My friend is missing

A friend of mine in college, who was a great friend of one of my college roommates, went missing on Saturday.

He went hiking by himself in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho and never made it back.

Now.. this guy is an outdoors kind of guy. I think he would live in a tree if he could, so I have high hopes that he's been eating bugs and drinking water off the leaves of leafy vegetation. Still, today is Wednesday, and he's been missing since Saturday.

It didn't really hit me until I read it in the Pioneer Press (the St. Paul paper) because hearing it from a friend is one thing, but reading the words "Jon Francis, 24," is something else. There's something about reading someone's name and then their age immediately following it that is alarming. It makes it seem so official and real. Jon Francis comma 24.

Jon was by no means my best friend in college.. but he was a best friend to one of my closest friends in college and I'll never forget the speech he made at our friend's wedding. He was the best man and he gave the most thoughtful and touching speech I've ever heard at a wedding.. and believe me I've been to a couple weddings.

They called off the search for Jon yesterday. That's only 3 days of searching.. that doesn't seem like enough. I could see Jon lasting a few weeks out there by himself... he's tough. He would run15 miles in sub-zero weather with a smile on his face back in college.. he would get back and laugh about how crazy cold it was. For real, this man is tough.

So I just want to say, Jon we're pulling for you.. you can do it.. we're all praying that you get home safely.

Aunt: times 6!

Yes, it's official! I am an aunt times six!

Greyson Michael sleeping peacefully in his mom's arms.

We didn't start the fire.. err.. actually I did.

So you're asking yourself, did she seriously start the fire?

No. I didn't start the fire that Billy Joel sings about, but I did start a fire.

"But Kira," you say, "you're kind of a pyro. You carry matches with you, and you don't even smoke!"

See now, you're making the assumption that I intended to start a fire. I didn't.

I did start a fire in the middle of my math class in front of 31 8th graders. I won't get into specifics, but it did include me, a paper towel, an overhead lamp and my illusions of being a "Ms. Fix-it."

However, never fear because I swiftly put out the fire with injury to no one-except my classroom's brand new carpet.