Habemus Infantem

We have a little baby! Margaret Thérèse was born at 8:05 pm on Wednesday 10 January 2006. She weighed in at 7 pounds 5 ozs and measured 20 inches. (Just a little bitty one). She is quite beautiful.

The birth was amazing. I had irregular, strong contractions all day long but nothing was really happening. The midwife said I was either on the cusp of having the baby or that I might go on like this for a few days. (Ick, even at 15 minutes apart, contractions are not the way I want to spend my days.) We sent Karol out with Miss Kristine Keeney for some dinner and fun at some friends’ house to see if a little distraction would help things along. It did.

At 7:05 pm, I declared I couldn’t/wouldn’t have this baby. (FYI, this is a sign of transition, that the baby is in fact on its way.)
I showered to see if that would help then Joshua filled the birthing pool up. Our midwife, Mary Ann, arrived shortly thereafter. She was bustling around when I went to the room with the pool in it, leaned against the bed and said “I can’t do this.” After a few major contractions, one right after the other, my water broke and we moved me to the pool (not even half filled, but I wanted the warmth and comfort the water helps to provide). I had a few more contractions, debated again not having the baby when my body decided that pushing would be a nice thing to try. I pushed once (I am willing to say I didn’t even push because, while it hurt, there wasn’t much effort) and out came Margaret Thérèse.

She is stunningly beautiful with dark hair and long fingers. She has Joshua’s colouring but the rest of her features are hard to figure out.

As for the name, Margaret Thérèse, we named her after my mother’s mom, Margaret Kress and St. Thérèse Liseaux.
Check out the link to the pictures: http://pictures.catholicmumma.net

Filed under: General Stuff

My New Blog

Welcome to my blog. The blog of a Catholic Mumma. This blog is part of a whole big website to be called Catholicmumma.net. At Catholicmumma.net you will find a forum to discuss NFP, Home Schooling, Modesty, Social Concerns, Home Birthing (from a Catholic perspective), Pro Life issues and last but not least, issues that come up in every day life trying to live as a Catholic Mumma.
I hope to have the whole website up and running soon. In addition to the forum, there will be pictures of my wonderful children, Karol Jozef (Age:1) and the soon-to-be-known baby, due any day now. But that’s not all! I will also share with you delicious recipes that I find and test out, I will also share with you my daily triumphs and struggles in being a Catholic Mumma. I will also post social commentary about things I hear out and about in the world.

I hope you all come back to visit again, soon. Please email me and let me know if there is anything you would like to see on a webpage dedicated to Catholic mummas.
Beth

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His Own Room

Karol got his own room this past weekend. Yep, we moved his crib in to what we have called his room for nearly the past year. He seems to like it pretty well. He has learned how to open the door from his crib, letting me know he is awake. He has also mastered the light switch, quite humorous.

He is getting bigger and tells us what he likes and doesn’t like. He likes egg yolks but not the whites. He likes bread but not bread dough. He likes cookies but not cookie dough. (More for me…) He likes to play in the sunlight that comes in the window but he doesn’t like to have the sun shine in his eyes. He likes to sit and read with Papa at night, but he doesn’t like to sit still for mass.

He has learned who cousin Geoffrey is. If Karol is in the kitchen and you say Geoffry, he walks/crawls over to the picture on the fridge and hits it.

Did I mention he walks? Today he walked from the end table to the entry way to the dining room….about 7 steps. Right now he is hiding under his Papa’s desk, shuffling paper. My kid is a genius.

But now he stinks and needs some lunch, so off I go to change his diaper then to feed him yummy food.

Viva Christo Rey.

Filed under: General Stuff

Not so heavy a post this time

Joshua gave me the wonderful idea of writing down all the things that Karol does. Well not all the things but the cute things. So instead of pulling out his baby book that I have written all of 10 things in, I will use my blog!

Today’s addition:

Karol snores. I went in to check on him a little while ago. I didn’t have to walk to far in to make sure he was okay, he let out a big huge honkin’ snort when I walked in.

All is well with the world.

Filed under: General Stuff

Ode To Stem Cells

Okay people. Let’s go over this again. No matter what YOU want to believe, life begins at CONCEPTION. Yes. When that little bitty egg is fertilized by that even littler sperm, a life is CREATED. And no, this isn’t wacko Catholic-Girl coming at you, this is scientific proof. When an egg is fertilized, a seperate DNA is created right then and there, got it? When there is human DNA, different from the Mother and the Father, LIFE BEGINS.

So, please tell me how creating a life, just to take it from its mother’s womb for the sake of “advancing” human life is a good thing. Research has yet to show embryonic stem cells healing a person. YET, with ADULT STEM CELLS, there is hope and actual cases of healing.

http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics3.asp

This link talks about embryonic stem cells. I direct you to the last paragraph
where it states:

If scientists can reliably direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into specific cell types, they may be able to use the resulting, differentiated cells to treat certain diseases at some point in the future.

You know what this means? That they HAVE NOT been able to use them for the so called greater good!

I now direct your attention to this link:

http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/basics4.asp

Please note the second paragraph, where it states:

Research on adult stem cells has recently generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible.

I then direct you further to this link:

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=IS04J01

This article shows cases in which ADULT STEM CELLS were used to heal spinal cord injuries, heart regeneration, corneal regeneration and so on. Pay close attention to the heart regeneration section, in particular to this paragraph:

The capability of adult stem cells to regenerate a damaged and malfunctioning heart was clearly seen in the case of Dmitri Bonnville. A 16-year-old from Almont, Michigan, he was accidentally shot in the chest by a nail gun while conducting house work on February 1, 2003. The injury was exacerbated by cardiac arrest a few days later.

His family examined the available effective treatment options. Physicians informed the parents of the possibility of a heart transplant or the use of extended medication while noting the risks and failures of such procedures. The doctors also notified the parents of a procedure that involved stem cell extraction from Bonnville’s own body and subsequent transplantation into his heart. Predicting success, they determined to go forward with the surgery under the direction of Dr. Cindy Grines, Dr. William O’Neill and Dr. Steven Timmis at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. The treatment had never been conducted on a human patient in the United States prior to this occasion. Within a week of the February 21 surgery, Bonnville’s heart pumping capacity had increased from its previous 25 percent to 35 percent.

I guess my question now is, why should we create then destroy innocent lives when we have the real option to use adult stem cells?

Filed under: General Stuff

We Hold These Truths

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

All men are created equal. We have the right to LIFE, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. If a government should infringe upon those rights, we have the RIGHT to alter or abolish such a government.


Wow, those are some powerful words. As citizens of the United States of America, we have a right to all those? Especially a right to life? And if a government should infringe upon those rights, we can alter it or abolish it? We the people have some power. Why don’t we use it?

Sure every four years there is something called an election where we get to pick out a new guy to “run” the country or we can decided to stick with the guy who is “running” the country already, provided this would only be his second term. However, in America some 75% of the population sits at home on election day. I am sure they have their reasons, but that only leaves 25% to decide for the rest of the country what we are going to do next.

Sadly of the people who do vote, a great majority put their pocketbook before their brain. We live in a country where any woman can go in to a “clinic” up to 40 weeks of pregnancy and abort their child. We live in a country where people think that the world is two colours, Red and Blue. To be honest, I have no idea who the “Red States” represent and who the “Blue States” represent. Let me tell you something folks, the world of politics isn’t black and white, red or blue, cut and dry.

No, this past Presidential Elections, we had a man running for office who proclaimed his Catholic Faith from Sea to shining Sea, yet is a supporter of a “womans right to choose” in all 9 months of pregnancy and supports so called Gay “Marriages”. Does that mean I am a supporter of our current “Leader”. No. For those who know me, this may come as a shock, but I think the man is a baffoon. He courts the so called “Religious Right” during an election year, passes some poo-poo legislation, signs some executive order then proclaims that he is “Pro-Life”. First of all, anyone who supports the death penelty cannot not pro-life. Hey bring it on, I will take this argument on any day of the week. No matter how evil no matter how awful the crime, one man cannot take the life of another man.

Our country has bought in to the lie. The lie that abortion is a simple easy procedure that can now even be done in the comfort of your own home. But wait there’s more. We also have bought the lie that those who are pro-life are women haters and have no desire to help the woman burdened by an unwanted pregnancy. We think that by using contraceptives, we will keep the teen age girls from getting pregnant, we will keep our marriages childfree, and we will prevent any more children from spoiling our already “perfect” mom/dad/son/daughter family.

Ah yes, since 1973 there have been over 42 MILLION, yes MILLION abortions procured in the USA. (Land of the Free, Home of the Brave) 42 MILLION. Praise God that I wasn’t one of them.

We the People of the United States of America can no longer afford to sit back and watch our future generations be aborted away. We need to fan the flames of the Pro-Life Revolution that has begun. How do we do that?

We start by recognizing that life is valuable from CONCEPTION to Natural Death. We need to recognize the sanctity of the marital act as being between one man and one woman for the procreation of human life. We must remove the contraceptive mentality from our daily lives by being open to all that God gives us.

We must realize that in our fallen world, we may think that “Gay Marriages” are good, but they aren’t. They do not support the Pro-Life Revolution. They are not open to life, they do not create life, they are contrary to the design of the world and they are not faithful to the union that God created for man and woman. We do live in a fallen world, many have same sex attractions, many but they are like a cross to bear and one must learn not to give in to the desires and to give those feelings to our Lord. It is not sinful to have the attraction, it is sinful to act on them.

We must realize that each and every person on this planet has a purpose. If the person is in a permanent coma, they still have a purpose. A crying infant at 3 in the morning has a purpose. Grandma with alzheimers has a purpose. YOU have a purpose. However, the purpose may not be known at this very moment.

Filed under: General Stuff

Ode to the married life

So it has been a while since I posted anything. What can I say? I have a little one and it is spring time! Karol is getting big, he is almost crawling on his hands and knees but he creeps like a champ. Right now he is sleeping like a champ! Do you ever wonder what babies dream about?

So lately my friends have been taking the plunge and taking up married life. So far this year we have attended three weddings and we have at least four more. It is very exciting to go and witness the vows, eat some cake and dance the day/night away. The wedding I am most looking forward to this year is my friend Jon’s. Why? Well for starters, he is marrying my friend Erin and they are wonderful together. Not to mention I get to go to Ohio for this one and get to see all of my other friends! This is a good thing.

With all these vows happening, I have been pondering marriage and vows and my wedding. I remember it like it was yesterday. Okay, I don’t remember much of it. I remember it was October, it was cool out, and my MOH had the upset stomach for me. (Thanks Jaime!) I remember getting ready and realizing that in just a few hours I would be married to my wonderful DH for the rest of my life, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health til death do we part.

So far we have had the richer and poorer. Okay not richer, just not quite so poor. Sickness and in health. Well between the miscarriage and morning sickness with Karol, he has seen me through the worst. He got food poisoning on our honeymoon and spent a good part of one day curled up on the couch. He was there when I gave birth to our little boy, medication free at home. He encourages me and tries to get me to do things that I don’t think I can. (Someday I will post a picture of the tunic I have made for Karol.)

Back to what I remember. I remember standing in the back of the church crying because the awesomeness of the sacrament hit me all at once. I remember walking down the aisle with my daddy cracking jokes. I wanted to tell him that he shouldn’t talk during mass, but instead I let him crack the jokes. I sort of remember the vows, but what I remember the most is when Father Tim said “Congratulations” after the vow then went on to prepare for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We had done it.

He is my head and I am glad for that, without him, I don’t know how I would survive. I don’t seem to remember life before him. I still remember the first time I really saw him. He was a seminarian and I was at a youth retreat. Before the gasps start, I was very close to entering a convent. We became fast friends and would often get together with other friends and pray. Sometimes we would talk and even then he encouraged me in my discernment.

Then the call came saying he was leaving the Order he was in. Oh the feelings. Well hidden, so much that I didn’t even realize I had them. God made certain that my heart was open to His will and closed the door on religious life. He also made sure that if any guy asked me out, I got the urge to puke on his sneakers. 🙂 Then the call came from my dh, my car is broken down, can you come to get me. That is when it all happened. The Citgo Station at Exit 14 on I-70.

To spare you the details, we knew that night we would get married someday. That someday arrived on October 2, 2004.

I am sure I am just not making any sense right now…so off to bed I go and tomorrow I will make more sense of this all!

All for the Immaculata!

Filed under: General Stuff

Mumma Brain Syndrome

What is it exactly? Do I possible have it? Is there a cure? Well the symptoms are: Conversations that you had 3 minutes ago are GONE from your memory. You set your car keys down and forget where. Attention span of less then 2 minutes.

Well let’s see here, yesterday Joshua and I had a conversation about meeting for lunch. He swears he told lunch was at 1130, I thought it was at 12 (like it always is!). Then today, I gave a bag of blankets to a gal at church who is due like any day now and along with the blankets, I gave her my car keys. Yep sure did, there are at her house down in Indy. Fortunately I will see her on Wednesday and be able to get them then.

Alas, things are going well, Karol is wearing a dress I made him. Well it isn’t a dress, it is a snuggly sleeper thing…I just haven’t sewn the bottom yet. It is way to big on him and the pattern of the material makes him hard to look at. I shall post a picture soon.

Filed under: General Stuff

Feast of the Annunciation

Today is the Feast of the Annuciation, a Holy Day of Obligation most years but because it falls on a Saturday, in the US it isn’t. How sad. Shouldn’t we all want to go to Mass today to celebrate that Mary said Yes?

Thank you Mary, thank you for saying Yes. I pray that someday all will come to see you as their Mother.

I took Karol to Mass today and realized that I got pregnant with him a year ago (sorry for the too much information, I won’t give you details!). So Karol has been alive for a year now. Why in the world isn’t he walking yet! :)  He is such a blessing. He loves to laugh and smile, stare at things, coo, do bicycle legs and pull hair now. What a great baby!

kwallet

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