Seven Quickies

Thanks again to Jen for hosting!

~~one~~

Big Girl uses Garage Band to record her spelling sentences so she can give herself the test on Fridays.  We forgot to set her up with a podcast on Thursday, so she's sitting and doing her podcast now.  One sentence was "Politics is basically one big argument."   (The spelling word is "argument.")  I found that to be one of the funniest things I've heard her say in a while, but I couldn't laugh or I'd mess up her podcast!

~~two~~

This work week has been light for me, which has been nice.  I couldn't pick up enough hours when the schedule was released, so I wound up with nights off all week.  Hooray!  I have enjoyed sitting with a beer or glass of wine and watching shows with Travel Man.  But this won't last long, as I managed to be good enough at what I'm doing to be in a group that gets guaranteed hours.  So I'm up to 13.5 next week (with two and a half days off for the March for Life) and 20 the week after.  No rest for the wicked!

~~three~~

Speaking of the March, the whole family is going this year.  Little Girl has figured out that abortion means that babies die.  It's a sad revelation, and as each girl learned that fact, I watched a part of their childhood just die.  What kind of person thinks that would be an okay thing to do? is what their eyes seem to say to me.  The only answer I can offer them is that some people are confused, and we must pray for them.  This will be the first March for Travel Man and Little Girl.  Lucky for us, the weather looks to warm up to the 40's by the time March for Life day arrives.  And, yes, I'll be taking pictures and posting as many as I can.

~~four~~

I wonder if there will be more protesters this year.  We are arriving just after Barack Obama is inaugurated, and a lot of people are coming in for that.  Not all of them are friendly to us, and some, I predict, are downright hostile to the Pro Life message.  (I find that sad, too.)  I do hope that we aren't innundated, though I know for sure we won't be outnumbered.  Be prepared, though, for our numbers to be counted as "in the thousands" rather than giving a real headcount.  One year, there were more than 200,000 people there, and the mainstream media said we numbered "in the thousands" (even Fox can't get this right).  Any protesters against us, though, I predict will be overstated or made to look like as large a group as possible.

~~five~~

We are blessed to have friends who live in the DC area (Chantilly, VA).  We get to visit with them when we go to the IHM conference and the March for Life.  We'll be leaving Wednesday afternoon for the March and coming back on Friday afternoon.  They are good friends, and super-nice people.  Our kids all get along, too.  I'm very excited about going and visiting them!  I've also got a long-time friend who lives in Alexandria, and I'd love to visit with her (and her family) if we could.  I'm wondering if they'd want to meet us for dinner on Thursday.  I haven't seen her since before she had her daughter, who is fast approaching toddler-hood!  Hard to believe that we were 12 year olds in the seventh grade when we met.  I have known her for more than 2/3 of my life now.  (Holy cow, do I feel old thinking about that!)

~~six~~

It's about as cold here as I've ever experienced it.  (In Southwest Virginia, that is.)  Right now, the Weather Channel says it's about ... well, check this out.

Yes, I know it's colder elsewhere, but I'm really not used to this kind of cold around here.  

~~seven~~

Our parish is having two weekends of postcard signing for the Fight FOCA campaign.  This weekend is the first, then Respect Life has a baby shower next weekend, then we have another weekend of signing postcards.  I'm nervous and excited and worried.  But also glad.  It's not always easy getting our message out there (Respect Life), and we are being given a great opportunity here.  Please pray for the success of the bishops' postcard campaign - we need to make our voices heard.  Also, if you want to participate and make your voice heard, you can also click on the link on my sidebar here at the blog.  While FOCA is not looking like it will be brought up for a vote right away (as in January 21), it is still something we ought to be worried about.  After all, never has Congress been so disposed to the idea of passing FOCA and never before has a president-elect made a promise to sign it if it gets to his desk.  (No, he cannot do so by executive order, but it's still a threat.)  Remember, too, that to sign postcards at your parish, you do NOT have to be a registered voter.  That means that minors can also sign.  Let's flood their offices!  Make your voice heard!  [For further information, you can see this fact sheet from the USCCB or this legal analysis of FOCA from the USCCB.]