Breathing...In and Out

Things I am no longer holding my breath about:

1. The tax guy finally called. We do NOT owe the IRS $2,000. [Insert enormous sigh of relief here.] No, we cannot claim Lana until our 2007 taxes, but, at least we don't OWE any money. Also, the state of Ohio owes us $33.00. Cha-ching.

2. Lana has an ear infection. While I do not feel good about that, I am kind of relieved to know that there may have been an actual reason behind her sleepless nights. She slept last night from 9:30 to 8:00 AM this morning, with Gabriel.

3. I finally figured out how to make greens the likes of which Lana enjoyed in Vietnam. I have been experimenting with various and sundry greens purchased from various and sundry markets (from collard to mustard and back again), and Lana has turned up her nose at all of them. Yesterday, faced with an excess supply of baby spinach, I tried sauteing (sp?) (I am pretty sure I need an accent somewhere in that word, at a minimum) baby spinach with garlic and, voila - she LOVED THEM. ATE THEM UP. So, should you find yourself with a small Vietnamese child who is missing her greens, here goes:
Saute some fresh garlic in some vegetable oil.
Toss in several large handfuls of baby spinach.
Stir until it looks like, well, cooked spinach.
Drizzle with a little dark sesame oil and some Vietnamese style soy sauce. (NOT Japanese or Chinese style soy sauce - it won't taste right. I suppose it would work in a pinch, though.) Serve to child. Child will say, "OH! WOW! NUMMY! YUMMY! (It's okay to think said child is a FREAK, especially if you have hated cooked spinach your whole life.)

Things I am still worrying about:

1. J~ has a surgical consult with one of the top cancer centers in the Midwest on Monday.
2. I am coughing up a lung. Or something...

LM