New World Order

Yes, I feel a distinct chill...(h/t to Laura the Crazy Mama for the first link).

Internet censorship to become the law of the land in Australia

U.K. gives go-ahead for human cloning

Like my new Smilie?

I got it at The Ironic Catholic. There are a couple more for those of us who are getting saturated to the point of nausea with the elections/politics/culture of death. All very tongue-in-cheek, mind you.

Infanticide happens...

...every day in this country, and our tax dollars pay for it. Voting for Barack Obama is voting for the expansion and promotion of government sanctioned infanticide. Life is more fundamental by far than economics. Life is more fundamental than even health. Life is existence, and existence precedes all else. All life is sacred and belongs to God. How on earth can people think otherwise?

A video here, released today by Students for Life of America

My sister's dog, nursing her kitten.

Her kitten? Yep, that's what I wrote. Her dog just adopted a stray kitten.

Don't ask me about this one...

Sebastian made this balloon headdress for himself and proceeded to pose with it. No explanation. He's just weird, that's all.

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COMPARISON

2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COMPARISON:

ISSUE			JOHN McCAIN	BARAK OBAMA
Favors new drilling offshore US			Yes	No
Will appoint judges who interpret the law not make it			Yes	No
Served in the US Armed Forces			Yes	No
Amount of time served in the US Senate			22 YEARS	173 DAYS
Will institute a socialized national health care plan			No	Yes
Supports abortion throughout the pregnancy			No	Yes
Would pull troops out of Iraq immediately			No	Yes
Supports gun ownership rights			Yes	No
Supports homosexual marriage			No	Yes
Proposed programs will mean a huge tax increase			No	Yes
Voted against making English the official language			No	Yes
Voted to give Social Security benefits to illegals			No	Yes
CAPITAL GAINS TAX
McCAIN	0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples). McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.
OBAMA	28% on profit from ALL home sales. How does this affect you? If you sell your home and make a profit, you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes. If you are heading toward retirement and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28% of the money you make from your home sale will go to taxes. This proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on income from their homes as part of their retirement income.
DIVIDEND TAX
McCAIN	15% (no change)
OBAMA	39.6% How will this affect you? If you have money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama becomes president. The experts predict that 'Higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market, yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.'
INCOME TAX
McCAIN (No changes)		Income Tax Single, 30K $ 4,500 Single, 50K $12,500 Single, 75K $18,750 Married, 60K $ 9,000 Married, 75K $18,750 Married, 125K $31,250
OBAMA (reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)		Single, 30K $ 8,400 Single, 50K $14,000 Single, 75K $23,250 Married, 60K $16,800 Married, 75K $21,000 Married, 125K $38,750 Under Obama, your taxes could almost double!
INHERITANCE TAX
McCAIN	- 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)
OBAMA	Restore the inheritance tax Many families lost businesses, farms, ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will lose them to these taxes.
NEW TAXES PROPOSED BY OBAMA
New government taxes proposed on homes more than 2,400 square feet. New gasoline taxes (as if gas weren't high enough already) New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating gas, water, electricity) New taxes on retirement accounts, and last but not least.... New taxes to pay for socialized medicine so we can receive the same level of medical care as other third-world countries!!!

You can verify the above at following web sites:

http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/election/2008/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.taxes.html

http://elections.foxnews.com/?s=proposed+taxes
http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourworld/politics/articles/mccain_ob ama_offer_different_visions_on_taxes.html

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/barack_obama/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/candidates/john_mccain/

"Look at this photograph"

A beautiful pro-life plea from Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York.

Fear

It is getting thick out there. For the past few weeks our priests have been, without mentioning names or parties, making it clear that one cannot be a Catholic in good standing with Rome and vote for our anti-life candidate. Yesterday I had the opportunity to socialize a bit after Mass with a few good folks and also a few good priests. Fear is rampant.

A friend and I discussed how naturally euthanasia follows a pro-abortion mentality, and how the elderly will be the next to suffer after the unborn. It is a small hop from abortion-on-demand to demanding abortion. What repercussions will there be for those who are carrying a child with a disability should they decide not to abort? Will they have to sign a waiver so that they claim no assistance from any governmental facility? And if we have a national health plan, will it refuse to treat assist such children? My friend and I are both perplexed as to how so many Americans can be so short-sighted.

I spoke to a couple of priests as well. One I asked, "So, are you priests beginning to feel a bit like those in Germany who chose to speak out against National Socialism before Hitler took control of the country?" The answer was yes. I said something about how I always pray for final perseverance for my family and for the faith and strength needed for martyrdom should it ever be required of us. This same priest replied, "Martyrdom is one thing. There is also prison. I don't know if I could survive prison." His seriousness was piercing to me, as this is a priest known to us for his jocularity and laughter.

One thing is certain: we are living in critical times. We stand on the brink of at very least a spiritual, if not political, precipice and much hangs in the balance.

I fear very bad times lie ahead, but like those people who prepared for Y2K, purchasing sacks of wheat, rice and beans in order to weather the storm they expected, I will be delighted if I am proven wrong.

In any case, we must pray hard right now and beg God's mercy for this country. Pray the rosary, make acts of reparation, do penance for those who have turned their backs on God. Ask Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, to save our country and shelter us from whatever may lie before us. Give her our children, born and unborn. And be not afraid.

The Feast of Christ the King (Old Calender)

Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat. This is our Lord, our King. No matter what happens in this world, His servants are safe because His kingdom is not of this world. And those who make themselves His most humble slaves will know a freedom like no other.

Beginning today let those who serve Him begin a novena for the salvation of our country. Beg that His Mercy may precede His Justice, and that all things, whatever the outcome of the elections, may work toward the good of those who love Him.

May I suggest fasting to accompany our prayers, at least in last days before the elections.

Pardon me while my head explodes...

I just have too much on my mind. My wonderful mother-in-law is here (no, I am not being facetious; she is the easiest of guests), my dad is coming at the end of next week for a visit, I have promised the kids we would have our annual All Saints Day festivities, which include cookie decorating, games and a treasure hunt in which the clues are all in rhyme and the treasure is candy (why do I do these things?) and I have almost no Christmas shopping done. This time last year I was totally done! I spent November baking and writing cards. Ugh.

I would find Christmas so much easier if the celebratory part didn't belong to me exclusively. Since I married, I have "done" Christmas with the exception of putting the tree in the stand. I do all the shopping, baking, cooking, wrapping and card-writing. I do the crafts with the kids. I decorate the tree. I look forward to Lent. Yes, I know this all sounds very scrooge-like, and before I had five kids I loved Christmas. But now there are all these expectations. Dear me...someone out there, talk me into loving it again, please! Preferably without suggesting that I spend Christmas in a convent, which is tempting but impractical for my husband.

If you haven't watched this video...

...on countless other Catholic sites already, watch it here:

For those of you who love vintage household stuff as I do...

...come along and salivate with me. I found all these pretty things and more at Feather Your Nest.

My wish list is now as long as my arm.

This Old Blog...

...was getting dull. Especially on the new, wide monitor. And then I saw the new look of Old Woman's blog at A Broader Mark, and I found out where she got the template and I picked one for myself. Not too bad, eh?

Sebastian's Big Day

Sebastian made his First Holy Communion yesterday on the Feast of St. Peter of Alcantara by the old calender and the Feast of St. Isaac Jogues and the North American Martyrs on the new calender. And yesterday was the beatification of Louis and Zelie Martin, St. Therese of Lisieux's parents (I found an online press kit for the beatification here). You can click on the above photo for a larger version, and then you can see how the cross above the tabernacle is blocking the words "I Trust" beneath the Divine Mercy image, leaving the words, "Jesus...In You", which is the essence of Holy Communion, isn't it?

His was the first First Holy Communion to be received in the new Chapel of Divine Mercy in South Union, KY. It was wonderful for me to have him receiving our Lord kneeling beside me at the communion rail for the first time.

Of course we had a party afterward, and the weather was sunny and pleasant. We were so glad that Fr. Tom Sullivan, CPM, who was the celebrant at the Mass, could join us for the party. He is a favorite with the children, and we weren't sure that he would be able to make it.

Sebastian received a nice amount of cash for his savings account from his grandmothers, a special photo album and enormous bar of chocolate from our special friends, and from his aunt and Godmother the gift he has been pining for: a guitar. Our gift will be his first lessons, but I also made him a rosary and will put a custom binding on a prayer book I purchased for him. Oh, and we also gave him this beautiful certificate from Trademark Catholic Stationery.

And here is a nice shot of the three oldest kids after Mass. There was no way we could get a family shot, as the two little guys were on the verge of melt-downs and it was all we could do to just get them into their car seats! And this is my new favorite shot of Gabriel. I can edit out the scratch on his face, but there is not much I can do about the van door! Oh, well...

Sarah Palin buying diapers at Walmart...

...and we use the same brand. Don't the security guys look like they're thinking, "What on earth are we doing here?"

Thank you, Mr. Sanders!

Your result for The Commonly Confused Words Test...

English Genius

You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 80% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

Take The Commonly Confused Words Test at HelloQuizzy

Would you expect anything less from someone who takes pleasure in correcting spelling and grammar in our local paper?

Mr. Sanders, by the way, was my pedantic English teacher in high school. The man was scary and had exceedingly high standards and I detested him...until I graduated and realized that he was the only teacher who ever really taught me anything of real value.

The depth of ignorance out there...

...is absolutely shocking. I was fairly depressed at the McCain's poor showing in the polls after the last debate. Now I realize that some of the people polled probably have no idea what either candidate stands for and have already made up their minds regardless. And that is even more depressing.

I detest Howard Stern, but you have got to listen to this audio bit on A Broader Mark. In it, some Harlem voters are questioned about Obama's policies.

Demographic Winter

Found on Catholic Family Vignettes. We're all feeling so upbeat lately, eh?

Why my sister won't let me watch her kids, Part 1

Fact: Bret will sometimes allow Una to give the little guys rides around the yard on the four-wheeler.

The school room floor is clean

This is a big deal. The schoolroom is also the main entryway to our house and one corner of it is sort of a mudroom.

In recognition of the fact that Bret's mom is coming for a visit (arriving tonight) and that we are having a First Holy Communion party for Sebastian on Sunday, Bret scrubbed--and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed--the schoolroom and bindery floors and then gave them a coat of wax. They look like they did when we installed them 6 years ago.

I'm so happy I could cry. *sniff*

History repeats itself...

...and politicians never seem to know anything about history.

Who says Latin is a dead language?

Here you go, Latin not for Masses, but for the masses (H/T to the Ironic Catholic).

Some of today's moments

Slowing down, breathing deep and embracing life

It is so hard. There is always so very much to do, and it seems for every task accomplished there are three more added to the interminable list. Life is too short, and the days fly by in such quick succession that our children seem to grow magically, to leap from one birthday to the next without any passage of time. My "little mouse", Dominic, is two and I can't bear to think of him at five, with no other little ones to fill the crib and the highchair.

The world rushes on, life rushes by, and we wonder when we will ever find the time to do all those things we want to do when we are so frantically trying to keep up with those things we need to do.

All of this tends to make us a little crazy, a little stressed-out (or a lot), hyper-focused on what we think are these necessities and yet despite the focus, distracted to the point of near-paralysis. We are running about unable to see the forest for the trees, busily trying to hack down all the trees at the same time. No wonder we lose our composure, we lose our tempers, we lose our minds. And we lose those precious moments with our children, the ones that pass so quickly that we panic at each milestone rather than rejoicing.

Educating the children becomes a chore to be ticked off the list rather than an opportunity to actually share some of those fleeting moments with them. We tell the children to "go and play" so that we can make phone calls or get on the computer.

As we enter autumn and I look look ahead to the coming season of winter, I don't want to have missed all the pleasant memories of summer. I am also entering the autumn of my life and leaving behind the fruitfulness of the summer years. But the metaphor ends there, for now the garden becomes the gardener, and I need to focus on the tender shoots I am raising and nurture them so that they may enter into their own summer strong and healthy.

So please, dearest Lord, give me a sense of perspective and a sense to discern my priorities. Help me to overlook the dirty bathroom, the dusty shelves, the muddy floor so that I may relax and enjoy, without anxiety, without guilt, time spent in my little garden, watching my children grow.

Introducing (finally!) my new nephew...

...James Francis. He was born on the 30th of September to my sister Tara and her husband Michael, and I thought of posting then, but I really wanted to be able to put a photo with the announcement. Then the dratted computer crashed and so I have had to wait. but now I have photos and a functional computer.

Welcome to the world, Jamie!

No Photos!

Technology is a pain in the neck. This new computer's operating system is Windows Vista. What that means to me is that I had to replace our old printer with a new one, and that I can't download my photos until I have it figured out. This is annoying to the extreme, especially for my blog. I rely on the cute antics of my kids for much of my content and I just don't have time for the thousand words it would take to describe some of the photos. Drat.

She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah....!

Thanks, Vicki, for the compliment! Along with posting the award, I am supposed to fill this thing out. My very first meme:

1. Where is your cell phone? huh?
2. Where is your significant other? work
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? near
5. Your father? funny
6. Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? blank
8. Your dream/goal? heaven
9. The room you’re in? office
10. Your hobby? many
11. Your fear? apostasy
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Kentucky
13. Where were you last night? here
14. What you’re not? spontaneous
15. One of your wish-list items? book
16. Where you grew up? Munich
17. The last thing you did? shout
18. What are you wearing? jeans
19. Your TV? off
20. Your pet? many
21. Your computer? new
22. Your mood? rushed
23. Missing someone? husband
24. Your car? van
25. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
26. Favorite store? amazon.com
27. Your summer? hectic
28. Love someone? yes!
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed? today
31. Last time you cried? yesterday

Passing the torch to some blogs I love:

Eyes of Wonder

A Broader Mark

Totus Tuus Family & Catholic Homeschooling

Catholic Family Vignettes

There are many more I love (see my sidebar), but I'll never get this posted if I don't quit now, and I am supposed to be schooling my kids!

I'm back!

Not that I was ever gone, but my computer sure was. It died on Saturday, I couldn't even get it to turn on, so I think it is ready for cyber-forensics and hopefully some 25 year-old guy who speaks a techie jargon I can't even begin to comprehend will retrieve some documents and photos from the ancient hard drive.

Anyway, I am writing from my brand-new Dell PC. I did contemplate a laptop, but for the cost I got far more with this one, and plus, I spend enough time on the computer as is--if I could actually take it to bed, I might spend even more time on it, and I don't need that sort of temptation!

I will try to make up for lost time with a couple of good posts if I can, but I will be pretty busy this month. Bret's mom will be here for two weeks as of next Tuesday, Sebastian's First Holy Communion is coming up on the 19th, and my dad is supposed to visit before the end of the month as well. So there will be lots of cooking and cleaning to be done.

Oh, I have missed you, my dear computer!

Scary Hands

I asked Gabriel to wash a few dishes. He got a little side-tracked playing in the bubbles and an hour later his hands looked like this.