March for Life

On January 22, 2009 we joined 150+ thousand people on the mall in Washington DC to March for Life. It was freezing in the morning as we got ready to go. We brought Megan and Bridget to Lacey's house and then headed over to Church to meet the buses. We had given Emma and Rachael the choice to attend and both decided they wanted to go. We have had very age appropriate conversations with the girls about abortion so they knew what we were marching for. We also try to stress our responsibility to help all people at all stages of life. We hope that they are learning that all life is precious, and that violence and killing are not the answer. Megan was sad that we thought she was too little and she declared that she wants to go next year.

All of the support for President Obama and the hope for his Presidency is confusing to them when they understand that he doesn't protect growing babies in the womb. I have explained that he may do some great things and lead our country well, like banning torture, but that as Americans we should be involved and let him know the things that we believe in and pray for him and our country.

The buses brought us to the Cathedral of St. Matthew for morning Mass. It was a youthful group and the Sisters of Life were also at the Mass. We all stood in line for the bathroom after Mass and the nuns got a kick out of Rachael who announced that she "never had a shell" in response to one of the men in our group who jokingly commented he was glad to see Rachael came out of her shell.

When we arrived at the mall the Knights of Columbus were handing out signs. The girls were so excited to be able to carry signs. The atmosphere was positive, hopeful and young. There were many activists, politicians, and religious who spoke. Rachael and Emma busied themselves by writing pro-life slogans in the dirt. We got split up from the St. Mark's School group but were still with a number of parishioners. We were so happy that the sun was out and the temps got up into the 40's. It made for an enjoyable day. After the speakers and prayer the march began. It was quite a bottleneck and it took a very long time to get onto the march route. Poor Emma just wanted to get going and was frustrated by the lack of progress. Rachael wound up on Jim's shoulders and had a great view of the huge crowd.

The crowds got moving and we marched up Constitution Ave and over toward the Supreme Court. We were an hour late for the bus so we asked the police if we could cut across the Capitol Grounds. Thankfully they said yes and the 15 or so of us headed to our meeting point.

I asked Emma if she was glad she went. She said yes and I asked her why. (I am my father's daughter.) Emma said "I am glad I got to stand up for what I believe in. "

If we all did that we would change the world.

Dance, Winter Birthdays, and Emma's Concert

This morning I headed out in the frigid cold with Megan to her first dance class. According to our van it was 11 degrees and it sure felt like it. Megan giggled in the back of the van as we pulled away. She was looking at the frost on her window and said "It looks like little chicken footprints on my window". She has such a great way of looking at things. The dance class went great according to Megan. Parents had to stay out so I didn't get to see her in action.

Megan and Bridget have enjoyed the start of January because their cousins are coming over. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Becky's work days so Sarah and little Benjamin round out a full house. Bridget asks each day if Sarah is coming over and now 4 days of the week I can say that we will see her. I am getting used to having a baby in the house again. I feel very unproductive and struggle to keep on top of the laundry and groceries, much less Brownie planning or home projects. We are still feeling each other out, but Benjamin's my little guy already and has made my heart grow again.


Speaking of growing, we have had lots of birthday girls around here. Last weekend we had the family over and the Brinks, Megan's godparents, to celebrate Bridget's 2nd, Sarah's 3rd, Megan's 5th, and Rachael's 8th. As we got ready that morning for the party, I was in the kitchen decorating 4 cakes, and the big girls were sent downstairs to clean up the basement which was covered in a weeks worth of unmanaged play. Emma, Rachael, and Megan surprised us by getting it clean without any help in very little time. Jim's only improvement was taking care of things under the heavy coffee table.

As the cousins arrived Emma and Rachael escorted them downstairs and explained the Star Wars roles which they hoped that each would play. After dinner and a well timed half-time of playoff football, we lined the girls up and sorted presents. I was astounded at how great they did waiting to start and then taking turns to each open a gift. They were blessed with many wonderful things. Presents were followed by cake. Each of my girls requested a special cake so I made individual cakes for them. Bridget asked for Piglet, who she referred to as Piglet my bunny. I guess those big ears have a stronger impression then does the name. Megan asked for a Ravens cake, which almost didn't happen because the cake started to fall apart as I iced it. Rachael realizing that she never had a Speckles cake, requested her buddy. And for Sarah I made a princess cake. It was a fun evening. The girls went to bed late but happy that night.

Emma had a big night on Thursday. It was the 5th grade winter concert. With temps in the teens Winter was the right title. Emma being one of the shorter kids had front row positions in the orchestra and chorus. The orchestra went on first and Emma played her violin well. When she had her violin out the other night she played for me in the kitchen as I was doing dishes. She paused, obviously thinking about something and played "the little drummer boy" just from the music in her head. She had never seen the music for the song before but she played it start to finish. I was really impressed.

New Year

Our 2008 ended with a full day. In the morning both Rachael and Bridget had their portraits scheduled at the mall, so everyone had to get out of pj's and out the door by 9:30. This was much different from our lazy vacation mornings where showers and lunch time seemed to overlap and at least one kid stayed in pajamas all day.

Once we arrived at the mall, we split up. Jim took Em and Meg to the kids climbing area while I went up with Rae and Bridgie for pictures. Rachael had her pictures taken first as Bridget watched. Bridge cried and was apprehensive when we did the group picture before Christmas. I was relieved when it was Bridget's turn. She was excited to get in front of the camera. The pictures turned out great and we look forward to sending them out soon. Megan gets her portraits taken next week.

After pictures were done and we were walking through the mall, Rachael reminded me that I told her she could get her ears pierced. An ear piercing place was right there so Meg went with Jim to look at hats and Emma, Bridget and I joined Rachael. She picked a CZ square stone and climbed in the chair. They did her first ear and I think Rachael was surprised at the pain. Rachael has thick earlobes like Jim so the lady had a hard time unhooking the gun from the earring and wiggled and pulled for a while before she got it off. Rachael was so brave but tears spilled down her cheeks. She held my hand much tighter for the 2nd ear. She also decided to use some Christmas money to buy a few more earrings. She beams any time someone notices them.

In the afternoon the girls and Katie, one of Emma's friends, got into a energetic game of Lego Star Wars the Complete Saga, on the Wii. That game requires a lot of teamwork if 2 people are playing and Emma and Rachael are learning that explaining what you want and then forcing the other to go along is not cooperation. The Wii has been a lot of fun. We have each created our own Mii figure, even one for Bridget. She asks for a turn sometimes. The best part is that each of us is good at certain things and can win. You should see Megan box, and Rachael's tennis serve.

That evening we were invited to the Arnold's house, one of Emma's friends, for New Years Eve. The adults got to chat and enjoy drinks as the kids played a number of board games and the Wii. At 9:30 Megan asked me if she could put on her Pajamas, shortly thereafter she snuggled on a big chair and feel asleep. Bridget was not interested in missing any of the action, by midnight she was bleary eyed. We discovered that Emma is paying attention to popular music and knew most of the bands that played on TV as we counted down. She also had an opinion on which Jonas Brother is the cutest. Em, her friend Melanie and Rachael went outside at midnight to bang pans. It was freezing so they weren't out long. It was time to call it a year and we loaded the girls up and Jim carried Meg out to the car as I got Bridge. Jim forcasted Bridget would be asleep before we got off their road. He was right.