KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) – Amy Springer really loves her husband, Marine Lance Cpl. Brett Springer. She’s married him twice.

The Springers had planned a November 2004 ceremony but found themselves tying the knot at the courthouse a whole year before Brett was shipped out to Iraq. They said their “I do’s” again last Friday, the date they had originally picked for their wedding. This time, though, the setting was First United Methodist Church. Amy’s father, 52-year-old Mike Oliver, couldn’t be at the church because he is in Kuwait with the National Guard.

At least they don’t forget the date

BELLEVIEW, Fla. (AP) – It’s hard to forget a birthday in the Dover family – everyone was born on Nov. 26.

On Friday, Kimberly Dover will turn 31, husband Billy will be 35 and their twins, Angelica and Derrick, will celebrate their first birthday.

The parents said they were surprised to have any children, let alone two on their birthday. After years of infertility, they were about to give up when one last treatment worked. The babies were due Dec. 17, 2003. But a doctor decided to deliver the babies by Cesarian section on Nov. 26.

Automated caller works overtime

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – An automated phone survey on disaster preparedness turned into its own mini-disaster.

The survey was designed to run from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Instead, a malfunction Monday night caused the computerized calling program to dial numbers until 4 or 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Patricia Dugger, who heads the city’s emergency management division, apologized for the error but noted most residents haven’t complained – they just said they were too sleepy to do the survey.

Avtec, a Minneapolis-based firm that developed the calling system, is trying to determine what went awry.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Wild Thing, Georgia, Sparky and Boots aren’t very old, but they sure get around.

The feline foursome arrived with a parts shipment that TwinStar Construction in Charlotte had ordered from Georgia. The kittens somehow found their way into the box and survived without food or water.

The order arrived Nov. 18, two days after it was shipped.

The kittens were so young that they hadn’t opened their eyes, said Cathy Thomas, who works for the construction company. She took them home and began feeding them with an eyedropper; her twin sons picked the names.

Each cat requires a 2-ounce bottle every three hours.

“It’s like having infants all over again,” Thomas said, adding that the kittens should be ready for adoption in a couple of weeks.