January 2004 Archives

New issue

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The Journal of Attachment Parenting International
An interesting article on the safety of breastfeeding during pregnancy.

Theology of the body

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here and here and here. Enjoy!

"The theology of the body has begun a ‘sexual counter-revolution that’s changing lives around the world.’ "
— Christopher West

from my inbox today

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Please spread this message far and wide. We have a petition on line to stop Georgetown University's use of aborted fetal cell lines! If GU gets away with this, kiss the ethical vaccine deal we are on the verge of negotiating with Chiron goodbye...why bother with it if the Catholic scholars are saying the immoral research is okay? If the research is okay, well surely then the vaccines are too so why bother getting untainted ones

This can't be for real

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I'm not so sure this is true, because I tried to choose the most practical and pragmatic selections given. Since my Mom was never any help with the kids, that eliminated many of the choices....but I guess I will take my compliments where I can find them!

You are Great! You love doing things with your
child but you also like doing things for
yourself.Although you sometimes need to put
yourself first and enjoy doing things alone.
This will save you from total "Mom
Burnout". Keep Up the good work!!!


How Good Of A Mom Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Link via Oblique House

Mrs Kairos guy

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had an emergency appendectomy. Please pray.
Brian, if you read this, I want to tell you about my friend Diana. When she was in the hospital recovering from her appy, she asked her husband to bring in the C.S.Lewis book that she had left at the bedside, so that she could have something to read during her recovery. She couldn't figure out just why the nurses suddenly became so solicitous, until she remembered what it was that she had been reading before the surgery so rudely interuppted her life. The book? None other than The Problem of Pain.

Data in, Garbage out?

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I got the link to this from Steven Riddle.
What is interesting is that, before his flip-flop on abortion, I was leaning towards Kucinich. Of course, none of the below is a viable candidate to me now. See Mr. Riddle's cogent analysis for why.
1. Your ideal theoretical candidate. (100%) Click here for info
2. Kucinich, Rep. Dennis, OH - Democrat (71%) Click here for info
3. Dean, Gov. Howard, VT - Democrat (64%) Click here for info
4. Green Party Candidate (63%) Click here for info
5. Kerry, Senator John, MA - Democrat (58%) Click here for info
6. Sharpton, Reverend Al - Democrat (57%) Click here for info
7. Edwards, Senator John, NC - Democrat (55%) Click here for info

Friday Five

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You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first?
My husband and children.
2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself?
I pay off my student loans.
3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else?
A car for my husband.
4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom?
10% at a minimum, to the various Catholic organizations that we are already supporting. Probably piecemeal, unless we think there would be enough to get a new project off the ground (like Catholic radio? - but I don't think it would be enough?) Maybe a residential facility for teen moms?
5. Do you invest any? If so, how?
I might invest in business like starting my own midwifery practice or starting a Catholic radio station with my husband, or it might just be investing in my children's higher education. 1 Million seems like a LOT until one actually starts trying to figure out how to spend it wisely and in accordance with Christian principles.
Friday Five

to my readers

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A question. What it triumphalism, and why is it considered a bad thing?

some one I could actually support

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for president (or anything!)

Comfort Literature

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Don, Steven Riddle, and TSO have all posted on what Teachout called "total comfort reading (which I guess is the Mac N Cheese and mashed potatoes of ink and paper).
I have to confess that I have LOTS of books that I curl up with on those occasions. The two genres that I tend towards for comfort reading are science fiction and children's literature. I have found that the juveniles by R.A. Heinlein meet my needs on both counts. Hence, I have practically memorized some of them, given that I have been reading and re-reading said books since age 7 (that's 42 years, folks). I also enjoy reading Madeline L'Engel's juveniles, with one exception. House like a Lotus I find terribly disturbing and I wonder if she was influenced by a desire to be more 'hip' and 'with it' in this book than in her previous young adult fiction.
If I want to read previously unread stuff for comfort, I am very fond of "The Cat Who" series of murder mysteries, true medical stuff (Like Oliver Sachs and similar writers) and Harlequin Romances by Betty Neels. A weird assortment, I know.
How about you folks? What all do you read for comfort?

From Flos Carmeli

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Flos Carmeli: January 25, 2004 - January 31, 2004 Archives

Can a Catholic in Good Conscience Support a Democrat?
I write this with some trepidation knowing the streams of vitriol it can unleash. But I also know that the advantage of swimming about in a backwater is that I can say pretty much any outrageous thing I care to and very, very few will notice or make comment. And that is good because it gives me breathing space to consider very difficult matters.

Summa Mamma's Quiz!

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007andBondGirl
How intriguing. You are Ken & Barbie as 007 and the
*Bond Girl* Tres chic!


Which Ken & Barbie Couple Do You Belong To?
brought to you by Quizilla
Who woulda thunk it?
Thanks to Smockmomma

NH Primaries

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Well, the returns are in for more than 50% and it looks like Kerry is in first place. I had forgotten that our former governer, Jean Shaheen, was his campaign manager. Ms. Shaheen lost my support when she came out in favor of stem cell research ( a particularly vicious part of the culture of death, cannibalism taken to its seductive lows such that even Senator Hyde succumbed to the lure of the false promise).
I will say, once again, I have not voted for anyone near the front of the race.

An op-ed from Alaska

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Anchorage Daily News | Contraception doesn't cut abortion rate
using information from Planned Parenthood.

How did we get here?

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Old Oligarch's Painted Stoa
has some interesting comments about sexuality, Catholicism, and the contraceptive mentality. Thought provoking, as usual. Link via Flos Carmeli ( who got it from Father Jim).
How do we restore to our culture the truth that you can't really separate the unitive and procreative aspects of intercourse?
Think about the different weight of saying "I want to have sex with you" and "I want to have a baby with you".

Rex Olandi Rex Cledendi
has moved to stblogs.org! Welcome, neighbor, pull up a ricking chair and sit on the porch awhile!

Paging Gilligan

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Why do I read this newspaper?

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In today's Boston Globe Magazine is an article that shows me that we just don't get it in our culture. Too bad that no one offered this young woman any real choices, but rather assumed that she would of course choose prenatal euthanasia for her unborn. Here is a site that shows the other choices, real choice, that show true love for the baby and not just ones self.
Today's Sunday thought from William Luse is much better reading. He quotes more Malcom Muggeridge on Humanae Vitae. "In a family, you don't throw out the specimens that are not up to scratch. In a family you recognize that some will be intelligent and some will be stupid, some will be beautiful and some will be ugly."

Generosity

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On January 12 I turned 49 and simultaneously celebrated the 31st anniversary of my reception into the Church. I became Catholic for a lot of reasons, most of which you have all read before in a number of places from a number of other converts. Like most converts, I love to read conversion stories, but I recognize that others may find them boring.
One thing that I did NOT expect was that after all this time I am still undergoing conversion on a regular basis. It is downright uncomfortable sometimes.
Like some cradle Catholics, I went through a spell of cafeteria Catholicism. Even though I catechized myself pretty well, there were doctrines and dogmas that I chose, at times, to ignore. Now that I am much older, and have lived through that ancient Chinese curse (interesting times), I have regrets. And one of them is that I was not more generous with the gift that God gave us of (pro)creation.

New Blog!

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Theology of the body
I just hope it doesn't get as acrimonious as the Catholicity listserv on the same topic!

Read it and weep

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"Worldwide, about one-fourth of the approximately 180 million pregnancies known to occur each year are resolved by abortion. Abortions numbered an estimated 46 million in 1995, but given the uncertainty of the data, that number could be as low as 42 million or as high as 50 million. About 35 in every 1,000 women aged 15–44 have an abortion each year. "
International abortion statistics from the Alan Guttmacher institute (an affiliate of Planned Parenthood).
(my comment) Resolution? Pregnancies are 'resolved'? Sounds like newspeak to me.

great news!

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The ultrasound showed a 6 week pregnancy in the uterus, and her hormone levels are going up appropriately! Thank you Blessed Gianna, and thanks to all of you for your prayers!

It's been a long day

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and it's time to get some sleep. But before I hit the lumpy bed in the call room, another prayer request from a patient.
This young lady had a tubal ligation a couple of years ago, and has been regretting it for quite a while. She has actually been praying that it would reverse itself.
She came in today and had a positive pregnancy test.
Due to her surgery, she is at very high risk that this pregnancy is ectopic (out of place). She has an ultrasound tomorrow (actually, I guess later today!) to attempt to determine where the baby is. Her hormone levels are appropriate for her stage of pregnancy, which is a very good sign. My gut is not giving me any fits, which is another good sign. Anyhow, she asked for prayers, and I told her I would put her case on my prayer list at her request.
Blessed Gianna, put in a good word, will you?
Oh, and the reason I am up so late is that we just had a sweet baby born - 6 weeks early but so far so good. Pray for him, too, while you are at it. I wonder who the patron of premature babies would be. Maybe Blessed Gianna as well? After all, she was a pediatrician.......

Abortion:

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Striking at the root of the problem
"Yet, I am deeply concerned the war on abortion will never finally be won unless pro-life Protestants are willing to strike at the root of the problem - contraception."
This article ties in with what I heard Gerry Matatics say last Saturday at our local March for Life. If I can find the time, I will try to post more info.

From the Wall Street Journal

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(I would put the link but you can't access the article easily).
As 'Doulas' Enter Delivery Rooms, Conflicts Arise
Hired to Help in Childbirth, They Sometimes Clash With Doctors and Nurses
By SUEIN HWANG
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
There's a new work force entering obstetrics wards. They are often strangers to the staff and unrelated to the patients. They aren't licensed and aren't required to have any formal medical training. And they are sparking protests in the medical community.
The workers are called doulas.
Named after the Greek word for slave, most doulas (pronounced doo-lah) are hired by expectant parents. Some just care for the mother at home after the baby is born. "Birth doulas" sit by the mother's side through the delivery, rubbing her back, suggesting alternate positions, listening to her fears and doing anything else that might help her through labor.
Many birth doulas advocate natural-birth methods that spurn common medical procedures, and from their post at the mother's bedside they are in a strong position to enforce that philosophy. Doctors complain that birth doulas sometimes persuade laboring mothers to reject Caesarean sections, medication and other treatments deemed medically necessary.

Read it

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and weep
WILKES-BARRE - Concerned his case could impact other pregnant women, a Plymouth man said Friday he's working with a national reproductive rights group to challenge a court order that sought to force his wife to undergo a Caesarean section against her will.
Woman hits hospitals' stance that she agree to C-section
A Plymouth woman who was ordered by a Luzerne County judge to consent to a Caesarean section delivery of her baby said Friday she was appalled by the treatment she received at two area hospitals.

update on

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My recent prayer request. I just learned that the fever was from kidney stones that had caused an infection, and that surgery is imminent. Continued prayers most appreciated. This child's patron saint is Francis of Assisi (and his father is a 3rd order Franciscan).

I resemble that remark

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Catholic Culture Shock

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Over at Sancta Sanctis. And while you are there, scroll down and read her wonderful comments on one of my favorite history books, Crocker's Triumph.
Meanwhile, the Summa Mammas point out that, as we may be the only Bible some people read, we are also the only Catechism they may ever read. As St Francis says, "Evangelize always - if needed, used words".

Eat locally, think globally?

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A Short-Order Revolutionary is a business that I wish were in my neighborhood. Maybe some day I will bop over to Vermont just to check it out.

Father Groeschel update

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in this Letter 1/15/04, with specific requests for prayer and works of mercy.

Dear Mr. Luse

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will be interviewed on the Radio about his recent article for Touchstone (an excellent article, BTW). see here for details. I hope they archive it, as I will be totally unable to listen at the time, now that I am back at work.

blog stuff (more)

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I moved the scrabble score back a week in the archives - I think it may have been messing up the columns in the display.

a neighor asked me

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to post a link to his project, Open Source Shakespeare. Eric Johnson over at Catholic Light, specifically asked me to let you all know about this site.
It looks like it might be a great resource for homeschoolers and scholars. Let him know if you access it and what you think!
Oh, and Eric is also an Iraq veteran and a fairly new dad, if I remember correctly!

hope you don't mind

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Lately, it seems like most of what I have been posting have been prayer requests of one kind or another. It has been that kind of season. Well, here is another one.
Frank is the son of two very dear friends of ours. He is 24 years old. When he was two, he was hit by a 3/4 ton truck and was in a coma for several weeks, during which time his baby sister (my godchild) was born and died (either SIDS or a heart defect). He was left with severe brain damage, and has endured much during his life since then. He has a sweet disposition, intelligence that has very few ways to escape his body, and two parents who, although they no longer live together, both love him very much. I just learned that he is now in the hospital with an infection and a high fever. His mother emailed me to request prayers, and so I am turning to all of you - could you please add him to your list? And both his parents, as well. Thank you. I will update if and when I hear more.

License update

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My renewal came through, finally. I only had one last glitch with which to deal. They had all the paperwork including the elusive background check. But, since the license had technically lapsed, I had to come in and pay another $10 fee for 'reinstatement'. I also had to bring in documentation of my continuing education - fortunately auditing part one of the Fertility Care (Creighton model) was good for 57 of the 60 hours. But it is done. So I can go back to work Monday after jury duty.
Thanks for the prayers!

blogroll addition

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My Domestic Church
is being added to the blogroll. Don't know how I missed this one, it seems to be a great match. Us large family type moms need to support one another.

update on father groeschel

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blogroll update

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I'm adding Annunciations back to the blogroll. It fell off a while back and I didn't realize how much I missed it until Fr. Groeschel's accident.

I've also deleted a few inactive sites - if I have deleted you by mistake, let me know! oh, and dylan posted yesterday.

Not just a childhood disease

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Enbrethiliel is sick with chicken pox, which can be very serious in an adult. Please add her to your prayers.

Impending birth announcement

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from Chris and Jenny of Let's Just Elope Already

Info on Fr. Groeschel

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CFR Home Page is maintaining updates as they are available. Please continue to pray. I am not ready yet to start praying for his canonization!

Abortion, slavery, and politics

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A Plumbline in the Wind asks?

Given that abortion is currently the law of the land in the United States, is there any way to participate in politics at all without being complicit in the occurrence of abortions?

What say you all?

From my inbox

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(E-mail from Catholic Exchange)
Renowned TV priest Father Benedict Groeschel, author of numerous books and popular EWTN commentator, was hit by a car near Orlando International Airport Sunday night, according to reports on the national radio program, Morning Air with Jeff Cavins. He is in stable but critical condition at the intensive care unit at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

final update

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I will have my license by next Monday. The state police, when I walked in this morning, were very helpful (if a little miffed by all the distraught nurses they have been seeing since the start of the year). They ran the check on the computer, told me that there were no problems, and that the BRN should have the info by the end of the day. The BRN said that they still have to process it. So I will be off work, but my boss's boss said that they will use my earned time so I am at least not out $$$ as well.
So thank you all for your fervent prayers. I really wonder what the purpose behind this is, but I am content that this is the best outcome I could expect - a couple of days of surprise vacation. I guess I could call them mental health days.

I just heard on EWTN

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Father Benedict Groeschel was hit by a car and is in critical condition. Please please pray for him!

whose are we?

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It has been noted that ironically, the motto of the abortion movement has been the same as the words of Consecration - "This is My Body" - but what a difference between the way Jesus says it and NARAL says it!
This Is My Body is an article that takes this idea and further expands it, from the point of view of a pregnant woman. Worth reading.

Who and Whose?

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This morning, Father gave us a great homily. He talked about how necessary indeed was the Baptism of the Lord, and how the Holy Spirit became visible in the form of a dove at the Baptism. He then segued into Galations 5:16 - 26 and spoke about the Sacraments, especially Reconciliation and Eucharist. Really inspiring and a great reminder that sin is real.
But what really stuck in my mind was a phrase he used about our relationship to God - "Remember who you are (A human being created in the image and likeness of God) and Whose you are (A child of the heavenly Father, a child of God).
This afternoon, there was a mandatory parent meeting for parents of kids in confirmation. Most of it was the usual logistics etc, but there was a presentation from some kids who went to Steubenville East at the shrine of La Sallette last year. They were strongly encouraging the kids to go this year, and I wish that I had been able to send our older kids to something like that. But you could have knocked me over with a stick when one of the presenters (who I KNOW was nowhere near my parish Masses this weekend) used that very phrase - remember who and whose you are.
OK God, I guess you are trying to tell me something here too!

no news yet

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on my licensing stuff. I will go by the State Police Monday to see if there is any way to expedite the criminal background check. I somehow doubt it, being that this is a democracy and you aren't supposed to be able to get special treatment from bureaucrats just because it will totally screw up your ability to work without it!
On another (political) note - I am still clueless as to how I will vote in the Democratic primary election. I will entertain any thoughtful comments or suggestions that you all may care to leave in the box. I am pretty sure that I won't vote for Dean or Kucenich, and that is as far as I have gotten.
Update: The Board of Nursing has been extremely unhelpful. They stamped my application in on 12/23 - they just sent me back a letter (dated 1/7!) that they are returning my application for the criminal background check because it has to go directly to the State Police. So in a few minutes, that is where I will be headed - directly to the State Police.
I will probably be off without pay for at least a week. I might be able to persuade them to pay me for the two days this week I am on Jury duty.

Happy baby prayers

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for Sparki
whose labor started this morning.

today

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is the blog's 1st birthday. I have really appreciated all the fine people I have 'met' in this venue. Thanks to all of you for your prayers.

Large family - rude comments

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For all of us who have been there - a bit from Touchstone Magazine's weblog.

New find

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I have added The Weight of Glory to my blogroll. I especially liked the recent post "A Matter of Conscience" (sorry, I can't figure out how to get a hotlink up). Here is an excerpt.
A friend of mine, who is a pharmacist, has become the defendant in a legal claim by a woman upset that he would not issue contraceptives to her at a K-mart pharmacy. The allegations include "causing harm by not giving the pill, violating the standard of "care", and sex discrimination."
If I recognize the name, the blogger is a frequent commenter over at Envoy Encore and other blogs.

major prayer request

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My NH state nursing and midwifery license expires on my birthday (Mon 1/12). It has still not been renewed thanks to a new law (effective 1/1/04) that requires the completion of a criminal background check before issuance. There was no new funding to support the increase in workload for the state police. I have been told that the only holdup is the background check.
I cannot work without a current license. My employer has a policy that would suspend me without pay. My hospital privileges will also be suspended, and that gets reported as a negative to the national practitioner data base, too. I need a major miracle and soon.
What a birthday present.

The American Thinker

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I was sent a link to The American Thinker. It looks more like an online daily paper than a blog, but what do I know? There are some interesting comments there, but I don't agree with all of them.

MY vote

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for best "New Year" musings goes to metanoia, from the incomparable TSO.

anniversary bash

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Let me clarify something from the post below.
The reason I am planning this bash is that the only child who lives within 2000 miles of where we ended up is the 15 y/o daughter. She does not have the resources to pull this together.
My oldest is in Memphis TN. #2 is in Los Angeles. # 3 & 4 are in Eugene OR. # 5 is in Couer D'Alene Idaho. It will be enough of a challenge to get them all here at the same time. I don't expect to see siblings or parents for that reason, either.
We should have thrown a big bash for our 20th - at that time everyone lived in Los Angeles!

Blogging

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I can't believe I've been at this for nearly a full year (as of 1/9/04 it will be exactly one year since I first posted on the blogspot site).
I know that I haven't been very substantial lately - This time of year is always rough on me. I have actually awakened at 0300 several mornings with a great post in my brain, but despite trying to remember them (I am NOT getting out of bed to write them down) I haven't been able to. Oh well, they probably weren't all that great after all.
I am behind on so many things right now! So many tasks, and so little energy. I have a birthday next week, which I would honestly rather forget. But I have to remember to call my mother the day before to wish her a Happy Birthday. We have our 30th wedding anniversary coming up in February, and I am supposed to be planning a big party that all our kids will be flying in for. I am about ready to suggest a potluck in the living room! We are also in a period of chaos at work (nothing new, there, actually).
So thanks to all of you who drop by and thanks for the prayers.

I couldn't resist

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Pholph's Scrabble Generator

My Scrabble© Score is: 22.
Summa Mammas!

Thank you (update)

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I saw my patient Kimberly and her baby on Friday. The baby was released from the hospital around the New Year, and is breastfeeding well and developing well. He had some serious hurdles in his first few days and weeks, including difficulty keeping his blood sugars normal, but he seems to be doing well now. He is cute as a button, too! His mom had some rough times too but is coping OK now - she says to thank all of you for your prayers.

Please pray

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for Ashli.
She is facing more tough times with her pregnancy. She needs miracles. I am asking Blessed Gianna to intercede.

Prayer Request

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This is from my friend Rita, another certified nurse-midwife.
Friday, I leave for India for a two week mission trip . I hope to spend the majority of my time at a medical clinic although there are times planned at
a village for well building , times planned for orphanage ministry and times
to do altar ministry at a large Christian crusade .Please just pray as the
Lord leads. My aunt was so very ill and I was worried about leaving her but
now I can go knowing the Lord has taken her home. (Husband and daughter)support my trip but pray they do Ok while I am gone. My missionary friend who worked in Malaysia and India for many years told me to ask the Lord to prepare my heart because I could never be prepared for what I will encounter, so I ask
that you pray that I will be ready for whatever He wants me and the team to
do. I really need prayer thrrough this adventure!

Welcome to the parish

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to GoodForm and Suffer the Children.
Let me know if I can be of help!

Am I a snob? Are you?

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It's touch and go, alicia - you're 63% snob. You're a long way off joining the ranks of the blini-nibbling, bubbly-sipping, double-barreled brigade, but then you're no champion of the proletariat either. If you haven't got a Volvo, Golden Retriever, and 2.4 kids yet, you soon will because the middle classes beckon.
Thanks to the Sleepy Mommies for the quiz link.

Envoy cracks the Da Vinci Code

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part 2.
Well worth struggling through.

Attention Mommies and daddies

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IHS Press
IHS Press was launched in September of 2001 to bring back into print the classics of last century on the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church. IHS Press titles are sure to appeal to the Catholic reader who wants to know more about the wealth of information buried in the Church's Social Doctrine. And our titles will no doubt be a welcome and refreshing change for any socially-conscious reader who, in a search for a humane solution to modern social problems, is looking for a break from worn-out theories.
Found via Video Meliora, always a wealth of information!

I'm glad I moved

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I have been noticing that every so often lately, when I am making the round, that a blogger blog comes up with the blogger home page instead of the blog. I do try back later and usually the blog is back - but what a pain! May I suggest a New Year's resolution for those still on blogger? See if you can got out of there! Blog-city and St. Blogs.org are both options that will not cost an arm and a leg. Moveable type is pretty easy to use, and there are lots of mavens here in the parish that are very helpful, to boot.
Anyhow folks, Happy New Year to all y'all out there.

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About this Archive

This page is an archive of entries from January 2004 listed from newest to oldest.

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February 2004 is the next archive.

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