Megan turns 13

Our child, our sweet baby girl turned 13 in January. Megan is growing fast and is getting taller every time I turn around. She passed Rachael and is on her way to passing Emma and maybe me. She is also growing in her interests and strengths. Megan has found a new love for debating in her world cultures class and was chosen multiple times this year by her teacher to be the voice of her group, most recently she played the role of Secretary of State for Israel in mock Middle East peace talks. It is fun to see her discover strengths and passions.

We celebrated her birthday by inviting friends to play laser tag and then for a sleepover. Laser tag was a blast and Megan being her generous self, invited her sisters to play as well. While we waited for their game time they played with the crane machine and picked silly code names that they would play under. They called our group and we suited up in packs and received our instructions. It was a rowdy game and everyone came out flushed and grinning and talking loudly.

Megan and her friends all piled in the van and talked non-stop as I drove them back to the house. Bridge drove back with Ms. Shari. and Sierra, and Emma drove Rachael. When we got back to the house Jim and Johanna had pizza and snacks ready to go. Everyone was hungry and made quick work of their food. Then there was a very ridiculous reminiscence of a Dewey Decimal Rap song that they played in 6th grade and it turned into a group sing along.  Then Megan opened her gifts. Her friends all got her gifts she loved including a beautiful fuzzy blanket, earrings, and a body pillow.

We moved onto birthday cheese cake next. Jim picked up a great sampler cheesecake so there were lots of flavors and so many candles. Thirteen candles! We sang happy birthday and dished up mystery flavors of cheesecake, sherbet, and skittles. After getting them all sugared up the girls went down to the basement to set out sleeping bags and hang out. Megan and her friends worked on a 3d puzzle cat that she got as a gift and lounged around until around midnight when they began to fall asleep. I came down and since it was now the 29th, I wished her a Happy Birthday.

In the morning I ran out and got doughnuts and the sleepy teenagers roused themselves for breakfast before being picked up. Megan was all smiles.

We went to Mass and afterward Megan put her new IKEA cart together. She had the typical IKEA experience with steps forward and then a few things to undo with a better understanding of what that diagram meant. It turned out perfectly and Megs was happy with the finished product. She filled the cart with DIY project supplies inspired by youtube videos.

We gathered before heading out to dinner to have Megan open her gifts from us and from Colorado. We went to Matthew's 1600 for a yummy dinner. After dinner Jim drove Emma to TU and the rest of us settled into our normal bedtime routine. That night I said goodnight to a new teenager, a blessing and a joy.

Happy 13th Birthday Megan!

March for Life 2017- interviewed

I was born 10 months after Roe vs. Wade became the law of the land and the reality that 50,000,000+ children have been killed through abortion since then haunts me sometimes. They would surely have been my classmates and co-workers.

And so every January the March for Life presents itself and asks "are you going?". Sometimes the answer is "I'd like too, but", and sometimes it is "yes". This year I put the date on the calendar and called to book a spot on the bus through a local parish. I asked the kids and Megan and Bridget decided they wanted to come this time.

The day was a little windy but in general it was a beautiful day in January to March from the Washington Monument to the Supreme Court. We gathered at St. Agnes for Mass and then piled in 2 buses to make our way to the Capitol.

The night before I ran out to the store and bought poster board and big markers. Usually we pick up signs on the mall from the Knights of Columbus, but this year I wanted to make my own. I went political. I have struggled with the election of Donald Trump, because I have been horrified at the way he has treated people. From underpaying contracts of small business owners to degrading comments to and about women. He has shown over and over that he has little or no respect for most people. When it comes to voting, I am a registered Republican and tend to vote that way, mostly because of pro-life stances but also for others as well. Trump though does not seem to know the pro-life platform nor hold it's tenants as core values. I have no faith in his pro-life views beyond their being politically advantageous to him currently.  And so my sign.

Megan and Bridget worked on their posters during the bus ride to the March and they were ready when we arrived. A lot of my family were there as well so we stuck with them as our buses unloaded and the large crowds gathered. Bridget stayed close to Sarah, and Megan hung out with Sophia and the guys throughout the day. Not surprisingly near the Washington Monument, it was difficult to get close to the stage and to hear the speeches. When the rally was over people began to move toward the parade route and because of our position we went a block up before going over the to route. We wound up ahead of the front of the official March but there were already thousands and thousands moving up the route. We stopped for a snack and a group picture as the front of the March caught up to us.

I had been a little nervous about reactions that I might get from my sign, but the overwhelming response was that of smiles and connection. Lots of people shouted "I love your sign" or "Me too". One man did say "But he'll get the court", referring to the Supreme Court. And I don't disagree but that would have been true with any Republican. I am happy to get as much pro-life progress as possible.

A reporter from the Washington Post approached me and asked if he could interview me. That was a little intimidating and it was very strange to see the story pop up online a short time later. link to Washington Post article  The piece isn't completely accurate (this wasn't my 12th straight march- maybe 12 in my lifetime) and I wish I could edit it to add more of my pro-life comments, but it was pretty close to the sentiment I expressed verbally. And I was so glad the March for Life had real press coverage this year.

We made our way to the Supreme Court and then our group gathered at a church nearby, that served snack and hot chocolate. We made our way to a nearby square where we were meeting our buses. The most difficult thing about the day was trying to get the buses to find a good place to park in the traffic circle so we could get on. The bus must have had to make 8 loops before being able to stop. It was a comedy of errors. But we loaded into our seats and headed back to our comfortable, blessed lives.

I believe very deeply that all life is sacred and should be treated with respect and dignity. From the tiniest individual life dependent on it's mother, to the hungry child, to the outcast teen, and homeless refugee, to the middle aged man getting out of jail, to the elderly women with a scary diagnosis. All of them are worthy of love and life.

Being unwanted, inconvenient, or without hope, does not change someone's inherent value or diminish their humanity.

I hope and pray that someday, that humanity will be treasured in all of it's stages and we won't need to March.