This is the Thesis that Ben Wrote

Please read this aloud.  Preferably as a bedtime story for a future or current grad student.

This is the thesis that Ben wrote.

Chapter 1: Get in Line: Chapter 11 Restructuring in Crowded Bankruptcy Courts

Chapter 2: The Ownership and Trading of Debt Claims in Chapter 11 Restructuring

Chapter 3: Can Gambling Increase Savings? Empirical Evidence from Prize-linked Savings Accounts

These are the words 

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the computer 

that typed the words 

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the data 

that vexed the computer 

that typed the words 

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the program, all 80's and dated, 

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the brain, ELATED! deflated,

that wrote the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the office, quite isolated,

that housed the brain, ELATED! deflated,

that wrote the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

These are the professors, some helpful, some jaded,

who visited the office, quite isolated,

that housed the brain, ELATED! deflated,

that wrote the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

This is the class, all lectured and graded,

that stressed the professors, some helpful, some jaded,

who visited the office, quite isolated,

that housed the brain, ELATED! deflated,

that wrote the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

And this is the idea, so long awaited,

that began in the class, all lectured and graded,

that stressed the professors, some helpful, some jaded,

who visited the office, quite isolated,

that housed the brain, ELATED! deflated,

that wrote the code, formatted and shaded,

that ran the program, all 80's and dated,

that crunched the data

that vexed the computer

that typed the words

that formed the thesis that Ben wrote.

Patterned after This is the House that Jack Built.

Shug and Paul

This is Shug and Paul.  You might remember them from such posts as Shug and Paul Come to Boston or Anchorage, Alaska or even as far back as the New Jersey days in Shug's Visit.  They are two of our most favorite people.

Shug and Paul love adventures, and right now they're looking to embark on the greatest adventure of all: parenthood.  But, they are lacking a kid, which is kind of a key ingredient.  Recently, they were approved by LDS Family Services as adoptive parents, and so we're spreading the word to as many people as possible that they are looking to adopt, in hopes that someone who reads our blog might know someone who is looking for an incredible home for a child.

Shug and Paul will be spectacular parents.  They're fun, committed, grounded, responsible, adventurous, loving, generous, and patient people.  They love the gospel, and they love each other, and love life.  Basically, if I weren't grown already, I would love to be their kid.

So, please check out their profile on LDS Family Services and their blog, and spread to word to anyone you know!  And, if you need any more convincing that they would be great parents, check out these pictures:

14 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sam-o

1. He gets an insane amout of delight from running off with the toilet plunger.

2. He is constantly singing, and he picks up songs very easily.  Often I will hear him singing a song that I didn't even know he knew, and I can recognize the words and tune from his singing (B-I-N-G-O, Latter-day Prophets, I've Got Rhythm, This Land is Your Land, etc.)

3. If someone is having something, Sam wants to have some too.  He usually insists, "I hap some!" And then if you try to cut whatever it is into little baby pieces, he cries out, "NO!  BIG!!!" because, you know, Sam is already SUCH a big boy.

4. At prayer time, he folds his arms like this:

5. He loves praying and most of the time insists on saying the prayer ("I say it!"), and if you tell him no, he just says it anyway . . . louder than the other person who is praying.

6. He is the best in our family at saying "thank you."

7. He is also very good at recognizing who has helped him.  He will often come up to me and say, "Henry gave it!" or "Ellis gave it!"

8. He is following in Henry's footsteps by spending a lot of time lining up cars . . . 

and being really proud of himself.

9. He's following in Ellis' footsteps by LOVING and learning about and lining up the presidents.

10. He also has jumped on the bandwagon with the recent Star Wars obsession at our house.  He knows most of the characters' names, and he loves flipping through the Star Wars Character Encyclopedia and randomly saying, "He's good; he's bad."  He also calls Yoda "Yodee."  :)

11. He calls anything with chocolate in it "hot chocwit"

12. He has a special love for people who are smaller than him, and he likes to give them lots of hugs . . .

  

 . . . until they start playing with the thing he wants, of course.

13. He has recently started saying the word "Chicago" ALL the time.  In Nursery, the teacher showed a picture of Jesus.  Sam identified "Jesus!" and when the teacher asked where Jesus was, Sam quickly replied, "in Chicago."

14. Some of our favorite words and phrases that come out of Sam's mouth right now include:

"Jess!" (yes)

"Nopa." (nope)

"Hee go." (here you go)

"I wanna hold you." (please hold me)

"I'm strong." (I'm heavy, and you must be strong to be carrying me up the stairs)

"That tickles!"

Overheard conversation between Henry and Ellis

Our most awesome blanket fort we made a couple weeks ago.  Sorry for the blurry picture.

E: "Henry, do you have a very good imagination?"

H: "Yes!  My imagination is one of my best attributes."

E: "Did you learn how to use your imagination in Joy School?"

H: "Hmmm....probably."

[pause]

H: "But Ellis, when you get into Kindergarten, you can't use your imagination anymore.  When the teacher is talking, you've got to listen to her instead."  [sighs]  "I'm still working on that."