WARNING - the ugliness and offensiveness that is a part of the "pro-choice" marches

I've intentionally kept these photos small. If they are hard to see and read then just click on the image and you can see it larger. I hesitated to post these before because they may offend some people. But I think that they are important to see. Although they are a fraction of the marchers at these rallies I freely ADMIT, notice that they are NOT compelled by the less hostile marchers to get rid of these offensive signs or to leave the march all together. Shouldn't our "Catholic" politicians who vote "pro-choice" see these photos and know that they are helping to forward the agenda of people like this? I doubt they care... But I care and I hope that these people's hearts will be softened and their eyes opened...

12 Weeks - 10 Little Toes

Our Lady of Guadalupe help us to embrace each little one that is sent to us no matter what the circumstances. When life is difficult - help us. When we are afraid - comfort us. When we begin to despair - show us your Son - Jesus - for He is Mercy itself. Mother of all Mothers help all women to see motherhood as an awesome mystery and miracle. Amen

Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe

Soldiers

Want to see a moving photo? Go to http://mydomesticchuch.blogspot.com and scroll down until you find a photo of a soldier holding a small girl against him in a chair. The attached story is touching. Personally I feel that our military men are some of the last good men we've got left in this country! I get very defensive of all the criticism they seem to unfairly be subjected to. Whatever your position may be on the Iraq situation - our soldier ARE doing more GOOD than bad. They are honorable men in a less than honorable world to say the LEAST!

These three pics are from some of the anti-war rallies that take place. Notice the hatred of Jews, the self-loathing, and the real agenda which is not to negotiate but to conquer us - the Infidels! The spineless socialists and psuedo - commies that attend these rallies are signing their own death warrants by joining the ranks of those who at the first opportunity would sooner cut off their heads than "TOLERATE" their hedonism and self indulgence.

Morgan's B-day - With Mom and Dad

Can anyone guess what's going on in this photo?

Collin is gleefully trying to blow out Morgan's candles.

Mom, is holding up her hand and saying "No, Collin"

Morgan is NOT happy about having to share her candle blowing!

Monica - just a great photo

just had polished the table...that shine didn't last long...but what a great picture eh?

Collin

Although he can drive me batty at times I'd like to share a little story. Collin often wakes in the middle of the night and wanders into Tim and my room and says "daddy, can I sweep wif you?"

Of course we say yes and then he cuddles up next to Tim and all is well again. Tim and I often go to bed with 2 in the bed and wake up with 4 in the bed. (Monica often climbs in too)

Anyway, the other morning I woke and got Monica and myself ready, Tim had already left for work, and headed downstairs. I left Collin behind, sleeping peacefully in our bed under a piles of covers. After a few minutes I heard his little voice calling out to me. "mommy, c' mere" "mommy, I need you" Seeing as I was getting bowls of cereal poured for the rest of the gang I felt a little irritated by his request. I trudged up the stairs and with a look of annoyance on my face I entered our room and huffed out a snippy "What Collin?" He wasn't phased. He just said "c'mere and lay down wif me mommy" I said ok and I cuddled up in the spot next to him on the bed. ( See I NEVER turn down an opportunity to lay down you know) He reached out his warm little hands and took my face in them. He looked right into my eyes with his nose almost touching mine and said "Mommy I wuv you. You're so beautiful and you're my best friend." I just told him I loved him too and marveled at how sweet he can be for no apparent reason. I TRY to remember this moment when he's doing less sweet things to his sisters or sneaking in the cabinets to search for hidden candy. But I must say - all in all he's a loving, sweet boy and I am so glad that God gave me my son!

Monica - Making January Better

Everybody knows I hate winter.

This was another cold January day.

But the girls put Monica in a little dress up dress

and suddenly I forgot how crappy January can

be. All I could do was smile and run for the

camera!!

Morgan's Birthday - Just Us

Tim got a cake FULL of frosting and red dye - Yikes! and we celebrated Morgan's B-day just the 6 of us...Can't believe she's 9. It really has flown by!

Barb, Alex, and Nate

These are older pics I just now got around to downloading ...

Old friends from St. Liborius in Steger came out for a visit. Collin LOVED having another boy to pal around with. Can you tell?

No Cross - No Crown

Reviewing my most recent blog posts I am reminded of a saying of Father John Corapi's. "No cross - No crown" Of course Jesus is the King of Kings and He surely did NOT require a cross in order to wear His crown! But this statement is rather directed at us. You and me. I am reminded that my laundry, my nausea, my "stress" are all little crosses I am to carry. They are, in fact gifts to me if I choose to use them in the proper fashion. They can help me be a better, holier person, who persists on the path towards The Kingdom and longs to wear the humblest of crowns as a little princess and servant of the King!

It's Been a Very Bad Week

this sums up my week...

I MISS MY SISTER !!!

This is a picture of Kelly and I at ages 4 and 8. Kelly is my one and only sister, my one and only sibling. She lives across the Atlantic! She is living there PERMANENTLY! This makes it impossible to stop by for lunch or to invite her over for coffee, or to help one another with mounds of laundry!

Kelly and I are different in many ways, yet we have similar lives filled with children, noise, and at times, chaos! I guess it goes without saying that the noise and chaos come along with the children part. We both love our families and love our vocations - motherhood. We both tend to be "yellers" and eat junk when depressed or stressed (preferably something chocolate) We try to carry our little "crosses" with quiet humilty, but we've been known to have a "total meltdown" complete with cursing and crying from time to time as well!

This is why I miss my sister so much. She is one of the few (very few) people in my life that I can be totally REAL with. I don't have to pretend I've got it so together. I don't have to shine my kid's imaginary homeschool halos, or pretend that I'm a Martha Stewart meets Mother Teresa. I can just be me - Kris - imperfect, unorganized, emotional, hot-tempered, yet lovable - Kris.

This has been an excruciatingly BAD week! It's the kind of week that makes me long to have my sister (within driving distance) to call on for a big S.O.S. !! Ah, where do I begin? Let me set the stage by describing my physical conditions. I am in a constant state of nausea (due to the pregnancy for those of you who missed that post...I'm about 9 weeks...) Always drooling, occasionally heaving and gagging, but alas, never going all the way. No puking here, just a lot of drooling into the kitchen sink, and choking back a gag while browning ground beef for taco meat.

Currently these foods induce a gag reflex - ground beef, chicken, salad, any fresh vegetable, cooked broccoli or cauliflower, and any luch meat or cheese. This leaves the "going right to my butt" foods like bread, potatoes, rice, any kind of sweets and fruits. There goes the "I'm not gonna gain any weight 'til the second trimester" resolution I make with every pregnancy!!!

Then there's the sudden drowsiness. A math lesson on the couch with Mary Grace turns into a spontaneous nap for mom and an excuse for the kids to sneak off and avoid school "until she wakes up..." I am SOOOOOO tired.

Then there's the mental issues. These tend to "run in my family" as Tim likes to joke. I'm stressed to put it simply. It's cold, it's dark, it's winter. I hate winter. Even if I did bundle the kids up and kick them outside for a ten minute "burn off" period, I'd have to remove the approxiamately 50 piles of dog poop which cover the entire front half of our backyard as of now!! Why do I have a dog again? Sigh.

Then there's the laundry. There's the usual - stained shirts and and stinky towels etc. But on top of that this week we had an unusual number of nightime accidents and a lot of rotating sleeping arrangements which ended up in 4 beds having to be stripped down and ALL of that bedding to be washed as well! This led to a giant log jam of sorts in our small 8 x 8 laundry room which could move me to tears just looking at it!

Of course all of this mess is compounded by heaps of homeschool books, papers, math manipulatives, crayons, pencils, spilt glue all over the table, glitter on the floor, legos stuck in couch cushions, sippy cups left here and there, and a general dusting of crumbs, dried up rice from dinners past, and black dog hair to boot!

Now, on the to education of my beautiful children, created in the image and likeness of God. "Do we have to do school today?" "Mom, she's looking at me with an ugly face." "I hate math...crying wimpering etc. ...I can't do it mom" "I hate my brother...Collin runs off with the pencil bag, the girls are in hot pursuit, Collin is shoved from behind, the bag goes flying, the pencils cover the entire kitchen/family room floor...why did God give us him?" his sisters ask me. All of this and more with spelling, phonics, science, religion, math and reading sandwiched in between.

School's out on to clean up and then start dinner. Still haven't stepped foot outside and most likely I'm still in my pajama bottoms. Did I shower in the last 3 days? Better do that tonight. 6pm dinner time. No dad. He's at work. Workin' late. Tax season. I hate tax season!

Four kids around the table spilling half their food and complaining about the other half. The sight of it all makes me heave and gag and feeling woosy I sit on the swivel chair at the island and sip tea and eat another black licorice whip. (black licorice seems to curb my nausea, too bad it's enhancing my hips as well) Dinner's over. Time for cleanup - again.

6:30 to 7:30 pm - I've had it! No more Mrs. Nice Mom. Things always seem to get ugly at about this time and this is when I'm most suceptable to meltdowns. Everybody gets their p.j.'s on and brushes their teeth. (or so they say) and I start watching the clock and counting down the minutes 'til Tim will be getting home...

around 8pm I hear the glorious rumbling of the garage door as it moves up its track. My heart leaps for joy - Ah, sweet relief! I can finally tag my partner and exit the ring.

Kelly "gets" this scenario and she knows just what to say and NOT to say when I call her to vent about it. It is good to say things like "That sucks" or "I hate it when that happens" or "me too"

Things NOT to say are "you know what you should do..." or "I just read a book on household organization and it says..." or especially NOT "well, that's not so bad..."

My sister always, and I mean ALWAYS says how much she'd love to be here with me so she could help me out. And 'cause it's Kelly, that's not just hot air. She really MEANS it. Too bad she's an ocean away. I MISS MY SISTER !!!