Borrowed from many many people.

1. Go To Mapquest.com
2. Click on Directions
3. Enter your Current Address and the Address of your Childhood Home (or at least the town if you don't remember the exact address).
4. Put the time and distance in a post like this.
5. Don't forget to repost these directions. (Not the door to door ones!)

Childhood Home: Kansas City, Missouri
Current Home: Beaverton, Oregon

Estimated Time: 27 hours, 11 minutes
Estimated Distance: 1,812.65 miles

It was wild reading the directions and remembering all those roads and the layout. For example here's the beginning few steps:

1: Start out going EAST on E 49TH TER toward TROOSTWOOD RD. <0.1 miles
2: Turn LEFT onto TROOSTWOOD RD. <0.1 miles
3: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto E 49TH ST. <0.1 miles
4: Turn LEFT onto THE PASEO. 0.2 miles
5: Turn RIGHT onto BRUSH CREEK BLVD/EMANUEL CLEAVER II BLVD. 0.5 miles
6: Turn SHARP LEFT onto BRUCE R WATKINS DR/US-71.

They don't mention the 30% downgrade that makes Troostwood impassible if it begins to snow, but one hell of a great place to go sledding. They also forgot to tell you to make sure and stop at Gates' BBQ for some ribs before you leave that all behind. They finally finished Bruce R. Watkins Drive? I remember when all of the noise was going on because of the houses they were going to have to tear down to make room for the road.

With ultimate power comes ultimate responsibility.

I promised hollyqueen that she could post first. Now that she's done that I can let the thoughts that have been rambling around in my head out. Yes, we're going to adopt some children. We've only just begun the process and the service says it takes 4-6 months to finish the approval process. So it's going to take some time but we've started making some of the changes that will be necessary now. We're looking for a bigger place to have room for our bundle of joy and we have both started looking at long range plans.

When we made the final decision I felt a great weight on my mind. It's one thing to have your loved one tell you they're pregnant and now you're going to be responsible for raising someone in this world. You don't have much choice in the matter, you have to deal the cards you've been dealt. We're not being delt cards, we're yelling at the dealer, "Hit me!" I've had some time to absorb the idea since then and I know I'm ready.

It is still a bit daunting that I'm going to be guiding someone through their formative years and my choices can make them the doctor that cures cancer or the most infamous serial killer in history. Little choices can alter their course and I could end up cheering at the sidelines when he trows the winning pass, beaming with pride as she accepts the Nobel prize, or being interviewed by reporters while repeating the phrase, "he was always such a quiet child." My mother comforts me with the fact that I have a good example of what to do in my Grandfather and a good example of what not to do in Charlie. I think I'll do ok.