It is my oldest daughter's last day of Kindergarten today! I am so proud of my big girl. It has been a struggle, but we made it through. She is brilliant. We got to see her awards ceremony today and school. They sang songs and then the teacher gave a little blurb about each kid. It was precious.
--- 2 ---
Since I've been in the pro-life movement for about 12 years now, I am getting pretty used to persecution. But it always comes back to this bible verse for me:
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:10
So, I'd like to thank the people that feel the need to abuse and mock me. Because it solidifies my belief that I am doing what is right.
I will be praying tonight that some day people will wake up and see what is important in this world. And that some day children of this world will be treated with the respect they deserve.
Happy weekend! And beginning of summer break for many!
--Quick Take PS ---
OH!!! And PLEASE check out this fundraiser benefiting Malcolm's adoption! It has 6 days left and then the auction will begin! Please order something! :)
I emailed our new pastor and asked him if I could share the letter he wrote and is currently on our parish website. He said yes, and that he was grateful to God that we joined his parish! So awesome!
So, here it is... It's a whole bunch of controversial topics wrapped up into one perfect letter.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Written by Fr. Don Kline on May 20, 2012
This past week, Bishop Doherty forwarded a new website sponsored by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops about the Sacrament of Marriage. As marriage is under attack today, we would all do well to familiarize ourselves with the church's teaching that is clearly given on this site.
A few days later, I watched a Vice President Joe Biden interview--a life long Catholic during which the vice president, without giving any detail of his position, sanctioned "gay marriage" and credited the situation comedy, "Will and Grace" for opening the American mind to gay people. Needless to say, I was saddened.
The topic of gay marriage on its surface is most often defined in terms of rights and feelings. And who wants to be on the opposing side of a debate that the secular media and world has championed and where any opposition is framed in terms of bigotry and hatred? Still it is perhaps one of the most important debates in which Catholics must engage in the modern day.
In one section of the website named below, there is a specific precursor to the issue of gay marriage. It explains that, "The body – male or female – is an essential part of being human. Gender is not an afterthought or a mere social construct. The body shapes what it means to love as a human person. It continues: The word "marriage" isn't simply a label that can be attached to different types of relationships. Instead, "marriage" reflects a deep reality – the reality of the unique, fruitful, lifelong union that is only possible between a man and a woman.
As we know, the intimate union of marriage is the only context for the transmission of human life. No other relationship, no matter how loving or committed, can have this unique form of commitment.
One conclusion caught my eye on which we should all seriously reflect. That is: The love between a husband and a wife involves a free, total, and faithful mutual gift of self that not only expresses love, but also opens the spouses to receive the gift of a child. (Read that one twice!)
What I love about this statement is the consistency of the Catholic position. That is, many human relationships are loving. But Jesus instituted marriage as the only sanctioned relationship with this two-fold purpose. That is, a sacramental bond of intimate love (unitive) that can produce human life (procreative). This is what God ordained and intends.
So what falls short of the ideal? A gay marriage relationship does not meet these criteria as there can be no transmission of life. But as Catholics, we need to remind ourselves that other sexual expression outside and even inside marriage fall short as well. Let's be specific: cohabitation, masturbation, a marriage that includes artificial contraception, oral sex, polygamy and so on.
I believe that our often-casual dissent about the purpose and context of human sexuality has paved the way for the current debate about gay marriage. We have fallen down a slippery slope that Pope Paul VI warned us about some 43 years ago when he wrote Humane Vitae. That is, sexual expression is now seen as a right, not a gift, and with few to no parameters, context or limits. Sadly, for many, absent the procreative dimension, sexual expression has been reduced to mere instinct and this has had disastrous affect on our world. One of those effects is the assault on the institution of marriage.
The Bishops have done a great service to the church by compiling this website. Please take some time to educate yourself and be prepared to charitably explain the truth to others. Please visit www.marriageuniqueforareason.org.
I kind of understand that people don't like to face the cruel untruths of this world. It makes everything not seem so nice. It makes people uncomfortable. But, we live in a fallen world and it's not going to get better until people stop living in their little bubbles, acting like they're awesome activists by sharing a meme on fb, or feeling self righteous for supporting their friend who is running another marathon.
Those are all good things to do. But the feeling that they are doing enough is not. We should never, ever feel like we are doing enough. We should feel called to do more. We're not going to change anything by ignoring reality.
People didn't like being called out in my blog post about this subject last week. I don't care.
If orphans are not on your radar, they should be. Why? Because these are living, breathing, suffering, starving,
under-stimulated, neglected CHILDREN.
They are babies. Alone. No one to rock them, so they rock alone in their cribs.
No one to love them. Left to die in adult mental institutions.
And you could help. You could put aside your latte, your iPhone apps, your dinner out, your vacation, your new shoes, and your comfortable life inside your nice little bubble and care a little instead. No one is asking you to do everything. But to not do anything is flat out wrong. You could help children find homes. You could ache for them like the Lord must ache for them. You could pray. You could help these babies be seen. You could donate your time, money, effort, anything and make a difference.
You could. Or you could go back to your "slacktivist" ways, put your rose colored glasses back on, and ignore them. And then that's your problem when you have to answer the Lord as to why you turned a blind eye to the ones who needed you the most. The ones that need light shone on them, to be brought out of the darkness and into their mommy's arms.
So, I'm not sorry if I get a little angry once in a while because my heart is about to explode with grief. I don't expect you to understand or to make orphans your "pet cause." I really just hope and pray that someday people will at least care enough to do even a little something here and there for these children who are hidden away. All I want is for people to wake up and CARE.
For the first time ever, I have posts in the drafts section of blogger I am working on. Usually I type out my rambles and hit publish, but I had a few things to post about, so I started posts and have been working on them simultaneously. It's nothing all that exciting.
--- 2 ---
As a person who truly can not comprehend math, this is perfect. And hilarious.
--- 3 ---
I went to confession today. I love it. If you are one of the people that is afraid to go, don't be. I think it's one of my favorite sacraments. I am really enjoying our new parish.
--- 4 ---
I wish there was a better way to share a letter my new pastor has up on the parish website, but I can't find a way. I think I am going to copy and paste it into its own post, since it's too long to be a quick take.
--- 5 ---
Next week is the last week of school! Pray that I will survive this summer! I can't believe I will have a 1st grader and a Pre-k kid next year!
--- 6 ---
We are having a girl's night out tomorrow. I am SO excited. I am still bringing Charlotte, but hopefully I can keep her busy with food or something. I need a break so badly!
--- 7 ---
The Reece's Rainbow prayer warriors are doing a social media blast for our selected kid. Obviously, Nico is mine. So, click here for his RR listing and please pray he finds a family soon!
I don't have much to blog about these days. Life is beating me down and I have nothing inspiring to say, but I will update soon about our parish switch.
The only thing keeping me sane is helping fundraise for the Smiths. I love feeling like I'm helping and making a difference. I'm truly thankful they are letting my sassy and obnoxious self help them and I can't wait to see Malcolm come home.
Over the weekend I attended a beautiful bake auction and it was a huge success. It brought in about $2,.000! Can you believe it?!
The iPad giveaway they held brought in over $3,000! Malcolm is a loved little boy!
The next fundraisers up are ones I am directly involved with!
I am running an auction which starts June 2nd. It is only on Facebook. I know that annoys some people that aren't on Facebook (and even some who are), but I have seen smashingly successful FB auctions done in the manner I am doing this one and I am confident it will be a huge success. I have over 30 items so far and still 2+ weeks until it starts! The anticipation is growing on the page, and I'm loving it! :)
If you are not the auction type, please check out this Thirty-One Gifts party my friend Karen and I are running until the end of May. You don't have to do anything except order your pretty girly items from this link: Thirty-One Fundraiser! It's fun and easy! I am loving their Paisley wallet! Check out all the cute items.
Last week I had about 9 Quick Takes and I had to edit it down. It was a rare occurrence for me, because I almost always end up like right now... totally out of ideas...
--- 2 ---
Oh, right, there are some fun events coming up in order to help raise money for Malcolm's adoption. This weekend is the Baking Malcolm Home event, and tomorrow I will be starting to promote the online auction I am running for the Smiths. It will run from June 2nd - June 3rd, so don't miss it! Lots of fun items to bid on, and all for a great cause.
--- 3 ---
My last post was super popular (for my blog. 163 page views, haha). It always shocks and humbles me when people share my posts. I brainstormed that post while making breakfast, thought about it again while making lunch, and then typed it all out sometime later that day. I had to force myself to hit "Publish" because I tend to type out long posts and then delete them. But this one had been on my mind for a while. So I'm glad I was able to put it into words that resonated with people.
--- 4 ---
It also seems that my last post ticked some people off and, we think, caused them to attack my sweet friend Heidi, who is also adopting a child with special needs. She is much more charitable than I, and wrote a wonderful post about it all, here. It is a post full of great information for all of the people out there who don't quite understand WHY people are called to adopt internationally.
--- 5 ---
Oh, but how I wish they had brought that nonsense over here to my blog.... *evil grin*
--- 6 ---
I am hoping to have some good stuff on the baby I am prayer warrior for soon (see the redhead sweetie over there on the right? Yeah, him). There is a family traveling to his region this week and they will be on the lookout. I am praying so hard that they can find him, get updated pictures, and a video. I also hope they are allowed to give him some love.
--- 7 ---
Wow, I don't have any fun pictures or anything in this post... Let's seeeee...
Oh! Here, vote for this video and help the Reece's Rainbow kids!
I've been a pro-life activist my entire adult life. I may not be a very good one, but I do what I can. My heart has broken time and time again for the children killed through abortion. My heart has broken for the mothers who chose or were coerced or forced to commit such an awful act.
But a whole new kind of heartbreak happened when I discovered Reece's Rainbow.
I knew there were orphans, sure. But millions?
I knew there were orphanages. But places like Pleven (or worse)? In 2012? STILL?
The truth is, it's the same evil. It's the same disposable baby attitude the United States has, except we abort our undesirables. We abort over 90% of Down syndrome babies. They abandon theirs.
We are no better. We embrace the disposable baby worldview. Children are a burden instead of a blessing. We demand the right to have recreational sex and not be responsible for the results. We fill our bodies with artificial hormones that increase our risk of cancer to avoid these undesired babies. We ruin our marriages, our women, our men, our lives, our society.
Satan is laughing. He broke down the family and thus has broken down society as a whole.
Christians believe that goodness wins in the end, but not before many trials.
Millions upon millions of children have been killed for the sake of convenience.
Millions upon millions of children have been abandoned and many are abused, starved, and left to die, because of societies that deem them unworthy. These babies are alive and suffering. All because of our sins.
Where does the responsibility lie?
How do we start to fix a problem that is so widespread?
I don't know the answer. But I do know we have God on our side. And I fear that far too many people these days are more comfortable turning a blind eye than having to face a painful truth and fight it head on. I've seen it in the pro-life movement for years, and I'm seeing the same thing when it comes to orphans now.
So, I ask again. Where does the responsibility lie?
I am taking a little break from Facebook. I have to every now and then, or it drives me insane. I've pretty much ran my emotions dry with all of the insane amount of orphan advocating I've been doing the past couple months. On top of the issues we're having with Charlotte, and then issues we're having with Lily this week (which I think are because of the issues with Charlotte), plus normal day to day life, I'm just tired. I can't even have a conversation about politics, abortion, orphans, my kids, school, or anything right now at all.
--- 2 ---
I watched a documentary last night called Bulgaria's Abandoned Children. I'll post it here, but be warned... you might not be able to recover. Which, I think is a good thing. We all need to know about all of this problem. These babies need our help. And we spoiled Americans need to realize that we CAN get off our butts and do something.
I found the video here: No Greater Joy Dad I love his and his wife's blog.
I'm posting a different link, though, because this one has updates at the end of how 3 of the children are doing after being taken out of this orphanage. Don't be fooled, though. These orphanages still exist today (and not just in Bulgaria).
--- 3 ---
My heart hurts. I found out that Nico, the orphan I am prayer warrior for, will not be getting a donate button. They are not going to get any more information about his medical needs until someone is paper ready. I can't fathom having to watch that boy grow up in institutions. There is still time for him. He's only just turning 2. Please. Pray hard for that boy. If only just because I'm begging you.
--- 4 ---
There is only a few weeks left of school. I need to figure out what classes the girls will be taking so that they don't go mad (and then drive ME mad) over summer. I also need to figure out school registration for Amelia and also pre-K for Lilykins. SO much to do!!
--- 5 ---
I made chicken stock for the first time tonight and then realized I have nothing to store it in. Great job, Kara.
--- 6 ---
The auction I'm helping with for the Smiths is coming together nicely. I am so excited and have been uploading photos as we go. Keep an eye out for sneak peeks of some of the items, and the auction itself in a few weeks! I am also still accepting donations for it, so if you have any ideas or anything to throw in, it would be greatly appreciated!
--- 7 ---
I got a Costco membership on Monday and promptly spent way too much money. I'm not sure we're really going to save money with this stinking thing, but I hope so. My plan was thwarted by the fact that I needed a new coffee maker and they happened to have Keurig sets for a good price.
So, happy early Mother's Day to me... And happy early Father's Day to Kyle... and happy early birthday to Kyle... Because paying that much for a coffee maker better count for 3 gifts. :P
On another note, I am now drinking too much coffee. Which reminds me of this:
