Easter eggs

Here's a video of Elena playing with some of her cousins (Maddy and Kaden) on Easter. Elena was pretty excited to see everyone, and I guess Kaden was looking for a new hiding spot for his Easter egg.

Where's the Beef?

We went out to the Landmark Bistro the other night with Seth's brother, Craig. Here's a picture of Craig and Seth. I know it may be hard to believe they're related, but if you look closely, you can see the resemblance. (This picture was not posed, by the way)

Anyway, we all split a gigantic and delicious plate of seafood, and Seth ordered a salad on the side. When the salad came, Seth looked at his plate with a quizzical expression. "Is this the roast beef salad?" he asked the waitress. "That's the roast beet salad." Oops. That would explain the giant beets on his plate. It was pretty funny. You probably had to be there.

Palm Sunday

I figured since Elena was born on Palm Sunday last year, I had better commemorate it with a few pictures of her playing with her first palm.

Making Music

Elena has learned to play her first musical instrument: the tin whistle. For now, she can just play one note, but we'll work on that. We're also getting a drum set today so that will be her next instrument. Soon she'll be playing melodic Celtic tunes and rocking out on the drums (not simultaneously, of course...although that would be pretty cool).

Here she is showing Daddy her new trick.

On a more serious note....

As a warning to those anyone reading this, if you don't want to hear my opinions on abortion, just skip this and scroll down to the pictures. Maybe this isn't the place for it, but I need to rant. Once in awhile I like to do that :)

I just read about how the RU486 pill works on the Feminist Women's Health Center website. They mentioned some reasons women prefer the pill as a form of abortion and stated the following: "Some women feel empowered by taking an active role in the process." Empowered??? I wanted to throw up.

The girl I mentioned a few days ago did go through with the abortion. I'm not writing this out of anger or judgement, but out of sorrow for all those who have been sold such a tremendous lie by our society. Women are told that their bodies are basically not good, and that when our bodies inconvenience us (which they inevitably will), we need to change them if we want to be happy. When a woman finds herself pregnant under less than ideal circumstances, she is told to view her body as a nuisance or something to be ashamed of.

So often when women find out they are pregnant, their reaction is that something has gone wrong and it needs to be fixed. Rather than freeing us from this lie, abortion feeds into it. With an abortion, the medical world confirms in a woman's eyes that her body is not working correctly and needs medical intervention to get back to "normal." Her body is viewed as bad or wrong for getting pregnant. This is supposed to be liberating?

The reality is that when a woman gets pregnant, no matter what the circumstances, her body did what it was supposed to do - it did something right. She is not sick and should not be treated so. It is when a woman has trouble getting pregnant or when her body rejects a pregnancy her body is doing something wrong. The role of a doctor is to treat the sick and to help our bodies when they are not working properly - so how can doctors justify intentionally causing a normal, healthy pregnancy to malfunction?

In a culture that increasingly promotes a natural and organic lifestlye, I don't see why we still see the body in its natural state as a threat. Women are encouraged to put synthetic hormones into their bodies and to cut off the natural hormones which would normally be released, ignoring or even condemning their purpose.

Modern feminism claims that women should be able to walk away from a pregnancy just like men can. It is not empowering to women to tell them that they will be free if they become like men. This treats women as though their natural state of being is inferior to that of men, which is both demeaning and untrue.

The website I mentioned earlier said that in a perfect world women would control their bodies; experience painless, 'nurturing', free and safe abortions; and we would be encouraged to "love our bodies and celebrate our power." I don't see how being dissatisfied with your body as it is and feeling the need to change (or as they say "control") your body into something it was never created to be falls under "loving your body." Sounds more like hating your body to me.

A true feminist should embrace the female body exactly as it is, fertility and all, with all it's quirks and oddities. Yes, our bodies may cause us inconveniences from time to time, but that's what makes us women and that's what makes us beautiful. I love myself (my body included) for who I really am, not for the infertile alternative of myself that society tells me I should be. And that is true freedom. The only true love is unconditional; and it does not need to change or control its beloved before considering it worthy of love.

Now, if you read this and it made you upset or annoyed: I warned you....and I love you ;)

And now on a lighter note: Elena :)

Putting Yogurt in her hair


Playing with her buddy, Nate.

Oops!

Looks like Mama needs to start being more careful with what she leaves within Elena's reach.

At least Elena was very careful to tear the pages of her book out very neatly along the seam, making it easier to fix :)

Company!

It's pretty common for people who are only used to driving in rural areas to be nervous about driving up in the cities - with all the cars and merging and traffic jams and exits that can't be missed lest you drive another 10 minutes just to to turn around. But I've learned that it actually works both ways. People accustomed to driving in big cities get nervous to drive out here - with the lack of cars & stoplights (and towns, for that matter) and the risk of a deer or cow (less likely, but still possible) wandering into your path. And I'm not just picking on our recent guests, I've witnessed this fear of the quiet country in other city dwellers. It just goes to show how acclimated we can become to our normal surroundings, whatever that may be.

Nevertheless, three of my college friends from St. Paul braved the "scary" roads out to Minneota to pay us a much appreciated visit. It was great to have them out here, and Elena loved all the attention! Here are some pictures of Elena entertaining our guests.

Please Pray

I married a man with a very big heart. The other day, a friend of mine told me that her best friend is pregnant and planning to have an abortion on Wednesday. This woman is at a very low place right now. She does not want to abort her child, but at the moment she is just looking for a way to escape the embarrassment of telling her parents. I know so many couples seeking parenthood who would gladly adopt her child. I pray that she will choose the lasting joy of knowing that she has given life to a child and added love to a family over the lasting pain that follows abortion. No matter your political stance on the issue, I ask you to pray with me for this woman in need.

Seth's immediate reaction upon hearing her situation? Let's offer to adopt. That's my husband: "You got a problem? I'd be happy to take it for you." He's my hero.

And now for Elena's latest achievement: pull-ups on the bathroom towel rods.