Author Of Book Palin Targeted Lashes Back: She's My Mortal Enemy: "Willhiote has been at the center of religious conservative complaint ever since his work - which is about a young boy discussing his divorced father's new, gay roommate - was first published in 1989. The book was the no. 2 'most frequently challenged book' between 1990 and 2000, according to the American Library Association. But that didn't make him any less critical of Palin, who he saw as a dangerous politician, both on issues of press and literary freedoms as well as gay rights."

Palin Hatred in the Culture of Death

Lindsay Lohan And Sam Ronson Criticize Sarah Palin: "Narrow Minded, Media Obsessed Homophobe": "Lindsay Lohan has joined Matt Damon and Pam Anderson criticizing VP candidate Sarah Palin, this time as a 'narrow minded, media obsessed homophobe.' On her official myspace page, she and girlfriend Sam Ronson have written a lengthy, measured post on Sarah Palin. Ronson posted the same piece on her blog. Earlier this month Lohan encouraged the press the focus on the issues when it comes to Palin"

Let me speak plainly...

It only takes ONE little life taken in this manner and the politician who claims it may be necessary and therefore legal, to nullify him or her as a possible leader for a Catholic voter!!!!

Palin Hatred in the Culture of Death

I am sickened by the level liberals will stoop to. They cannot stick to issues but instea they attack on the most personal of levels!!!

Palin Hatred in the Culture of Death

Palin Hatred in the Culture of Death

more birthday pics Collin turns 6 and Chris turns 1

The Boys' Birthdays

My Special Boy - Collin - God Has A Plan Just for You

Collin,

I know things have been hard for you lately. This being your very first year of real school, there have been a lot of adjustments and changes. Leading up to the start of the school year you were worried and asked me a lot of questions. You wondered what school would be like. I told you it would be fun and that you'd learn a lot of great things. You wondered if you'd make friends and if they'd be "nice boys" as you called them. I assured you they would be and that of course they'd be your friends. You wondered what your teacher would be like. I reassured you by saying she'd be kind of like grandma and that she really wanted to teach you lots of things this year. "Ok mommy, I'll go to school but I really want to play Star Wars I think." was how you ended our "school talk".

I had my own worries, different from yours. I know how much energy you have and how you have a constant curiosity about everything that's new in your world. When you're 6 years old there's a lot that's new in your world huh? Your love of climbing and jumping, your love of exploring and fighting imaginary battles, they can be exhausting to reign in when circumstances preclude the use of swords, plastic or otherwise and the scaling of objects no matter how much they may resemble a mountainside. But even when I'm forced to reign you in your little spirit perseveres. That little light inside you shines brightly no matter how much I may yell and speak of safety and rules and limits. I love this little light. God gave it to you and I don't mean to ever take it from you or to try to stamp it out.

This same little light that burns makes you who you are. It makes you smother Chris in kisses and leap into your daddy's arms with glee. It makes you sing songs just for the joy of it as you walk around the house. It makes you run faster and climb higher. It makes you fearless as you leap into lakes. Fearless to chase down bugs that you label "cute" and "nice" as you carry them around in the palm of your hand. This light ignites your love of Jesus and especially for His mother - Mary. "I need the Blessed Mother mommy - go get her." I bring back the statue of Our Lady of Grace and put it on your bedside table. You turn her and adjust her just so. "Ok mommy, now I can go to sleep. Just say 3, no 4, no 10 Hail Mary's ok mommy?" I love this little light. God surely gave it to you and I don't mean to ever take it from you or to try to stamp it out.

So you started school last week. You held your big sister's hand as you headed for the school doors. You waved at me and smiled and I could see that light shining through your big blue eyes. School was hard work. There was so mush cool new stuff and so many cool new people!! WOW! I can only imagine how thrilling and exciting it must have felt to see and experience so many new things all at once. Despite the "trouble" you had you were so joy-filled about all the awesome things you saw those first days at school. You really must have had a hard time not hugging all those new "nice boys" you met. I know it was hard to stay in your chair. Your light was so ready to burst out of you - you fell right out of your chair a couple of times. Not to worry though because you are a strong boy and it didn't hurt a "good soldier" like you. I know your legs wanted to leap and run and I'm so proud of you that you tried your very best to make them obey you. You always chose to pray "Blessed Mother help me be a good boy at school." as your petition when your sisters and I said morning prayers together.

So we did pray. We prayed together and mommy prayed alone. Grandma prayed too sweetie. I know the Blessed Mother prayed for you for sure. She loves you so very much. She loves that light inside you. But this week at school brought many tears. It brought so much sadness and worry to your little face. You choked on your tears and sputtered out the words "I hate school mommy please don't make me go anymore." as you lay in bed for the night. The worst night was this Friday. You came home with your sisters and daddy. He got off early so he could pick you all up from school. What a treat! But it was spoiled by another "bad report" from teacher. You went to your room crying...

When I entered your room something was very odd. I didn't see that light of yours. Your face was not like I'd seen it before. Of course you've gotten into plenty of mischief and that's gotten you into plenty of trouble little man. But that trouble never left you so darkened as I saw you on friday. That little light was so very dim and so I sat beside you on the floor. "Collin? what happened at school today? what went wrong?" You looked up at me with eyes so honest and pure and said "Mommy you didn't pray hard enough for me to the Blessed Mother." I protested "Collin, I did pray and grandma prayed. we both prayed for you." "No mommy you didn't say the right prayer. You needed to ask the Blessed Mother to help me be a good boy at school." Your face was very serious and sad.

Mommy and daddy talked a lot that day. We love you so very much. We want you to learn and grow as all boys should. You will be a man one day and there is so much you must learn and know in order to be the best man God wants you to be. You must learn to listen and follow instructions, you must learn to take correction and adjust to new situations. You must develop a love of reading and a love of knowledge. You must challenge yourself and become self-motivated and self-mastered. These things will lead you to manhood. God has a plan for you. His plan for you is just for you. He knows what you are and what you need. He made you the little boy you are. He made you to shine. He put that light inside you for a reason.

It may seem to others that this light, this energy, is a hindrance to your learning. This may very well be true. But a hindrance is merely an obstacle and climbing obstacles will only make you that much stronger. I'd rather you learn and grow and keep that little light burning brightly inside you then stamp it out for the sake of expediency. Great men have both a mind that serves God and a heart that BURNS for God. I will keep your light burning. I will not take it from you or stamp it out. You're coming home my little boy. Mommy will teach you right here at home. Here you can strive to be obedient, grow in wisdom and grace, and continue to let that little light shine shine shine!

I love you my boy - Mommy

The End of Summer

The end of August just before school begins our town has a festival. There are rides and games and music and what Tim and I find most interesting - carnival FOOD! Yummy! So after much begging and pleading and whining on the kids' part we finally caved in and took them down to the festival.

They were thrilled! I marvel out how JOY -FILLED my kiddos are. They were literally skipping and jumping as we entered the grounds and got closer to the rides. Tim and I bot have a very bad tendency to try to squelch this enthusiasm for fear of drawing more attention to ourselves. There can be a lot of "SHHHHH - calm down" and "Chill out!" coming from us and that really bothers me about us. I know that we do this to try to avoid the already looking eyes from not only seeing a large family with "all those kids" (are they all yours? etc etc etc) but from thinking we must keep them all locked up in cages all year and this is the first time we've let them out to see the world.

This is the level of joy and curiosity our kids bring to any expedition we may attempt. This time I chose NOT TO squelch it! Go ahead kids - have at it! was my attitude and I'm glad. The kids had fun and we had fun watching them have fun. We both really need to let that happen more often.





So school began 2 weeks ago. This past week was the first FULL week of school for the kids. These pics are from the very first day of school. as you can see Collin is loving up his little brother as usual.
Collin was very nervous about school. He was excited and anxious to meet new friends but I could tell he was fearful too. Honestly, it was a very rough start for him. But more on that later.
September is my favorite month by far. I love this time of year. The hot sunny days and the cool nights and the harvest from gardens and orchards. The moon is orange and the stars seem to twinkle even brighter in the night's black sky. My boys' birthdays are in this month and that makes it special too. Chris will be one year old on the 9th of September and Collin will be 6 - WOW! That flew by.

I copied this article from MSN home in their lifestyle section. They very often have articles that say a lot about our culture today and how we relate to eachother, marriage, sex differences, children and family life. Today's topic? Family size. Needless to say I have a lot to say about this but for now I'm just posting the article and would like to see your comments...



When is a Big Family Too Big?


Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, others join the debate.
wowOwow.com is a party ... disguised as a website. Created, run and written by 16 independent-minded women -- including Candice Bergen, Liz Smith, Whoopi Goldberg, Peggy Noonan, Lesley Stahl and more -- who have been talking to each other for decades. They now want you to join the conversation.

Angelina Jolie recently gave birth to twins, and she and Brad Pitt already have four other children. While many argue one-half a dozen children is more than a handful, one American family would say six is not enough.

If you haven't heard their story yet: meet the Duggars. The family recently was 'grateful' to announce they are expecting their 18th child in January 2009. What are your thoughts on this? Is there a specific number that crosses the line from happy family to unhealthy nightmare? Or, is it to each their own and none of our business?

Whoopi Goldberg: I think it's to each their own and none of our business. If people want to have 30 kids and can afford it, it's none of our business. Some people are very wealthy, only have one child and that's too much for them. Some people have 18 children and they have it together. Who is to judge?
Liz Smith: Doesn't the number of children a family chooses to have fall under the "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" clause? Isn't it a private matter, so long as a family can cope, care for and control in a healthy manner? I wouldn't think of interfering with this important liberty, though I may have a personal point of view in that I doubt that 18 children are financially or emotionally feasible. And I am gung ho, personally, for Planned Parenthood and serious birth control. I don't see these as religious or spiritual matters, but as important practicality and welfare issues.
As for Brad & Angelina -- they are a dazzling exception in their adopting and birthing lots of diverse children "act." They can afford it, God knows, and their multi-national family is an inspiration. Their money to charity is also a great lesson. But they hardly count in the realistic scheme of things.My only caveat would be -- when do Mommy and Daddy know there are too many kids for them to pay acute emotional attention to?
Also, I have never understood why nations want to keep the birth rate booming when the world is about to run out of food, water and sustainable climate. But they seem to want to. Natural disasters, wars and pandemics, however, do keep decimating populations and maybe in that horrible way, nature does take care of itself.
It just seems to me the ultimate responsibility of adults is to know, realize and make certain that they have a shot at really taking care of the number of children they bring into the world -- and, to take some charitable responsibility for the huge numbers of children brought into that same world by other irresponsible people. We need to be worrying everyday about those needy little souls.
Joan Ganz Cooney: There's nothing in the Western world that can be done to stop a family from having 18 children, or 10, or 5, or none. What alarms me is the much larger and more serious question of how large a population the earth can really support. For sure it cannot support a much larger population without straining the world's resources to the breaking point. We simply don't have enough water, food, energy and land to handle many more people without irrevocably harming the environment. Humans are taking over lands that used to feed animals in the wild and the population situation in Africa and other places is a terrible threat to the survival of many species. But we humans don't seem to care about such matters so it's on to having as many children as each family wants.
Jane Wagner: When is a big family too big? "When it's dysfunctional."
Lily Tomlin: I've seen it written in information about overpopulation that "People are a good thing. Overpopulation isn't."
Forget individual families. The human family is too big and getting bigger. There are too many of us humans on our planet and, unfortunately, even individually we are growing bigger. And the bigger the number and size, the more resources used and the more waste produced. We're going to have to start polluting Mars or maybe shoot the waste into the sun and vaporize it. (Is that feasible? I may have just solved all our recycling challenges!)
There are too many of our family members already living lives of bare substance. We need a global effort to reduce population and to develop sustainable energy sources. The future of any human family depends on it. Maybe.
Sheila Nevins: Children are necessary to the perpetuation of the species. Not as trinkets and narcissistic expressions of self. During the early formation of America, children were needed to work in the fields, factories, and homes since the early death rate was high and large families would be decreased by natural attrition. In third world countries this may still be true. However in highly industrialized countries that have increasing survival rates, overpopulation is a serious issue and must be seen in an "Alive" scenario in light of scarcity of resources. The human species is consuming natural resources to the detriment of their very being. The fundamentalist religions' ban on birth control is unconscionable. The one-child policy in China brutally limits individual behavior.
Thus the answers to population control fall back on individual responsibility to an over-production of the species. It is hard to see Mother Earth as a force to be reckoned with in daily living, as a living breathing endangered entity. Yet until we see the planet's dire situation as individual responsibility -- starvation, drought, and ultimate extinction seem inevitable as a result of overpopulation.
(In school, my zoology teacher, James Schooley, used to end every lecture with the word 'Maybe'. I've always thought it was a smart thing to do when it comes to life.)
Mary Wells: The media suggests that people are in pain from what the shortages of resources do to them personally. But different countries have different awareness's and attitudes and there are enlightened people in all countries. But we are running out of everything partly because we heedlessly build more golf courses and swimming pools than necessary, dirty our waters with just about everything, cut down productive trees without anything but selfish or commercial thought, ignore the environment of most animals and care little about their lives. The polar bear and the Orca whale are top of the line in the animal food chain and they are seriously endangered – we tend to think those animals are cute and want them to survive but seldom really think about what they do to balance world resources. We don't care enough. We aren't taught to care enough and we don't teach our children to care enough. So the growth of the number of humans on earth is much greater than most of us focus on and the impact on resources has become misunderstood and a bore to people. I have a friend who will tell us what she and the groups she works with are doing about the essential and practical goal of moving to live on the moon in 20 to 40 years or less. And then on to other planets. They believe earth is "over." They think it can not handle the vast number of people like us projected to populate earth in 10 years let alone 20 because of growing families. They have been working on a planet world for us to live on for a long time and it will require much more focus from us, much less self interest, but will be a much healthier place to live.
So as much I sympathize with people wanting children I think – for children's sake – the time has come to put the limitations of our earth ahead of anything else and to wake up and join in the movements that are growing to learn how to live a new wide-awake way in a new environment aware that a lot of the disappearing earth wealth is disappearing because of each one of us. We could start with smaller families needing less of the earth's resources. There are so many references to God's displeasure with selfishness in the Bible – whatever God turns out to be – we should all be able to show a list of our unselfish choices that saved humans, animals and life of all kinds – and in this world at this time large families are selfish choices that are everybody's business and everybody's problem.
Related: New MSN-Zogby poll reveals people's feelings on big families (including Brangelina's)

Double 'R' Double 'S' - The Maturity Mantra

RR and SS - What exactly are they?

Well in our home they are the maturity mantra. One thing I've learned as a parent is that kids like lessons that are packaged well. What I mean by that is they will more readily retain what I'm trying to drive home be it a virtue, a skill, or a new chore if I package it in a simple clever way that gets their attention and helps them remember. We have a lot of "sayings" around here. This household definitely has a culture and a language all its own. I firmly believe ALL homes should develop a culture and language for their kids to hold onto and to reference. It seems to me that this kind of thing makes my kids feel very grounded and very secure in their beliefs. The more we drive home these family mantras the more they just become a natural part of my kids' thinking.

A more recent mantra development came about when both my 2 older girls were starting to show a real interest in becoming "mature" They like the sound of that word. We got into a discussion about what appeals to them about "growing up" and "being mature". I LOVE these types of conversations with my kids! I LIVE for this stuff!! Any how it was obvious to me that they needed a better and deeper understanding of what it REALLY means to be a mature person. In order to grow into the young ladies they so strongly desire to become they need to know how to get from point A (a child) to point B (a mature young lady). That's where "double r double s " comes into play.

Respect

Responsibility

Self-Control (or Self-Mastery)

Sacrifice

These four things are all required if one is to grow and become a mature person. I reminded them that a larger body and bigger shoes do not qualify boys and girls for mature adulthood. Rather these four things are the qualifiers. So it is in fact true that the more they develop RR and SS they can in fact become at the ages of 10 and 8 more "mature" than many 40 or 50 year olds out there!!! They LOVED the sound of that!!! So that's a great incentive for them.

We of course discussed each 'R' and each 'S' in great detail. I am sure to insert it DAILY into our lives as a family. "That was very double 'r' double 's' of you Morgan." "Mary Grace you are doing such a great job of sacrificing right now - you sure are becoming more and more mature." They just love to see the real connection between their development of these 4 things and my reminding them of their growth and their getting closer and closer to becoming a WOMAN. That's just magical for an 8 or 10 year old to think about. They feel it intensely when they fail as well. "Are you being responsible? - that seems quite childish doesn't it?" etc etc

In this day in age kids grow up in so many artificial ways and think they're "grown up". In fact many adults seem to miss the boat entirely when it comes to being a REAL grown up. We focus far too much attention on sexuality and clothing and academic and athletic ability. We measure our shoe sizes, our ACT and SAT scores, and our bank accounts, but we've completely forgotten about the CHARACTER of a person and how one "measures up" in the areas of RR and SS. If my children can hang onto these lessons and take something away from them I'll be a happy happy mother indeed.

Jesus help me to reinforce all the mantras I come up with by using my own example as this is the best "tool" I have in shaping my kids.

You Get What You Pay For...do you really?

Today was the first all school mass at my kiddos' school. Mass was nice. I sat in the cy room with Chris and Monica and felt oddly lacking in children. I actually was able to focus on the mass in between the moments of putting Monica in the corner for time out due to "un-lady-like" behavior.
Following mass many of the moms stay in the Narthex to visit and to see their children walk out and give them a hug or a wave. A young girl (7th grade or so) paused after exiting and looked a little confused as to where she should go next as she was heading up the single file line of her fellow classmates out the doors. I could read her face "should I go on ahead? shouldn't I wait for my teacher?" she looked left and right. A harsh and bitterly sarcastic voice rang out from behind the line "Let's go. Oh I should have put someone at the head of the line who knows what the heck they are doing. So-in-so take the lead since you know what you're doing." It was shockingly cruel and demeaning to the innocent little girl who was merely looking for an order or a directive from an adult. THAT is a virtue you don't see in kids today too often. Most brats I know are more than ready to "take the lead" in every and any circumstance and see adults as merely obstacles to their own "right" to independence!! (come to find out this girl is a brand new student and this was her first EVER school mass)
That teacher certainly owes that girl an apology. The other moms and I commented on it and one mom had enough sense to take our principal aside and inform her of the rude careless behavior of one of her STAFF. Sadly, the damage is done. Truly the state of Catholic schools today is reflected in this one instance very well indeed. If one is seeking solace from the unkindness and shelter from the worldliness of public schools they will be hard pressed to find it in Catholic schools. The only comfort I take in shelling out the BIG BUCKS to send our kiddos to Catholic school is that they are FREE to talk about Jesus and their faith in Him and that they are FREE to pray when and where they'd like and they are in an environment that affords me the FREEDOM to demand or should I say request adherence to Catholic doctrine and teaching being it is a "catholic" school you know. This all comes with a caveat though and it is this - although your kids are FREE to be Catholic they won't be sheltered from comments such as "you're way too Catholic" and other such world good - religious weirdos bad, type discriminatory teasing.
Mom being a squeaky wheel and dad being quite the zealous convert that he is doesn't score our kiddos any brownie points either. So do you get what you pay for? Well yes and no. You get a watered down version of what you'd like to have but at least it's not the poison you might be forced to drink elsewhere. No much of a deal eh?

Delusions of Grandeur

Last night while watching the olympics Tim claimed "I could do that."


Enough said - let the uncontrollable laughter commence!

Irena Sendler, a Catholic hero - some one I didn't know who I should have known but am now grateful I do know!!

Modesty in the 21st Century

Charlie bit my finger - again !

Hahaha

One more reason NOT "to be done yet".......

The pure joy that a child experiences and inturn shares with their mommy and daddy is like nothing else in this world!

Give Me Your Eyes - Another TOB theme song?

A while back I posted about a song called "We Need Each Other" by Sanctus Real. It always makes me think of certain TOB concepts.
Recently I've come across this song "Give Me Your Eyes". It also makes me think of TOB in a nutshell. For me at least.

If I had to sum up TOB and everything I've learned by studying it I would say this:

TOB is seeing yourself, and others with God's eyes.

Once you see your own body, all bodies, and everything about us as God's most special creation from the perspective of His original intent - the beauty is restored.
I truly see people differently than I ever have before. What a grace from God. I pray daily to see as He sees and to love as He loves. Little by little I plod along. Every glimpse I get of the true beauty of the human person made in God's image is a mini revelation I treasure!!!

This song applies well I think.