Spreading the Faith via New Media

Lisa and I are already looking forward to attending the 3rd annual Catholic New Media Celebration (CNMC) in Boston this August. Last year we had just started our blogging adventure when the CNMC took place in San Antonio. There we met some of our favorite podcasters and experienced Catholic bloggers,  but more importantly we were introduced to a welcoming online Catholic family.

We used our experiences at the CNMC to sharpen our focus on those issues we value: our Catholic faith, our family, Pro-life, and summarizing how we view political changes through our Conservative upbringing.

The CNMC offers two tracks of sessions for people interested in spreading the Catholic faith via online media: podcasting and blogging. At last year’s Catholic New Media Celebration (CNMC), Lisa and I attended the “blogger track,” where we met and listened to presentations from Matthew Warner, Lisa Hendey, and Danielle Bean. Danielle, a columnist from National Catholic Register and editor of Faith & Family Live, cautioned us not become so busy writing about our life that we forget to live our life. No worries there! This past week I’ve definitely been too busy living my life to be thinking about it, let alone writing about it! Still I suppose it’s part of a natural ebb and flow of everyday life.

This year the organizers have pulled out all the stops in scheduling the featured speakers for blogging. We’re very excited to meet, learn from, and be inspired by Thomas Peters, Sarah Reinhardt, and Lisa Balducci.

Sarah Reinhardt is a regular writer on Catholic Mom, Faith & Family Life, Today’s Catholic Woman, and her own blog, Snoring Scholar. I first learned about her from the Mary Moment segment on the SQPN podcast Catholic Moments, where Sarah offers a short musing on finding Mary, the Mother of God, in our everyday life.

Lisa Balducci’s blog, “Testosterhome,” about her life with five sons might need a new subtitle since she’s welcomed a new baby girl into the family. This super-mom has a new book titled, How Do You Tuck In a Superhero?: And Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys. I’m looking forward to meeting her and discussing how she balances her writing with family life. When, exactly, does she find/make time to write?

Thomas Peters’ well known blog, AmericanPapist, has been a favorite of ours for many years. Peters started American Papist five years ago while in school and currently works for a D.C. conservative think tank as his day job. With graduate degrees in theology, Peters has a knack for writing about and commenting on all things Catholic in a unique way. Recently he merged his AmericanPapist with the popular upstart, Catholic Vote for massive impact on the public.

I can’t decide whether going to the CNMC is a “sacrifice” or an “indulgence”. One the one hand it’s a sacrifice because it’s taking time away from our families. The CNMC takes place on Birdie’s 4th birthday! Lisa must have struggled in making the decision to attend. Attendance has also required some advanced planning on my part, setting aside travel funding from my family’s monthly budget. We’re also not going to be in Boston long enough to do any amount of sightseeing--which is most definitely a sacrifice for this history major!--flying in for the Friday reception and leaving Sunday early afternoon. I wasn’t sure I could be there, because the CNMC backs up to a major work conference that starts at the same time. Choosing to attend the CNMC over the start of my career job conference feels like a big deal to me.

However, I also see attending the CNMC as a bit of an “indulgence”. It’s not often that Lisa and I have two nights away from our families, interacting as sisters without outside family distractions. I think the last time we shared a bedroom (alone) we were teenagers. We expect the blogger sessions to engage us in intellectual stimulation, allowing us to consider new ideas and new directions. We expect the speakers will inspire us to continue this project together. And if last year is any example, we’ll be making new friends and seeking out new opportunities.

Glenn Beck's The Overton Window

Glenn Beck’s first Fiction Thriller, The Overton Window hit bookstores two weeks ago and is already #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.   As a listener of Beck’s off and on for the last 10 years and a consumer of his previous non-fiction books, the book's description intrigued me enough to purchase a copy. 

Political thrillers are among my favorite books to read, so this one seemed right up my alley.  I was not disappointed with the ripped from the headlines storyline.  Beck has done an amazing job weaving real life events, political theory, controversy and great fiction together to create an exciting page-turner.  He leads the reader down a path that some believe our country is already headed down with chilling results.  Even if you can see what is coming, the development of the story does not disappoint.

Set around present day happenings in the United States, the story follows characters caught up in a plan to destroy America using a powerful technique called the Overton Window.  “It works by manipulating public perception so that ideas previously thought of as radical begin to seem acceptable over time. Move the Window and you change the debate. Change the debate and you change the country.”   

Beck did a great job developing believable determined characters who may resemble real Americans, the good and bad.  His immense research woven into the storyline inspires the reader to discover which portrayed events are based on real life and where he took literary license.  Prepared for that reaction, Beck has provided a detailed Afterword with references and links in the book. 

If you like a political thriller that not only entertains you, but also causes you to think – this is the book for you!  

Ultrasounds Show New Babies

Shelly and I are going to be aunts again this year!  Our brother and his wife are happily expecting their third bundle of joy towards the end of the year, and Shelly’s sister-in-law (on her husband’s side) is expecting their first baby two weeks earlier! 

Talking with my sister-in-law about her recent ob/gyn appointment brings back a flood of memories of the fear, anxiety, and excitement that a new pregnancy brings to the expectant parents.  She showed me the picture of the new baby at 8 weeks gestation and told me how exciting it was to see the baby on the ultrasound screen.  Even after two previous pregnancies, she is still in awe of how, even at 8 weeks, an ultrasound can clearly show the baby’s forming arms, legs, and eyes. Even the tiny heart beating.  It is an amazing sight. Even at this young age, you can see the human life growing in the womb.  For me, this first ultrasound always made pregnancy very “real”.

Recently Oklahoma passed legislation, overriding the Governor’s veto, requiring women who present themselves for an abortion to have an ultrasound and be given information on the fetal development.  Florida legislators also passed a bill requiring a woman to have an ultrasound before an abortion, with a right of refusal in certain circumstances.  Gov. Christ, who is seeking the Florida Senate seat in November, vetoed this bill. We’re watching to see whether the Florida legislature overturns his veto. 

The Louisiana House unanimously passed a bill this month that requires abortion minded women to be offered the opportunity to see their baby via ultrasound before the procedure.  The bill is now awaiting the governor’s signature.

In Michigan, where the law already requires a women presenting for an abortion to have an ultrasound, the legislature is looking to ensure women get the best available information by requiring the medical professional use quality ultrasound machines for a clear image.  Abortion providers are allegedly using older, low quality ultrasounds to show clients a grainy, poor quality image of their baby. They then use more modern, higher quality ultrasound machines for the abortion procedure itself. 

Since abortion centers, such as Planned Parenthood, have been exposed as misleading pregnant women by telling them a fetus is not a baby, that there is no heartbeat until the third trimester, and what they are aborting is simply a mass a cells; these laws are necessary to provide pregnant women and girls with needed information and an opportunity to be educated on the truth behind an abortion and their pregnancy.

If a person is an advocate for abortion or simply labels himself as pro-choice, the question to ask is, “Do they believe in an informed choice?”  Should a woman or girl who is abortion minded be given all the facts and information before undergoing an irreversible medical procedure that stops a beating heart?  Why are abortion groups afraid of women and girls seeing an ultrasound of the baby they want to abort?  We know the answer.  Because, in the words of Salon.com staff writer Mary Elizabeth Williams, “…having a choice and seeing that choice are two different things. Because, uncomfortable as it may be for many of us to acknowledge, a human heartbeat is a powerful thing.”

Matthew Kelly's Call to Joy

Six years ago, I stumbled on a book by Matthew Kelly in a Christian bookstore and fell in love with his message “become the best-version-of-yourself.”  Since that time, I am reading my way through his dozen bestselling books and spending time on the website for his foundation at MatthewKelly.org.

Matthew Kelly’s first book, Call to Joy, is a wonderful study of how God speaks to each of us in our lives and how we respond to him. Inspired by his own personal story of hearing God’s Call to Joy, the author takes us through a spiritual journey that shares God’s message in a straightforward way.

I read this book entirely while sitting in my car during soccer practice, carpool, etc.  Knowing the book was sitting in the car waiting for me encouraged me to leave early just so I could sit in the car and read for a longer period of time.  Matthew’s writing is beautifully comforting, peaceful, uplifting and encouraging.  We can all learn to listen to God’s call for our lives.  If we make prayer a priority in our lives and put God first, we will hear the message of Joy that He wants all of us to hear. 

I’m notorious for talking a lot and constantly surround myself with noise throughout the day, so  Chapter 6 – Silence & the Presence of God - really struck home.  Matthew points out that silence is necessary to be close to God.  “Silence increases our receptivity of God’s grace.”  Silence is something I struggle with.

In addition to silence, we are called to put God first in our lives and use prayer to find joy. Prayer needs to be a priority every morning that sets our day in perspective, and every evening to reflect God’s influence throughout the day.

This is one of those books I want to reread every few years, because A Call to Joy is a spiritual exercise to enrich our prayer lives and bring us closer to God.  Through his writing, Matthew Kelly teaches us how to recognize God’s presence within us.  

The Real Cost of Healthcare Reform

Even though the passage of the Healthcare Bill has not remained a hot topic on the nightly news or 24 hour news cycle, the public justifiably remains focused on it. The issues and controversy surrounding healthcare reform are not over. President Obama and Democrat leadership predicted the American public would come to love this new law after it was passed and the details of the bill were unearthed. Instead, the opposite has happened. Now that it has become the law of the land and the details are being exposed to sunlight, Americans are shocked, angry and a bit confused.

A new poll shows 58% of Americans now want the healthcare law repealed. Rasmussen Reports’ latest national telephone survey on the new Health Care Bill found that:

“Just 24% of voters say the quality of health care will get better under the new plan. Fifty percent (50%) say quality will get worse, Fifty-four percent (54%) believe health care costs will go up under the newly adopted plan. Three-out-of-five voters (60%) predict that the health care plan will increase the federal budget deficit.”

Do you remember President Obama repeatedly stating, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan!” Headlines were made late last week when internal White House documents revealed that 51% of employers may have to relinquish their current health care coverage by 2013 due to ObamaCare. The numbers are much worse for small-business employers – 66% will lose their coverage. As it turns out, those are conservative estimates. Worst-case scenarios state 69% of employers and 80% of small business employers will lose their health care coverage under the new health law.

Businesses have announced record losses due to the regulatory changes in the healthcare law. Insurance companies are preparing their clients for massive increases in premiums due to the regulatory changes forced upon them. These increases will likely not take place until January 1, 2011, after the November 2010 elections.

Things that were promised to be in the bill, actually do not exist in the new law. We were promised that health care costs would drop: now it is announced the bill will force them to rise. Premiums were promised to be reduced; however, it is now predicted the law will force them to be raised on all families. The CBO has revised their numbers stating the HealthCare bill will actually cost $115 Billion more than originally predicted, bringing the estimated total cost to over $1 TRILLION.

Instead of being honest about the huge problems with the new health care law, the Administration & Democrat majority wants to double down on their reckless legislation for America.

As the anger over healthcare continues to simmer, it is evident that the American People were paying attention during the debate over health care last year. The Democrat majority that controls Congress refused to pay attention, brushing off their charged town-hall meetings last fall, and ignoring the polls. They knew the majority of American people did not want this bill. But not believing that voters will follow through during the November elections, Congress blew off their responsibility to the American public.

The elections in November are vitally important, because it will be time for the majority of voters to show Congress that they are responsible to “We the People.”

Obama Offshore Drilling Ban to Devastate Gulf Coast Economies

Citing the potential economic impact on the Gulf Coast, Congressman Pete Olson, of the 22nd  District in Texas, introduced a bill in the House of Representatives yesterday to lift the offshore drilling moratorium imposed by President Obama in response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Senator David Vitter (R-La) introduced the companion bill in the Senate stating, “This moratorium threatens to finish what the oil spill started.  If it stays in place, even for six months, it will be a devastating blow to the economy of Louisiana and other Gulf states. My bill would simply nullify the president’s ill-advised moratorium.  The best way to prevent future oil spills is not to stop drilling altogether, but to improve the inspection process to ensure that our rigs are safe.” 

Calls for a lift of the moratorium hail from both sides of the political aisle with Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La) expressing serious concerns regarding the effect the drilling ban will have on her home state. Senator Landrieu said the 6-month ban would "spell a second economic disaster for families, businesses and communities along the Gulf Coast."   Democrat co-sponsors to the House bill to end the ban include House members Charlie Melancon (D-LA) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX).

Sponsors of the legislation noted the shutdown means that 33 rigs, successfully inspected by order of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar since the incident, will be idle for six months costing $250,000 to $500,000 per day, per rig. Direct wages lost would reach approximately $330 million a month. Additionally, 800-1400 jobs per idle rig would be at risk, with a possible total of over 45,000 jobs in the region lost within the region.  This would have a devastating economic impact to the already hurting economies on the Gulf Coast.

A panel of industry experts, hired by Secretary Salazar for consult in preparing the 30-day review of the oil spill, released a letter after Salazar falsely implied the experts were in agreement with the offshore drilling moratorium. According to a letter signed by eight of the 15, they claim that although "we broadly agree with the detailed recommendations in the report and compliment the Department of Interior for its efforts ... we do not agree with the six-month blanket moratorium on floating drilling." The letter continues, "A blanket moratorium is not the answer. It will not measurably reduce risk further and it will have a lasting impact on the nation's economy which may be greater than that of the oil spill. We do not believe punishing the innocent is the right thing to do.”   Salazar now admits that it was his idea and decision to issue the moratorium without regard for the expert opinion to the contrary provided by the panel of experts he hired.

  

It is unclear whether the White House grasps the severity of the potential economic situation in the Gulf States under this moratorium.  The administration’s current response is to put together a legislative package that will include unemployment benefits for people who have lost work due to the drilling ban.  People don’t want unemployment benefits from the government; they want to keep their jobs.  They want their communities and states to retain their economic stability.  They are not asking for or want dependence on the federal government.

To ban all offshore drilling pending a single accident investigation is akin to shutting down all airplane travel after a plan crash while the NTSA investigates the crash.  This action would kill the airline industry and negatively affect the economy.  It isn’t done.  This is no different.  These 33 oil rigs, if suspended for 6 months, will leave the Gulf for other drilling opportunities with no guarantee to return.  Already Anadarko Petroleum Corp announced they are shutting down three drilling rigs in the Gulf in order to continue production in other areas of their global portfolio.  Losing these 33 rigs could spell disaster for our Gulf economies and guarantee much higher oil prices for years to come. 

As of present, Administration officials have said the moratorium is not being reconsidered despite the predicted devastating impact the moratorium will have on the Gulf communities and the economy. 

The Light of God Shines for All

Although he has attended Mass with me for most of our married life, my husband is not Catholic; he was raised in the Methodist faith. The other day – out of the blue – he asked me if I thought Catholicism was the one true faith.

“Yes,” I had to answer.

After a moment’s silence, he asked me what I thought about the other Christian faiths. I told him that the best advice I’ve ever uncovered about how to consider the various Christian faiths comes from the author John D. Fitzgerald from his book Papa Married a Mormon.

“The Catholic Church is the Mother Church and all religions are windows in the Mother Church. And if you break one of these windows, you desecrate the Mother Church.”

The analogy provides a simple, perfect image of God’s love that we can all understand. His light, His love, streams through a stained glass window, where the rays come through in various colors and patterns. How we love God, learn about God, approach God, may vary as it is filtered, but the light, the love, at its source is pure, steady, constant, and bright.

Flag Day

On this day in 1777, Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.

Beginning in 1885, patriotic programs honoring the flag on June 14 spread through public schools, leading to President Woodrow Wilson issuing a Proclamation on May 13, 1916 establishing Flag Day as a formal observance. President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14 as National Flag Day in 1949.

My parents raised us with a healthy respect for our U.S. flag, mounting the flag on the front of our house regularly. One Memorial Day, a friend and I were so determined to place the flag out front that we literally hung out of a 2nd floor window to reach the mount since we couldn’t reach it from the ground.

My daughters are the ones now who remind us to place the flag out front on holidays or any other weekend day blessed with good weather. A friend of mine recently blogged that her son insisted the family salute the flag with the Pledge of Allegiance, even though she was still in her pajamas. When my older daughter traveled to Washington D.C. on her class field trip, the souvenir she chose to bring back was a very large U.S. flag flown over Mount Vernon.

Treatment and respect of the U.S. flag has been a news topic for many years, most recently in southwestern border states. The Official Site of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. maintains an excellent summary of the U.S. Flag Code, including Q&A, Etiquette, Guidelines for display, and proper flag disposal. A few reminders from their site:

• Flags may displayed from sunrise to sunset. It is not proper to display a flag at night unless it is illuminated.


• The flag should not be displayed during inclement weather unless it is an all-weather flag. The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.


• When flown at half-staff, the flag should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered. The flag should be raised again to the peak before being lowered for the day.


• When displayed with other flags from staffs, the U.S. flag should always be at the center and the highest point. It should be hoisted first and lowered last.
  
• When flown on the same staff as other flags, it should be at the top


• Never dip the flag for any person or thing. Never display it upside down, except as a signal of distress.


• Never let the flag touch anything beneath it.

Join us in flying a U.S. flag proudly today on its 233rd anniversary.

Emotional Mass

Our Grandpa died on June 12, 1997.

He had been ill with cancer, and his death, while sudden, wasn’t wholly unexpected. I’d lost others in my life before Grandpa, but I was with my grandmother in his hospital room when he died. It was the first time I’d been present when a person died.

And in that moment, I understood how the body is merely a vessel for the spirit. We are not just this body, we are the soul. When Grandpa died, his body was lying in that bed, but in a way I’m not sure I can explain, HE was gone. What made him so uniquely HIM was no longer in the room with us. Grandpa was gone, and in my grief I was not afraid of death.

I miss him so much it still aches. In truth, it is we the living who suffer the most from the death of our loved ones. The loved one is with God. Through Him, they have everlasting life.

For a long time after Grandpa died, I cried in Mass. Despite my best efforts, tears would fill my eyes and spill down my face whenever we celebrated the Eucharist. I don’t know exactly why, but it's as if there were no walls between me and God as if something just opened up and connected within me. I understood death and our connection with Christ's resurrection

Though I still get filled with emotion during Mass, I have not wept for a long time. However, after Nick died last month, I've begun weeping again. It’s frustrating that I can be so strong and focused when I need to be, but I cannot seem to control my emotions while attending Mass. After the last major breakdown, I have not returned to Mass. However, Mass is not something I can avoid and I already feel its pull on me and I'll be going back this weekend.

Surely I'm not alone. There must be others who become emotional during the celebration of the Eucharist, especially while grieving a loved one.

Motivating for Success...in the Pool

Here in Texas, we are in the midst of swim team season.  Both of our older kids are enjoying their third year on our neighborhood team swimming with their friends.  

Our son is competitive and not only loves to beat his time, but also picks out bigger kids he wants to best during a meet.  Being competitive myself, I love that it motivates him to do better and try harder.  However, even when he doesn't medal or beat the big kids, he just shakes it off and asks for ice cream. 

Our oldest daughter is a different story entirely.  Last year, if we encouraged her to beat her time or swim faster, she would actually swim slower and remind me that she is out there to have fun and enjoy herself.  While I personally find her attitude completely frustrating, how do I argue with having fun?

Before starting this year’s season, my husband and I really had to “encourage” our daughter to continue with swim team. Our goals for the kids swimming are to encourage great physical activity, to experience the fun social atmosphere of the team and to improve their times throughout the year.  To ensure the children had the skills necessary to show improvement in swim team, we enrolled them in neighborhood swim lessons in January.  It felt important for me to give our daughter all the support she would need to excel and improve once swim team started, because she can be very pessimistic about her swimming and not want to try.

Because you need more than just skills to do well in a competitive environment, my husband and I decided to offer incentives or rewards for each time improvement per swim meet.  Our kids get to decide what they are swimming for, within reason. At the first meet, our daughter decided her treat would be Breakfast in Bed with her favorite foods.  To our surprise, she smashed all her previous swim records!  The next morning, the kids were presented a menu in bed by a maître d that suspiciously resembled their dad and they had a marvelous time.

At our last meet, we decided our son could have his first friend sleepover for a reward and if he improved more than one time, then they could sleep in the tent inside the playroom.  He liked that!  Our boy swam for a 3^rd and a 1^st place in his age group.  Very exciting! 

Some people might argue that I’m bribing my children to participate or do well, but we consider that if they aren’t self motivated by improvement or competition then we need to find a healthy way to motivate their success.  Will it work forever?  Probably not.  However, since we have an oldest child who wants to quit sports when she struggles, motivation is imperative.  

Last year, she was crushed knowing that she wasn’t swimming as well as her friends.  Even though we never discussed her rank with her, she knew she was at the very bottom of the age group.  This year, she wants to try, if for nothing else than a reward.  It gives her something to focus on rather than where her time falls in her group.  Her goal is attainable; who can argue with a tenth of a second?  Especially when you show the child how long less than a second really is. 

I do have to brag on her improvement for a minute.  Last year, she fell around 38 out of 40 girls in her age group at every meet.  This year she has received a 10^th and a 13^th place out of 40. I love that after two years of telling her to keep trying and practicing she is finally able to see that practice does pay off.  She knows she is swimming better and that knowledge gives her the confidence to do more.  Hopefully this experience will inspire her to not give up the next time she struggles with a sport or in school. 

We are off to another swim meet this evening, keep your fingers crossed for them!

Beloved and Blessed: A Review

Only in the last year or so have I been introduced to the wealth of Catholic authors and theologians available for study. This awareness now includes Scott & Kimberly Hahn after I received a complimentary copy of Kimberly Hahn's latest book from The Catholic Company in exchange for an honest review.

Beloved and Blessed: Biblical Wisdom for Family Life is third in a series of Bible Studies based on Proverbs 31. While the earlier books addressed buliding a health faithful marriage and meeting the needs of the family through homemaking, this volume focuses on intimacy and parenting.

Beloved and Blessed is divided into six parts to discuss Marital Intimacy, Fertility/Gift of Children, Motherhood at Home, Parenting Styles, Establishing a Faithful Family, and Homeschooling. Hahn immediately jumps right in tackling the sensitive issue of marital intimacy, outlining the values and blessings developed from sensual love within the marriage. She identifies physical and personal challenges that may prevent couples from enjoying a healthy intimacy. But most of all, she helps the reader identify with the spiritual bonding and joyful pleasure arousing from sexual intimacy with one’s spouse. In the second part, Hahn reminds us that while experiencing this intense intimacy with our spouse we should embrace and be open to receiving God’s gift of children. Chapter 5 “Answering the Critics” about contraception and the misinformation we've heard all our lives really caught my attention. As I read, I found myself wishing that someone had taught me this way of thinking about sex, fertility, and childbearing during my marriage preparations. As the mother of two daughters, I must consider how they can best be instructed in these ideals, especially since I, personally, have never had sufficient faith or trust in God to follow these methods.

Though I enjoyed the first two parts, I struggled greatly with Parts 3 and 6 about Stay-at-Home Parenting and Homeschooling. These parts speak directly to the single-income family and, purposefully or not, degrades those who choose to work or must work. As a working-out-of-the-house mother, this is a sensitive topic for me. I know that I should be filled with desire to be solely a mother and teacher to my children while sacrificing my opportunity to have a career. I work because I financially must and I love the work I do – both in my career choice and as a Mom. Sadly, I must infer that this book addresses an audience restricted to Catholic moms who stay home with their children. Hahn details all the necessary reasons why mothers should not work outside the home, but the final jab came in these words, “Many wives work full-time outside the home and come home to a full-time job. They cope with internal pressure to be excellent at work and at parenting. One or both suffer. Supermom really does not exist.”

Unfortunately, this section put me in a defensive posture while reading the remainder of the book. Thankfully, the information provided in parts four and five on Parenting Styles (discipline and instruction) and establishing a strong faithful home resume speaking to all women. Hahn reminds us that parenting is a privilege and offers various techniques, scripture, and advice for directing your children’s behavior, and creating and strengthening a shared faith at home.

I carried this book with me to finish reading while on a flight to my 17 year old godson’s funeral, so chapter 16 “When Parenting Hurts” near the end felt particularly poignant. I looked for comfort in Hahn’s words, which address a parent facing miscarriage, depression, illness, and other afflictions that hurt the family. Her main point is that we must develop the ability to place our entire trust in God to lead us through the pain. Hahn writes, “Jesus promises His strength to comfort and fortify us so that we may endure.”

This book (and the Bible Study) would be especially valuable to young women engaged or newly married, as well as mothers of young children. Catholic women with small children who work outside the home should be aware of the tone found in part 3; however, the two sections on discipline and faith consolidate some of the better advice and techniques available in various secular parenting manuals, making these chapters particularly useful to parents. Overall, the most important lesson I feel comes with the perspective of Parts 1 and 2 on Intimacy and being open to the gift of Children.

Working Mom Summertime Blues

Though the calendar won’t agree for two more weeks, it’s the first day of summer in our house since school ended last Friday.

I have great memories of the summers between school years – playing outside until dusk after 8 p.m., swimming at the neighborhood pool until they turned the underwater pool lights on, riding my bicycle to the Stop & Go on the corner to pick up a gallon of milk for Mom (and candy for myself with the change as a treat). There were swimming lessons at the high school, arts and crafts making melted crayon candles, and piano lessons during the day.

When my children were younger, there was no difference between summer vs. school time. My infant and preschooler continued attending their same preK-daycare facility year-round. As they grew older, their childcare facility offered summertime weekly field trips as well as the opportunity for swimming, tennis, and golf lessons. Both of my girls learned to swim through the summer program, and though neither one expressed any interest in tennis, my older daughter tried her hand at golf once.

Last summer we tried something new, rotating through various week-long day camps that offer a swimming opportunity (not lessons). We also attended our first-ever week of Vacation Bible School at the Catholic church.

I don’t think either of my girls realized that other kids stayed at home during the summer until they entered elementary school. Before going to public school all of their friends were the other children at their PreK-childcare facility, and they played daily without exception.

When they started public school, I worried that they would realize they have a different routine from other kids. We maintain the same bedtime and wake-up schedule during summer as the school year. We still have to pack a lunch and get out the door at the same time every day. There are no lazy mornings sleeping in or bored afternoons in front of the television. We can’t have random, unscheduled, playtime with school friends from down the street. I worried because they won’t have the same experiences, the same memories, that I created in my own childhood.

However, I realize that much of my worry is because I know the difference. Every summer I get a case of the Working Mom Blues because I know they’ll never appreciate summer boredom. They might never know what it means to sleep until noon. Still, I stress over identifying the most appropriate summer care for their age and activities without over-stressing my budget. I suspect there are many working mom’s out there who share the same anxiety that comes when comparing our own childhood summer memories with our children’s present-day realities.

Yet I needn’t worry. While I know there’s a difference, my children don’t. They seem perfectly happy to attend this week’s gymnastics camp with swimming on the side. I can focus on my job knowing they’re active, engaged, and making new summer friends. Meanwhile, my 7 year old’s biggest complaint is that we don’t have a pool in the backyard like Aunt Lisa.

I wonder if our neighborhood pool has underwater lights for after dark.

Santorum teaches us Trisomy 18 not Incompatible with Life

As I read former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum discuss his precious daughter Bella's struggle for life despite a diagnosis of trisomy 18, tears streamed down my cheeks.  I am reminded that my husband and I for a short time faced the same diagnosis with our baby boy.

Almost 7 years ago, I received a call from my ob-gyn who informed me that my unborn son might also be born with three No. 18 chromosomes.  I was referred for an amniocentesis, to a genetic counselor and peri neo-nataologist for further testing.  Feeling pressured on the phone by my ob-gyn to quickly make these next appointments and confused by the potential diagnosis, I was abruptly informed that if he tested positive, she wanted to make sure I had time to terminate my pregnancy.  

There is no way to describe my emotions as I hung up the phone that day.  Or the horrifying range of emotions my husband and I went through over the next few weeks while we surfed the net seeking answers about what is commonly called, Edwards Syndrome.  To my dismay, what we found was extremely bleak.  As the Santorum's were told,  the phrase "incompatible to life" repeatedly was used to describe trisomy 18.   

While waiting those weeks for my appointment at the hospital, I remember praying for the strength my husband and I would need facing this possible diagnosis.  We knew, no matter if our son was ultimately diagnosed with Edwards, that I would complete the pregnancy.  What I didn't know, and I prayed for daily, was how I would handle carrying our son, whom we called Indy, another 4 months and giving birth to him all the while being told he was going to die.  

I will never forget the words of the geneticist at our appointment - "If your son tests positive for trisomy 18, we will spend the rest of your pregnancy preparing you for his death."  My husband and I just sat there, unable to speak.  This had been an incredibly emotional couple of weeks and now to hear it spoken out loud was heartbreaking.  But in my heart I didn't believe it was possible for the beautiful son I saw on the ultrasound to have this condition.  Many hours later, we found out that the initial testing was wrong.  The specialist suspected the markers were misread at our earlier appointment by the radiologist.  4 months later, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy who is now a very funny 6 year old.

Rick and Karen Santorum did receive the devastating diagnosis of trisomy 18 with their daughter, Bella upon her birth.  Rather than accept a death sentence, they have fought every step of the way for her life.  His article talks about the difficulty of finding doctors to treat their precious daughter as a patient rather then referring her to hospice care and waiting for her to die.  I am amazed at their bravery, courage and faith, especially in the face of the odds.  Approximately 90% of children with trisomy 18 die either before or during birth.  Of those, 90% die during their first year. Their beautiful daughter Bella has now celebrated her 2nd birthday.  

Rick Santorum and his wife are unbelievable witnesses to Life, in spite of immeasurable odds.  Bella's life is a testament to faith and God and her parent's unconditional love. 

On her second birthday, Mr. Santorum wrote,

"All children are a gift that comes with no guarantees. While Bella's life may not be long, and though she requires our constant care, she is worth every tear.

Living with Bella has been a course in character and virtue. She makes us better. And it's not just our family; she enriches every life she touches. In the end, isn't that what every parent hopes for his or her child?"

God Bless them for publicly sharing their family.  I pray that they are a beacon of hope and comfort to others whose children are given this bleak diagnosis.  In the face of so many doctors and specialists advising abortion and hospice for these children, the Santorums remind all of us that each child is precious and deserves a chance at Life.

Largest Abortion Center in America Opens in Houston

As the numbers of abortions decrease nationwide, with the polls showing that the American public is growing more and more pro-life, Planned Parenthood of Houston opened the doors on its 78,000 square foot abortion center. Constructed to meet the requirements for late term abortions as set in Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 171, this facility means Houston is now home to the largest abortion supercenter in the country.

With over 8,000 abortions taking place annually in Houston, Planned Parenthood hopes to increase those numbers with the opening of this supercenter. The facility is positioned at the heart of four super-neighborhoods targeting the resident 90% minority population, those struggling in poverty, and college students at two nearby Universities.

Prayer vigils led by groups such as Texas Families and Houston Coalition for Life during the construction of this abortion supercenter are continuing now that it has opened. On June 12, 2010, the Houston Coalition for Life will be holding its first Walk for Life to raise money for a mobile Crisis Pregnancy Center (CPC).

An estimated 70-90% of abortion minded women who view their babies on an ultrasound choose life for their children. A mobile CPC in Houston would assist in providing women with the information they need and are routinely denied when considering an abortion. To walk with Houston Coalition for Life on June 12th or provide a donation to their mobile CPC, visit their website for more details.

Please remember in your prayers the women who find themselves at this clinic, their families, the staff, those outside holding vigil and the unborn who only want a chance at life.