February 22nd, 2011

Dear Sofia,

Wisconsin is a big ol' protesting, fake-sick-note-writing, hiding-out-in-Illinois mess.

Our governor, Scott Walker, wants to curb negotiations with the teachers' union. A union, baby, is a big group of people who use their power and influence to scare people into joining their ranks so that they can demand benefits be paid for them by someone else. What this means is they get their health care, pensions (money you get after you've worked a long time) and other benefits at virtually no cost - while most working people have to pay for theirs out of pocket (or, pay part while their employer pays the other part).

So, lots of public school teachers (motivated by self-interest) and ignorant University of Wisconsin students (whose class absence is ok'd by profs who are urging them to protest) are skipping school to hang out at the capital, scream in the faces of elected officials, carry signs with obscenities which compare Gov. Walker to Hitler and generally cause a nuisance to anyone trying to work downtown. Their signs also intimate that people who want to refuse Unions their bargaining rights for huge compensations are "anti-family." Protesters have also been roaming the halls of the capital building, smashing windows. Oh, and several UW-affiliated doctors were on site to hand out fake sick notes to anyone needing one (a teacher is required to have a valid reason for taking a sick day, which is the excuse most of them are using for their absence).

You would think the University Police, standing watch over the protest, would intervene and prevent these crimes. But.. they haven't. Could it be because the UW has a huge union, too, which includes teachers and police staff?

You would also think the elected officials in Wisconsin would decry this kind of behavior. Yes, it's ok to protest, but not when it's violent, damages public property and is a violation of one's workplace rules. But what are Wisconsin Senators doing to squelch the mob? They've taken to the hills, because they want to prevent Gov. Walker's vote from taking place. Yup, instead of attending their jobs (which they were elected to!) they've fled to Illinois and refused to come back, effectively stalling the vote because their numbers are needed to take it.

Thankfully, these behaviors have been noticed by many, and will receive punishments of varying degree. Outraged members of the medical community have demanded that the sick note-writing doctors be levied with a charge of gross misconduct, and the teachers who accepted them will be docked pay for the days they faked. Idiot UW students will not, of course, be punished (unless you consider a mid-life realization of just how moronic you acted to be a punishment; pending that self-awareness they'll continue to think their actions are righteous). And the missing Senators? So far they will need to pick up their docked paychecks (for every day they're M.I.A.) in person. Nor are they allowed to vote over the phone anymore:

"The Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections made significant changes to the photo ID bill in a meeting that was at tunes bizarre because of the Democrats’ absence. Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) participated in the meeting by phone, but Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), the committee chairwoman, refused to let him vote.

Senators routinely participate in committee meetings by phone and are allowed to debate, offer amendments and vote on measures. But Lazich said she wasn’t allowing Erpenbach to vote because he had an invalid reason for being absent.

“I won’t extend courtesies for unethical behavior,” Lazich told Erpenbach.

“Do you want the headline to be, ‘Republicans won’t let Democrats vote,’ even though we’ve allowed that many, many times?” Erpenbach said.

This coming from someone whose fellow democrats are doing exactly that by hiding in Illinois!

Sofia, your dad and I both believe in the right to protest. But when it is an argument against entitlements, it is not justified because no one is entitled to anything beyond the basics laid out in the Constitution (which is commonly misinterpreted to mean "you are entitled to be happy and well-insured").

And the teachers union cry of "It's all for the kids!" couldn't be further from the truth. Madison public schools had to close for two days because of the teacher shortage. How did the kids benefit from that? Even in the long term the union has a hard time justifying their claim; teachers make far above a living wage and have plenty of opportunity for affordable health care in Madison.

They probably make more than the single parents who had to miss work because their kids' schools were closed. Lastly, if teachers are doing this for kids they should be expecting kids to be watching and taking notes. So, is a sign like this really appropriate? Sadly, it's not the worst I've seen. Hopefully the kids ARE taking notes... of just who seems like they're going off the deep end...


A pathetic display...but not unexpected. Teachers should be ashamed.

February 14th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

Unfortunately I admit it: I do not like valentine's day. It always puts me in a bad mood. Why? Well, I'm not sure. Part of it is probably due to never having any memorable time on the day, yet being expected to honor it like it's been so good to me. I don't like the expectation it brings, either, like we HAVE to do something just because it's today! I guess it boils down to my not liking fake holidays.

BUT! [And it's a bit but.] I had SOOOO much fun making digital valentines with you yesterday! They turned out so cute that I wanted to post them here, too. Family and friends only got one of three, so I figured they'd like to see the other ones, too.

So... even though I am not a fan of today as such, I wanted to say thank you for doing these with me. It made my day (Dad's too)!

February 11th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

I don't think I could say it any better: "Multiculturalism a failure says... Europe."

Here is the story from HotAir.com:

"Yesterday French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the following about multiculturalism during a television interview:

'My answer is clearly yes, it is a failure,' he said in a television interview when asked about the policy which advocates that host societies welcome and foster distinct cultural and religious immigrant groups. 'Of course we must all respect differences, but we do not want… a society where communities coexist side by side.

If you come to France, you accept to melt into a single community, which is the national community, and if you do not want to accept that, you cannot be welcome in France,' the right-wing president said. ' The French national community cannot accept a change in its lifestyle, equality between men and women… freedom for little girls to go to school,' he said.

'We have been too concerned about the identity of the person who was arriving and not enough about the identity of the country that was receiving him,' Sarkozy said in the TFI channel show.

You might be thinking this was a gaffe, but it turns out it’s actually part of a trend. It began last October when German Chancellor Angela Merkel made much the same point:

'This approach has failed, totally,' she said, adding that immigrants should integrate and adopt Germany’s culture and values. 'We feel tied to Christian values. Those who don’t accept them don’t have a place here,' said the chancellor.

This was bolstered by British Prime Minister David Cameron who just a few days ago said: 'Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and apart from the mainstream. We’ve failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong. We’ve even tolerated these segregated communities behaving in ways that run completely counter to our values.'

Some on the right have suggested that Cameron’s statements were weak. I disagree. Can you imagine any major political figure in the United States saying this?
'...when a white person holds objectionable views, racist views for instance, we rightly condemn them. But when equally unacceptable views or practices come from someone who isn’t white, we’ve been too cautious frankly – frankly, even fearful – to stand up to them. '

With the leaders of Europe publicly and forcefully abandoning multiculturalism, isn’t it time for America to make the same move?

_________

Baby girl, we love us some multiculturalism. Love the food, love the music, love the accents. But, this country is one which has a national identity that everyone should adopt when they emigrate here. It's the beauty of our nation that, no matter who you were in another place, you can come here and integrate yourself seamlessly. That is, if you are willing to learn our language (English), our system (capitalism) and the religion of our heritage (Christianity).

Is that a controversial statement? It shouldn't be! Why is it wrong to assert that those moving into a country adopt the customs of the land? They are expected to adopt the law, and are punished if they don't. A long time ago there was a teenager from the U.S. who suffered a punishment of caning when he violated laws in (I think) Singapore. And, if you are arrested in many foreign countries you can be held for an indeterminate amount of time if they feel you've violated a law.

If the tables were turned - if we were talking about Americans moving into foreign countries - the most lefty leftist would be highly offended by someone suggesting they should feel free to continue speaking English, demand that others learn English in order to service them, use the influence of fear to change laws in their favor and live in segregated communities away from native speakers.

But that's exactly what Muslim immigrants to France, Germany, the U.K. and the United States have demanded. It's even getting to the point where public schools are forcing Muslim curriculum into elementary education! Imagine if Americans made these demands in other countries, and how angry liberals would be!

It might be wrong to force someone to adopt your culture in a country other than your native one. But when you are a citizen, by birth or by adoption/legal immigration, of a nation you have every right to defend threats against your collective culture. Every other nation does this; why is it only wrong when the U.S. does?

Sofia, honey, you can bet you'll be raised to appreciate other cultures. But we'll do our best to instill in you a national pride, too!


original article can be found by clicking here

February 10th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

In the dead middle of winter it's best to think of things that are fresh.

At the top of the list is... YOU! You're learning more every day and keeping us on our toes. You just learned to roll over (well, 99%) and now I have you sleeping in the pack and play instead of the bed. And we borrowed a bumbo chair so you can sit up by yourself! You've also developed a habit of waking at 5:30 a.m. to chat. I'd say it's to chat with me except you don't seem too concerned if I answer. You've got the floor, girlfriend, just start the dialogue a little later in the morning, please!

Something else that's fresh in the world is the people in our government. This past fall, I wrapped you up and packed you into the carrier, walked over to the community center and cast my vote for an all-republican ticket. Turns out a lot of other people did, too, and now we have fresh new leadership in Congress. The best thing they've done so far is make themselves accountable to those who elected them. They're not just towing the party line which is exactly why we put them in office. Here's a little story on that topic.

Is it ok if I admit to being more excited about planning our garden than politics? Your auntie Angela is doing a series of post on her blog about planning your own French potager (you can go to the posts by clicking here). My Martha Stewart Living magazine has a gorgeous photo of fresh veggies you can grow yourself on the front cover, as well as a detailed guide to starting your own backyard garden.

Urban gardening is on the rise! Madison is totally a garden-friendly city; we have our own huge community garden here in the university housing area. And, our neighbor Chae-Heung said I can plant in her plot this year! I am so excited to do this. I haven't had a "real" garden since Kalamazoo, which was a nice space but terribly silty soil and not much light. I loved the space and my perennial hostas and such, but I was loving growing green beans and wished I could do more! In hindsight, raised beds would've done wonders; I did have one lengthy window pot of salad greens which did well.. when the bugs weren't eating it!

I've finally realized that I have to plan some things. The garden is one of them. But, with a pre-destined amount of space (the plots are 25 by 25) and knowledge of the gardens in place (after walking around and around them for two summers), I think I'm off to a good start. Now, I've got to plan it out and get the seed starters!

You will be old enough to sit up by summer harvesting time, and I will let you play in the dirt. And, my hungry little caterpillar, you will be able to taste the fruits of the labor! I can't wait...

February 3rd, 2011

Dear Sofia,

I confess, your dad and I are not very inclined to send you to college. Now, don't get mad; just because we don't love the idea doesn't mean you're not allowed! But a lot of things would have to fall into place for us to say 'yes' to that desire.


For one, we would have to think it was worth it financially. Blame it on your mom's practical side, but this is a big detractor to me about so-called higher education. Call me crazy, but I don't want you to be paying off student loan debt for fifteen years after college, therefore detracting from the wages you're earning!

Two, it would have to be worth it personally/spiritually. Your dad will talk to you more about that one, about all the dangers both on the surface of academia and imbedded deep within the curriculum. In fact, you will not even need to ask him!

Full disclosure to adult readers: I come from a family steeped in education, both as teachers and students. They hold "education," meaning, the kind you get sitting in an accedited liberal arts locale, in very high esteem. There are positives and negatives to this mindset. On the good side, it meant my parents planned for the possibility of my going to college and set aside money for it. That was an amazing thing they did and I am grateful for the opportunity it provided, especially when I think of all the brilliant people I've known who would've loved to go - and would have excelled - who didn't have the money to do it.

On the negative side, their interest in having me go to college created the expectation that I had to go, whether I wanted to or not. As it turned out, when senior year rolled around I was neither interested in any field in particular, nor interested in paying for something so extravegant just because I could. Yet, I wanted to please my parents, and get away from them at the same time... two pretty lame reasons to go to college.

I don't want to disparage my parents or come across as conceited because I'm retroactively rejecting a major gift. But I've concluded that college wasn't worth the time for me. I was encouraged to do things that I liked to do, which meant I was going to gravitate toward what I had natural inclinations for. So, I ended up a double major in studio art - because I am somewhat good at it and just plan enjoy looking at/talking about it - and philosophy - because it provided some direction to the drifter I was.

This is all fine and good, doing things you "like," unless of course you want to make money doing them. It will come as no surprise that both of these fields are completely saturated and, thus, highly competitive. You can't just be a figure drawing artist, you've got to be drawing like Michaelangelo himself is crawling out of your conte crayon. And philosophy? Forget about it as a career, unless of course you're willing to get the masters degree and be brilliant in a PhD program after that. We'll talk about the pitfalls of graduate school much later...

Since I went into the education experiment without any discipline, I stayed in that same mindset. So, I couldn't get any better; all I could do was rely on natural ability. To this day, I don't know what "working hard" means or how to "study" something unless I can do it with my hands. This is why art appealed to me; I could physically see where I was going wrong and what I wanted to change. Alas, I don't have the creative mind needed for being a professional artist. As far as philosophy went, I could only understand what I could understand! I never figured out how to teach myself what I didn't know, which is crucial.

Since college I have had several jobs, some of which I turned out to be pretty good at, but virtually none of them employed anything I learned in school. The job I hold now only required I had a degree to apply, though most of my colleagues didn't go to either a two- or four-year institution at all. So, I could've probably gotten my foot in the door with my boss and then convinced him to give me a job, even if I hadn't gone to university.

Are there other reasons one should attend college besides job training? Some people will say yes, that one can get outside-the-classroom benefits like "becoming who you are" or being "exposed to diversity of people." Both of those arguments are easily rejected. For a Christian, self identity is truly found with Christ. Neither going to college nor abstaining from it will change that. [Allelujah!] The other pc statement is rebuked just by walking out my front door; we're exposed to diversity just by living in the world. No place is completely homogenous, and manufacturing one's exposure to preordained "diversity" isn't necessarily beneficial. (It's one of the reasons why trying to make a workplace diverse fails; it's artificial, everyone knows it, and certain people are subsequently looked at as tokens.)

Lastly, it creates a huge amount of debt. I had scholarships, fellowship money and a tuition stipend (thanks to my dad being employed at a sister school) but still ended up with thousands in debt. I've probably only earned $5/hour at every job since college after you subtract from my wages my student loan debt with interest. That means every dollar I earn today is reduced. The point after school is over is to earn, not pay.

Why go then? It's expensive, does not provide actual job training (for most disciplines), takes up time in one's life when real money is out there to be made, and provides little other benefit...

*What do you [adult readers] think? Did you go to school and found it a waste of time and money? Or did you always wish you could go? How has your "education" helped inform what you "do" for a living now? Eager to hear your thoughts!

January 31st, 2011

Hi Baby,

See this day's post over at your mom's other blog, "1/3 Life Chic," where I try to talk about fashion.

Can't wait to dress you up and not embarrass you with MY clothes!

January 27th, 2011

*Kind of a weird topic for January, but it's been on my mind awhile...

Dear Sofia,

Is it true: conservatives love Christmas and liberals love halloween?

Things to love about Christmas: Celebrating the Savior/acknowledging there IS a Savior(!); corporate worship; singing great hymns of the past (honoring faith of our fathers); time spent with family...

It's no secret, to me at least, why we love Christmas so much. Even "secular Christmas" (meaning, all the fluff without the significance) is celebrated with joy as people sing carols, give gifts and suddenly become quite philanthropic.

Halloween shouldn't even be called a "holiday" since it is not a holy day. There is no "orthodox halloween" and "secular halloween;" it's all secular. In fact, it's all pagan. And why do they like it so much? I think it's for these reasons:
- Dressing in costume symbolizes their belief that man can change himself (free will/God's impotence)
- Romanticizing of death - for those who don't believe in eternal life, death is the ultimate event in one's life
- The excuse to frighten people, especially children - harming children in some way seems to follow a liberal m.o. (see: abortion)
- Handing out candy is a seemingly innocuous easy of enveloping children into the tradition, fixing in their minds the reward for the best participation in the pagan practice

As for me, I'm torn. Does halloween have to be a celebration of death, a spitting in the face of God while baying to the full moon and gorging on sweets? Dressing up in costumes is fun, for goodness sake, and when you're a creative person you need all the outlets you can get! Really, how often does one get to dress up, for any occasion?

Baby, I dressed you as a sushi roll for your first halloween. Was that wrong? Even your dad thought it was cute. But how will we participate in it when you're older? Anyone have suggestions?

January 25th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

I don't think I want you to have a social network account. What is social networking? Punchline: a huge waste of time! Ha!

No, just kidding. Although I often find myself in a wormhole on facebook, I mostly like to check new kid photos and read funny stories from friends in other states (that'd be all of my friends). Or giggle at how many comments I get on funny pictures I post of you get.

But, in case anyone reading this blog would rather NOT participate in the myriad information stealing tactics on said facebook, below is a link to a short article detailing how to remove yourself from most info-mining. Mostly it involves resetting your privacy options, but there was an element there I wasn't aware of.

Best tip from me: don't stay signed in. Just uncheck that box. Otherwise, every partner website you go to while you are still signed in will steal your stats. There are a ton of partner sites to facebook; that's how a "free" site makes money, you know.

Baby, I already see your eyes meandering to the glow of the laptop screen sometimes. Look away, look away!!

Love, Mom

ps. Here is the article I mentioned.

January 23rd, 2011

Dear Sofia,

Someday, baby, you will understand that your mom is weird. But.. not in an awkward or embarrassing way. Rather, I have too many things I want to do and not enough creative outlets for them.

Also, I'm an idea stealer. I see something cool, I will copy it. I have no qualms about this. I'm a good art copycat, which makes it easy to decorate my home with beautiful pictures - without having to buy those tacky reproduction posters (apologies if any readers like those, I just prefer the tactile element to real paint). Or, I see a fashion I can't afford and I can easily try to sew it myself.

I do have a thing against knock-offs, meaning fashion or accessories that are pretending to be the real thing but aren't. I do not like those. But my copies are ok to me, probably justified in my mind because I know it's a form of flattery and not trying to usurp the original item.

That is a long introduction to the following picture. Sofia, your auntie Angela sent me a series of photographs of a woman's baby, dressed and posed while she sleeps. They are AMAZING. They are so amazing that I thought, "I wonder if I could pull those off." Now, I still do not know how to work my camera (which is dumb, because I've had it over two years!) and this was a first attempt, but I still think it turned out ok. And, so long as you don't mind I would like to try some more!

*If anyone has any suggestions, I'm happy to use them!


P.S. The "big bad wolf" is Pousse. He's the only thing close to a beast we've got around here, and since he's pretty silky, he doesn't make for a very tough-looking villain!

January 21st, 2011

Dear Sofia,

I'm not going to write much in detail about the babies in this story; it's too shocking and too sad.

Over this past week a story came out about an abortion "clinic" in Philadelphia, PA where hundreds of babies were murdered. I cannot express how deeply mournful I am for those babies. An abortion "clinic" is a place where people go to have their babies taken away from them, and their lives destroyed. This particular one offered abortion services well past the legal gestational age of 24 weeks. In fact, at least one baby was murdered at 30 weeks - that's just two months before being full term.

Many babies are labored and birthed before that point. A woman I work with had her baby at 22 weeks. He was only 2 1/2 pounds upon delivery. Today, he is four years old and just a little small for his age, compared to his peers.

Why would someone opt to kill their baby instead of giving it up for adoption? I think many women are told that it's not really a baby, or, carrying he/she to full term and then giving him/her up means it really is and was a baby all the time. Faced with the decision to either deal with the emotions attached to keeping a baby you weren't planning on or pretend that it "never really happened," a lot of women (and not just young women) choose the latter.

At every abortion facility, they are killing babies. But they, for the most part, abide by the law to do it. That does NOT make it right, not at all. But even Planned Parenthood will say "we can't help you here" if you're further along than the 24-week limit. At the place in Philadelphia, however, babies were gruesomely, viciously, savagely treated.

And their mothers fared no better. At least two women were killed during procedures: one was overdosed with anesthesia - administered by un-medically trained staff - and the other bled to death after having her internal organs punctured by the clumsy "doctor" of the place. Another woman, only 17 year old, required a hysterectomy after a botched procedure. Faced with an unwanted child once, now she never again has the option of having children.

I want to scream about this. I want to - forgive me, Lord - inflict revenge against these child murderers. Their brutality makes me sick, and yet it's the sin behind it that really turns my stomach.

Even way back when I was a liberal (yes, it's an embarrassing truth) I wasn't comfortable with accepting abortion as an equally reasonable option. I would say I was "pro-choice" but almost always vocalized a caveat to that stance, namely that abstinence and, barring its failure, adoption were far better choices because they spared an innocent life and posed no threat to the mother's emotional/mental health. Yes, even back when I thought the Iraq war was "for money," I could not stomach the cavalier attitude with which people spoke of aborting babies, as if it was just another "medical procedure," like removing a tooth.

Someone will comment that it's only because I have a baby myself now - because I've been in the exact position of "choosing" whether or not to have a baby - that I can be so staunchly pro life. But it isn't just you, Sofia, that colors my perspective. It's the babies that were miscarried, grieving their mothers. It's the women who long to have children or be able to adopt, just to hold a squirming, wrinkled little person who needs them. It's the women who did chose to abort a child, and later fall into despair because of it.

All of these have given me a profound sense of empathy. A heart for little ones and their mothers alike, you could say. It's only you that has increased my ability to love so much more, so I have room for more in its scope.

I think I want to become a pregnancy counselor.

January 10th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

Yesterday we heard/read about a shooting in Arizona. A 22-year-old activist decided that, instead of participating in the world like a reasonable person does, he would shoot to kill his district's congresswoman. He didn't agree with the way she was doing her job in government. It was very sad that, in addition to that woman who was killed, so were several other people; the shooting took place at an outdoor meeting in a public place. Included in the casualties was a nine-year-old girl. She was just a child and now she has been killed.

The reactions in the "news" media have been typical as of late: they all suppose that the shooter was an "anti-government" / "hateful" / loosely-related-to-the-tea-party person. Forgetting, or deliberately putting out of mind as it were, that "anti-government" is not synonymous with "politically conservative." Nor has the tea party movement ever been linked to violence of any kind. Not even yelling and screaming at a rally, nada. They aren't anti-government, they're anti wasteful, bloated government.

But when citizens exercise their constitutional right to protest against their government running out of control, they're called domestic terrorists these days! While all along people like the Arizona murderer, who was exercising not his rights but his personal inclinations, get somehow validated posthumously because they're, essentially, useful idiots.

Oh, how dare I insinuate that the "news" media ignored the facts of the crime so they could use him as an example of how "dangerous incendiary media figures like Sarah Palin" are inciting people to violence against government figures! By the way, did you know that I didn't quote that line "dangerous...?" I put it in quotes because I assumed someone had written that! So I googled it... and got 102,000 results with "incendiary" and "Sarah Palin" together. The first one came from a so-called writer on the Huffington Post. Go figure, huh?

I am so appalled at the media treatment of this crime. I'm angry and righteously so, for the families of the murdered. To every writer who reported from the anti-government angle, you should be ashamed of yourself.

January 7th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

Happy New Year, baby!

By the end of this year you will be one year old. As excited as I am for that, I already don't want you to grow up or get bigger. Please stay small and sweet forever.

Love,

Your Mom

December 23rd, 2010

Dear Sofia,

See these pictures? This is why I don't like to make gluten free cookies!

They take a lot of ingredients to prepare, the dough is difficult to use (super sticky) and they stick to the pans
so removing them means breaking them into tiny pieces.

Arrrgh!

I can make great brownies, cake, cupcakes, muffins.. I just can't do cookies well. Even with a mix something always seems to go wrong.

But, this year I did make some sugar cookies for Christmas eve and they turned out very nice.



The trick was, they are dairy free also (because your first cousin, Kristan, is df as well as gf). I had better learn how to make cookies consistently so you and I can do them for Christmas in a few years!

December 19th, 2010

Dear Sofia,

You have surpassed the two month mark! I was thinking, there are sooo many things I want to do with you when you're older, but I really like who you are right now. What better to post than some new pictures?

I love you (even though, as Julee said, you may never read that!),

Mom




You and me.


You and Dad.


You and Pousse.


Little hands.


Little feet.

December 14th, 2010

Dear Sofia,

I hope we can instill in you a love for the America we knew as kids, or at least cherish in our hearts.

In that America, we say "Merry Christmas!" with verve and throw change (or, gold coins as of late) in Salvation Army buckets at this time of year. You know, those red buckets that have been banned at so many places because the SA is a "Christian organization."

In that America we bake Christmas cookies and put up Christmas trees. We sing Christmas carols that are - surprise - about Christ!

I'm sure this makes no sense to you because in the America you've grown up in abhors the mere mention of Christ, especially around the anniversary time of His birth. There is no prayer in public schools: high school football players aren't allowed to thank God for their touchdowns, nor are parents allowed to thank God for their graduating students' accomplishments, or for the meal they are about to eat before a school fund-raising dinner.

Yet, Christmas day is a federal holiday. Everyone exchanges Christmas gifts (although sometimes they are said to be from a "Secret Santa." Christmas symbolism is everywhere because people like it - and they like it because, deep down, they know God is real, was born in a manger and is the Lord of all creation. They're only practicing "secular Christmas" because they are rebellious!

Like I said, I hope we are able to give you the Christmas traditions and memories that honor Christ, as they should. Where families enjoy - and don't dread - spending time together. Where it's not all about how many presents you get or, if you're an adult, how tech savvy or luxe they are (*we will exchange presents; they will be things we think will make each other smile, but we know they won't complete us or truly make us happy).

Christmas is about Christ. 'Nuf said.

December 9th, 2010

Dear Sofia,

Your mama can be a basket case. I hope it's a long time before you realize this, and perhaps being a mother will make me more responsible? I pray that is the case!

But.. I struggle with stupid things like spending too much time on the computer/internet and spending too much money on clothes (a sad admission). Since you've been born I noticed a down trend in both of those because I am spending so much more time with you. Hooray!

Here is a list I made last year of things I wanted to accomplish. I have put in bold the ones I actually did.

1. Pay off at least three substantial debts - some medical stuff and a major credit card

2. Sponsor a child from world vision - Gospel for Asia actually, but same diff
3. Learn how to take good photographs

4. Get my health under control: develop healthy eating, sleeping and exercising regimens - pregnancy has a way of helping you eat well! And I finally had a great workout regimen.. before I had to stop exercising because you were due soon. [sigh] I will get it back! And sleep? No, I'm afraid that is a mere dream now - no pun intended!

5. Put away more savings money; keep a budget

6. Spend significantly less than I earn; donate more than I do
7. Work a higher-wage job with more responsibility - Yes! This job is currently paying for you via short term disability.

8. Write with more clarity and on more variety of topics - Working on this. Started the fashion blog, too.

9. Read at least 20 books; decrease dependence on computer and internet for entertainment - Maybe not 20, though I read a whole lot in the summer. I'm reading "Burmese Days" by George Orwell now. There's plenty of time to read while one nurses!
10. Get involved with a social group of some kind (church, hobby, charity, sport) - Sadly, not yet. This is the biggie for 2011. Maybe you are my ticket into some women's groups, huh?

December 6th, 2010

Dear Sofia,

We are in winter now, serious winter. A few days ago I wrote that the snow had just fallen - ah, how lovely, the first little flaky snowfall! It dusts everything white and reminds you that Christmas is just around the corner. And then it melts, and you expect a few more fallish days (even though we are in December and it has technically been winter for awhile).

Not so in Wisconsin - or Minne-snow-ta, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan... Two days after I wrote about the first snow, we got our real first snow - all five inches of it! Oh, and bitter cold temperatures and wind to boot. Speaking of boots...

Since I was pregnant my shoe size has gone up 1/2 size! Darn it, that means I have to get all new shoes (yes, only one pair still fits). Buying all new shoes sounds like fun, but really it is not. And it requires you spend a bunch of money that I would rather spend on you!

Today you and I will find some boots for me. I can't be picky, so it helps that you will probably wake up mid-trip - and most definitely this will occur as I'm getting in line to check out - and scream your head off. Oh, what fun it is to ride around in a car seat. Not. Pobrecita.

Did you know that your initials are SNO? How funny is that?!

December 3rd, 2010

Dear Sofia,

I heard a staggering and horrible statistic this morning, that black people only account for 6% of Wisconsin's population, but acquire 25% of the state's abortions. What a sad state of affairs that black women are being led to believe the lie that they are better off not keeping their children.

For many women, myself included, being a mom is the most rewarding thing one can do. I know it's work, too, and a lot of women don't want to do it, or aren't ready to, or do have a medical issue that makes carrying to term risky.

But... most women having abortions - and they are mostly young women - don't fall into the high risk category; they have no idea what to expect with a pregnancy/motherhood so they believe whatever some supposedly well-meaning abortion clinic staff member (usually another women) tells them.

Sometimes it's, "Oh honey, you don't want to give up going to college do you?" (As if going to college is some guarantee of a happy or successful life! Please!)

Or maybe, "Now, going through the birth process will be VERY painful and VERY risky. An abortion is, by comparison, a much lower risk operation." (This is something a Planned Parenthood doctor actually said.)

And sometimes, "You don't have to keep this baby and raise it if you don't want to." (But they don't tell you that someone else may want the chance to, by adopting him or her!)

I've probably said this many times before, that even when I was a liberal the issue of abortion never sat right with me. I would frequently (because I am very timid in person) shirk the question of which side I fell on by responding that I'd "need to be in that position to really know what I'd do," or I'd say that I wouldn't do it but didn't think I'd want to restrict someone else's access either. Neither of those statements were really true. I never liked the idea of someone killing their baby, even when it was "just a fetus" (like using a different name for "baby" makes it less of a person - that never made sense to me either).

Wisconsin Pro Life is putting up billboards all over Milwaukee that say "Black is beautiful" and "Black babies are in trouble." Yes, they are in trouble because their moms are going to be fed a lot of lies about babies (you'd be surprised how little young women actually know about babies' growth and needs) and their ability to take care of them.

Be strong, pregnant young women in Wisconsin. I was scared when I found out about Sofia, too... a lot of apprehension surrounded the situation... but when I was "actually in the position" to make a choice, well... there was no choice. It was clear. And it will be clear in your heart and conscience, too. Black is beautiful, life is beautiful, and the bond you and baby will have together is the most beautiful.

December 2nd, 2010

Dear Sofia,

We listened to this together this morning. You loved it! How could you not, hearing that Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords? Allelujah!

December 1st, 2010

Dear Sofia,

Today is the first day of December, the first day of snow here in Madison, and Russ Feingold's last day in the Senate! Feingold has been the Wisconsin state senator for a loooong time. This year, voters here - including your mom and dad - voted him out of office. He has supported lots of bills that would hurt America, including the "cash for clunkers" program, the McCain-Feingold immigration bill (which should be called an illegal immigration bill) and all the stimulus packages put forth by President Obama (these were supposed to stimulate our economy and create jobs, but oddly enough they did neither). Feingold out, republican winner Ron Johnson in! I am excited to see him take over and help our nation, in whatever ways he can. We will pray for his ability to do this.

Many people today are talking about the recent "wikileaks" incident, which was the publishing of tons of information on our governmental affairs gathered confidentially. It was stolen by at least one person, maybe more, and given to the wikileaks organization, who chose to disseminate the info publicly. It is sensitive information and should NOT have been stolen, nor handed out. Who knows who has seen/read it by now?

It has been impossible to avoid reading some snippet of it, though, or hearing it on talk radio. There are some pretty incredible items in that information, including that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered associates to "gather information" on United Nations ambassadors visiting the U.S., basically to make sure they are here for their stated purposes. That's the kind of security we need our government to take measures for! Also, China spied on the U.S. and stole info transmitted through Google and its products. Things like... oh.. Blogger. Hmm..

And you know what else I learned? That U.S. officials under Pres. Obama asked other countries to take our Guantanemo Bay prisoners, and even offered a special visit with the Pres. to secure the deal! Yes, Obama really does think that much of himself; "You take these dangerous criminals but, in return, you get to meet Obama! Now, isn't that worth it, Austria? Plus, it will give you 'prestige' amongst the other European countries." Ugh.

Last bit of news for the day: Giselle Bunchen (a fashion model) is featured in Vogue magazine this month talking about her recent home birth! That's the kind of publicity home/natural birth/midwifery needs, I think. She had her son in a water birth, which is something I considered for you. Giselle loved the whole process and can't wait to do it again. Awesome!