reason" on Earth can justify what was done, and no "reason" can bring back those who were lost.  There is no "reason" that could make sense of this senseless crime.

In conclusion, my heart goes out to every family in Newtown and Sandy Hook.  I am so sorry that this happened to you.  I thank all of the teachers at the school for counting the lives of their children more important than their own.  And I pray that one day, you are all able to heal.

If you would like to donate to the families of the victims, check out this fundraiser:

Newtown Strong. Newtown Proud. 

Proceeds go to funeral expenses of the families, a town memorial fund, and a town scholarship fund.