The government recently calculated the cost of raising child from birth to 18 and came up with $190,528 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock. That doesn't even touch college tuition. For those with kids, that figure leads to wild fantasies about all the things we could have bought, all the places we could have traveled, all the money we could have banked if not for (insert child's name here). For others, that number might confirm the decision to remain childless.

But $190,528 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into $10,584.89 a year, $882.07 a month or $203.56 a week. That's a mere $29.08 a day. Just over a dollar an hour. Still, you might think the best financial advice says don't have children if you want to be rich. It's just the opposite.

There's no way to put a price tag on:
* Feeling a new life move for the first time and seeing the bump of a knee rippling across your skin.

* Having someone cry, "It's a boy!" or shout, "It's a girl!" then hearing the baby wail and knowing all that matters is it's healthy.

* Counting all 10 fingers and toes for the first time.

* Feeling the warmth of fat cheeks against your breast.

* Cupping an entire head in the palm of your hand.

* Making out da da or ma ma from all the cooing and gurgling.

What do you get for your $190,528?

* Naming rights. First, middle and last.

* Glimpses of God every day.

* Giggles under the covers every night.

* More love than your heart can hold.

* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds and warm cookies.

* A hand to hold, usually covered with jam.

* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites, building sandcastles and skipping down the sidewalk in the pouring rain.

* Someone to laugh yourself silly with no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $190,528, You never have to grow up. You get to fingerprint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs and never stop believing in Santa Claus. You have an excuse to keep reading the adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies and wishing on stars.

You get to frame rainbows, hearts and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $190,528, there's no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off the bike, removing a sliver, filling the wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the first step, first word, first bra, first date, first time behind the wheel. You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren.

You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications and human sexuality no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there with God. You have the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.

~Unknown

Security Update for Windows XP (KB896422)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB883939)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896358)
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - June 2005 (KB890830)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB890046)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB893066)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB896428)

Make sure you go to

http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5...x?ln=en-us

click on

Express Install (Recommended): High Priority Updates for Your Computer

and then you can see whether your comp needs updating

quack

:woof:

Het gisteraand 3 meebosse by iemand gekry!

Wat 'n fees! Die lekkerste van lekker! Ek deel dit omtrent in kwarte om dit lekker lank uit te rek!!

:daisy:

Best held over girl 'sex assault'
Football legend George Best has been arrested and bailed on suspicion of indecently assaulting a young girl.

The former Manchester United and Northern Ireland star, 59, is alleged to have attacked the girl, who is aged under 13, last month in Surrey.

A spokeswoman for Surrey Police said: "We have received an allegation of indecent assault against a 59-year-old man who was arrested on 9 June."

Mr Best was also held on that date over an allegation he assaulted a woman.

The spokeswoman added the force was not prepared to discuss any further details of the investigation.

Mr Best was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against a 34-year-old woman.

The attack is alleged to have happened in Ewell, Surrey.

It has now emerged he was also questioned about the indecent assault claim, which he is said to be totally denying.

Speaking on 9 June, Mr Best's agent Phil Hughes said he "categorically" denied attacking the woman.

Mr Hughes was not available to respond to the latest allegation.

Mr Best was questioned for nine hours at Staines police station before being freed on police bail.

He is due to return to a police station in Surrey for further questioning on 6 July. source BBCi

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another who seems to continually be surrounded by problems

Just had a phone call from my daughter saying that she has tickets to the concert. She sounded so excited. Bet it will be great.

Looking forward to seeing it on tv.
(Wish I could be there to see it live too).

My daughter has followed in my footsteps for the love of music.

The Darren Gough Show !!! :p:p:p

Go Pomsss ... Aussies 31-7 :haha: England 179 !!!

Wow this must be a magnificent boost for the poms before the ASHES !

The consumption of wild animals was banned in several Chinese provinces in the 1980s.

Where did sauerkraut originate?

I've got a South African recipe for a fridge tart that states I need Cremora....don't have the faintest idea what it is :mmm: :confused: . :music: Somebody help me :music:

I made my first batch of Elderflower Cordial for this season from a BBC recipe. I made it for the first time last year, and do want to make enough this year to put in the freezer. It is such a refreshing, yummy drink when it is served with ice cold sparkling water and lemon.

If anyone has a tried and tested recipe, would you please share it with us.