Please Share this idea with as many people as possible...

A friend from the Raleigh area shared this with me this afternoon and I am hoping that hundreds of thousands, if not more, will do this. It would be an incredible feat if we actually managed to get 50 million red envelopes mailed... This idea was generated John Otto, a prolife advocate. Read on to learn more about what I am talking about.

Dear Friends and Intercessors:

This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception. I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal..

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFE tape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.

Here is what I would like you to do:

Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington , D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message.

This envelope represents one child who died in abortion.
It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world.
Responsibility begins with conception.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this email to every one of your friends who you think would send one too.. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a chance to live. Maybe it will change the heart of the president.

Warmly,

John Otto

IGNORE. Read more!

Easily my favourite music artist these days...

Cecilia loves him too. We can usually calm her down by playing his music if she is upset for any reason, from a bad tummy ache to being tired but too agitated to sleep. I think it is partly because for the last two weeks of the Christmas season - while she was still in utero - most of our Christmas music that we listened to was sung by Josh. So it must sound a little like "home" to her.


IGNORE Read more!

The shower...

One of the many decorations the shower crew made for the shower.

Elsa enjoying a ride at the shower.

One of Lydia's last chances to lean with her elbow on her aunt... something she did almost every time she sat on my lap while I was pregnant. Her aunt Emma is bestowing a kiss on her - something Emma does every chance she gets!

Enjoying a delicious drink.
Coffee punch! What else do you serve at a shower in a cafe?! And it was scrumptious!

Playing a fun game - filling in a calendar with guests ideas of what to do while waiting for baby. The calendar is still on my wall beside my computer in my bedroom.

As you can see, it was a full house and a really fun party! Thanks again Peggy, as well as everyone who came to share in the special occasion.

I was blissfully unaware that a young artist had been busy creating a shower hat for me with the bows from Cecilia's gifts...

But it was so pretty that I just had to model it for posterity sake!

The Shower Hat Artist....

Sisters passing out the party favours as the shower drew to a close. It was a wonderful afternoon and I enjoyed it very much.

ignore
Read more!

Just a reminder!

Don't forget to contact your members of congress and senators regarding FOCA. While you are at it - make sure you inform them as to how to you feel about the PORK Bill they are trying to pass off as a Stimulus bill - which is literally 75% pork and 25 % stimulus and will have your children's children in hock to the government to pay for it.

Oh, and then there is the little matter of the gentleman Obama has nominated to the position of deputy attorney general of the United States. The hearings for the nomination of David Ogden were yesterday - but it is not to late to contact your government reps. Remember, you can locate them here. HSLDA is strongly suggesting that parents protect their parental rights by opposing this nomination. To read about this click here.
(Who is HSLDA? click here)

To refresh your memory about FOCA and the post card campaign click here.

When you are finished clicking, start dialing, writing, emailing or combination thereof!


IGNORE
Read more!

Bye Bye...

One last group photo of Aimee and Feidlhim with the kids still at home.
Even the baby made it into this photo!
Excuse the outfits, we woke up to no heat on the main floor (and no hot water in the bathrooms) so we were sporting the layered look.

One last photo of my oldest baby... just before they pulled out of the drive. It never gets easy saying good bye - no matter how often you have to say it. And the larger the family, the more often it seems that you have to say it. Excuse me now while I go fetch my hankie... again!

Not sure how to distract myself now. I have cleaned the kitchen and dining room spotless!!

UPDATE:
Heat came back on @ 2:30 - third time the furnace has done this since the New Year. We are waiting for a repairman to show up. Hot water came back at about 4:45, filled with rust... Yet we had hot water all along in the kitchen, so clearly we need that seen as well. Know of any good plumbers we can suggest to our land lady?

Ignore... Read more!

Danielle Bean » Please help spread the word

Danielle Bean » Please help spread the word

Posted using ShareThis Read more!

I might be away for a few days...

We have enjoyed a really nice, but all too short visit with our eldest daughter and child, along with her boyfriend. I'm glad I took so many photos of our day at the park. I caught so many joy filled moments as Aimee played with her little siblings.

Now it is time to say good bye and I am not ready. We watched the calendar flip by day by day as we counted first the weeks, then the days and finally the hours until she would be here with us again and now it is gone. It was much easier to say good bye this summer as we knew another trip was planned with a lot of wonderful dates to celebrate in between. When next we will see her again is unknown. Hopefully not too long in the future, but possibly not for another whole year.

It is very, very hard to say goodbye. Possibly I will be just too sad the next few days to share anythign but some pictures from the past week. I do have the shower post almost ready - just another picture or two I want to add, but it is scheduled to post whether I get them added or not.

Keep our family in your prayers please as we have a few hard weeks ahead. I am not the only one who will be sad for the next little while - but somehow despite my sadness I must help my younger children deal with the hole they will each feel in their hearts with the departure of their sister, who has been so much fun to visit with this past week. And her boy friend, Feidlhim, will be very much missed as well.


Ignore Read more!

It is with shock and dismay that I learned today

...that author Amy Welborn lost her husband, Micheal Dubruiel yesterday. He collapsed suddenly at the gym and could not be revived. Please keep her and her young children in your prayers.

UPDATE:

For any who would like to help in a tangible way, Amy Welborn and her children Faith and Family has set up a Pay Pal donation button which you can reach by clicking here.

A spiritual bouquet is being created here for Amy and her family.
IGNORE Read more!

A little Snow...

Yesterday afternoon we were at a local park, hiking around the lake, playing a little soccer and swinging on the swings.





By late evening... this is what our yard looked like.







Ignore Read more!

Virus update...

Hello everyone! I can not decide whether Cecilia is fighting a cold, as I know I am... You see when she nurses - it is not unusual for her to snort milk up her nose and then she has difficulties with a build up of mucus. Noah, now 13, had a similar problem as a new born. It is hard not to feel anxious when things are not just quite normal with your wee baby - isn't it?

Our eldest daughter is here from Ireland and, sadly, with so many of the adult children working and/or in school we have not been able to organize a night when all 13 children can be home so that we can take a family picture of them all. However I do have some lovely pictures from a trip to the park with ten of them together. I will post some later and possibly a video of them all on the swings - well Cecilia is not on the swing, but if you peer really closely you can see her stroller in the back ground!

I might be a bit of a tease - and just post a few pics a day to give myself a little breathing space and still be able to entertain you all a little bit each day or at least every other day! Still planning on getting the shower pics up - there are some really great pictures from that day.

I have to say - that I feel that my blog has become really humdrum and not too inspiring. I apologize if that is the case. There is is much going on and I am s l o w l y preparing to begin teaching ESL classes three nights a week. I have fallen into the trap of judging my blog with others and thinking - oh they are so clever, so sweet, so funny, so thoughtful... and I am just ... boring! I so do not want to be boring! I want to be inspiring and helpful and don't feel I am quite cutting that grade right now! It feels as though my brain is too tired to be witty, funny, entertaining and most especially - inspiring! Many funny cute things happen almost daily here that I could post to give folks a little laugh but by the time I find a moment to blog - I have fogotten them all. I need to start carrying around a tape recorder! Oh well - the pictures will have to do for now.

Blessings to you all!
Christi


Ignore Read more!

Welcome Thomas James!

There is a new baby in the blogasphere world. Click here to oooh and ahhh and maybe leave a welcoming comment! Congratulations Jenni & David! Read more!

shower pictures may have to wait...

... as it appears that little Cecilia, barely one month old, may be getting a cold. She is stuffy, gagging on mucus and having a rough time. I am cool misting her which is giving her some comfort. Could someone cool mist my brain please? I am feeling frantic and extremely challenged emotionally. Cecilia and I just barely recover from one illness when we are confronted with another - since the day of her birth.

There is a lovely thought I would like to share with you from Elizabeth Foss. She has put into words the thoughts I have been struggling to form since Cecilia's birth as I struggle to balance the joy and wonder of the addition of a new, tiny, fragile member to our family with the responsibilities that come with being a homeschooling mum to a baker's dozen. Click here to read her thoughts as she struggles to do the same.

A quote from Sister Patricia's Joynotes: "The more I get a little older myself.. I see that with age comes the cross and holiness.... somehow I always had a sort of feeling that holiness was in doing and accomplishing.. but now I believe it is more in accepting and trusting."

I will finish with a little begging - for prayers. Prayers for health for our whole family and prayers for the graces I am in desperate need of to cope with all of this illness!

Read more!

Looking forward to...

...sharing the pictures from Cecilia's baby shower that was held in November and hosted by my good friend Peg at a local coffee shop. The lovely owner of the shop took photos, when my camera ran out of batteries. Last weekend when we stopped in to her shop after the baptism she took the time to burn the photos onto a CD and now I can share them with you. Stay tuned!

Here is a teaser...



and the shower crew posing with me... Peg and her daughter Anna, with Bethany and Emma spent an afternoon making party favours and having a fun time together. Thank you again Peggy and girls!




ignore Read more!

pro life ad

This ad was played on inauguration day. To watch click here and enjoy the lovely pro life Catholic blog I found this ad on.








ignore Read more!

FIGHT FOCA with the postcard camaign

No doubt most, if not all of my readers are aware of FOCA and the horrible effects it will have on the prolife movement and the increased number of unborn babies who will die a terrible death should this legislation pass.

Catholic Parishes across the country are participating in a post card campaign to try and defeat this horrible legislation.

Here are a few links to educate yourself if you are not yet aware of the details:

FOCA

Even if you are on the fence regarding abortion - please read about the legal effects this legislation will have. This will impact on EVERYONE, not just the unborn so please educate yourself.

POSTCARD CAMPAIGN

Locate YOUR member of Congress

Now if you wish to just copy and print straight from here, I have the suggested postcard information below. I also have the NC contacts to whom it is suggested we mail our postcards to. But not all of you are from NC, so above this is the link to a website that enables you to find the name of your own member of congress or senator. Once you input your address you are taken to a page with the members of congress for your area as well as links to addresses and websites. I tried it and it did not require the extra four digits for the zipcode only the first five that all of us know for our own zips.

Please consider joining in on this campaign.

POST CARD:

Dear Senator ,

At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a "fundamental right" to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support. FOCA would overturn many existing widely supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion. Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion. As your constituent, I would appreciate a written response telling me how you would
vote on these matters.

Respectfully:
Print Name _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City, State & ZIP Code ______________________________________________

NC contacts:
Richard Burr
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
United States Senate
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Sen. Kay Hagan
B40A DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
United States Senate
WASHINGTON DC 20510

Rep Mel Watt

2304 Rayburn House Office Building,
District of Columbia 20515-3312

Dear Representative ,

At this time of serious national challenges, Americans should unite to serve the good of all, born and unborn. The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress, would create a "fundamental right" to abortion that government could not limit but would have to support. FOCA would overturn many existing widely supported policies, including laws protecting parental involvement and conscience rights and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion. Please oppose FOCA or any similar measure, and retain laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion. As your constituent, I would appreciate a written response telling me how you would
vote on these matters.

Respectfully:
Print Name _______________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________
City, State & ZIP Code ______________________________________________

Read more!

Welcome Cecilia Therese to the Catholic Church

Changing into her baptismal gown

Ready to be baptized in the gown her oldest sister sent to the family.

Godparents, Cecilia and parents are gathered about the baptismal font with her 2 brothers acting as servers to Father John

Receiving the holy oil on her chest

Blessing the water in the font.

Receiving the Holy water of Baptism

Being blessed with the Chrism Oil - such a beautiful aroma.

Receiving the symbolic light of Christ

Welcome Cecilia Therese into the original church of Christ.

Read more!

my apologies....

...for disappearing off the edge of the bloggers world. But I have been too sick to blog. Cecilia and I are slowly making a come back. While we were struggling my three oldest children ( who still live at home) managed to make it to the March for Life and with their Dad, who drive one of the youth group vans. It was an awesome experience for them. For those of us at home it was a very lazy two days filled with P&J sandwiches and lots of movies. I simply could not do more.

Now my husband has put his back out... Monday will see him at the Chiropractors.

On the GOOD side of things... Cecilia Therese was baptized today. It was a nice quiet baptism followed by coffee at a local coffee shop - the very same one my shower was held at. Lots of pictures were taken and I will try to share them soon. The reception is next Sunday as our oldest daughter and her boy friend fly in from Ireland to meet the newest little sibling. Apparently though that is Super Bowl Sunday???

Can you tell we are not big football fans? I don't think I have EVER watched a Super Bowl Sunday so I had not a clue when I planned this. At any rate - I have been too sick to get the word out about the reception to many people anyway. Now I am wondering if many will be able to attend anyway? Oh well - we have such a large family that we are a party in ourselves when we all get together.

I am hoping to be a little more consistent with the blogging soon. But it all depends on our health! Blessings to you all and thank you for the continued prayers.

Read more!

An awesome Movement...

...is taking place in Canada. Given the current political crisis here in the States and our worries about FOCA amongst other possible human rights losses it would be wonderful if we could do the same here. To read the VISION of Canada's CRY click here. To see more details and hear some cool music click here.

I will be honest, I choked up listening to the music and reading the vision. As much as I have come to love the US - I domiss my original home. What I would give to see my native country and my adopted home both be all they can be - and for that vision we need to visit with our Founding Fathers of the US.

Does anyone have any ideas how we can create our own CRY here in the US?

"I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord." John 1:23

Can we not somehow join our voices as one and through our unified prayers make 'straight the way for the Lord" here in the US? I know we have a novena happening right now across the country in hopes of stopping the signing of FOCA and the loss of our rights that would ensue if this bill passes. Can we not find someway of being even MORE unified and more in touch with all Christians? Prayer IS our only hope!

Lets put our brains together and pray on this and see where it takes us and if you have not joined the novena - it is never too late to start.

IGNORE Read more!

A great Post

This post by Elizabeth Foss, titled "Keep Your Eyes on Your Own work" is an excellent read. As Elizabeth is a homeschooling mum, my first assumption was that this was about children and school work. I was half correct. It is about school work, but not the kids. It is written for we mums and the temptation we can succumb to of comparing the interior of our homeschool life with exterior of another family's life. Now Elizabeth focuses on the homeschooling aspect of life - but her advice is applicable to ALL areas of our lives.

When have we not looked at the well behaved family two pews in front and wished that was our crew? Yet we are not sitting in that pew and we have NO idea of what is really happening there. How about the mum whose blog just screams massively organized super mum and we wonder where we have gone wrong? There are numerous times I have been guilty of comparing the interior of my life with the exterior of someone else's life.

So what to do about it? Well - read Elizabeth's post and then apply her advice to ALL of our green moments. This does not mean we can not be inspired to do better and be better - but lets just not let envy of someone else's perceived perfection blind us to our own blessings.
Read more!

Prayer request

Please keep little Cecilia in your prayers. In addition to reflux accompanied by occasional projectile vomiting and a continuous eye infection due to a closed tear duct, she now has a yeast infection that she has so generously shared with me. Now nursing has become a painful exercise that is hourly dreaded.

We have a prescription called in for us but it is snowing... snow in the south is a serious problem as it is so rare that most drivers don't know how to drive in it - so one hazards out on the road only when extremely necessary even if you have over a decade of driving experience in the snow... as it is the other drivers who are lethal!

For some bizarre reason snow in the south typically equals power outages - even just a thin layer can cause this. Perhaps this can again be laid at the feet of inexperienced drivers - taking out power poles perhaps? At any rate, as well as clear roads in the morning, I am also praying that we do not lose the power. And most nights find me begging our Holy Mother to petition Jesus to help little Cecilia with her tummy aches. Sometimes I beg him directly and at other times, remembering the miracle at Canna I turn to her and ask her to plead for Cecilia's comfort. Truly there is no greater pain than watching a small child suffer, especially while helpless to help her. All I can do is hold her and murmer little prayers as she squirms and cries out in pain until after a half hour or so of prayer she is finally quieted and sleeps.

Well, speaking of Cecilia, she is now hungry so I best go take care of her. I will be so glad to start with our meds. I just hope we can get them tomorrow morning.

IGNORE Read more!