Lives are at Stake

I must admit I haven't been on top of the "outside world" for the past week or so. It's been nice to have some private time at home and to just concentrate on Monica, but I also realize the election is less than one week away. This is potentially a huge turning point for our nation and every vote counts. I know I'll be in the booth next Tuesday, even if I need to bring my little one.

Please watch this video via the link below. It is specifically geared toward Catholics, but it really applies to Christians of all stripes. Many lives at all stages--the embryo, the fetus, the newborn, the suffering, and the dying--are at stake. Holding little Monica in my arms reminds me of how precious life and family really is. Please vote to protect all that we hold dear.

http://www.catholicvote.com/Michigan/

First Moments

The Babe has officially arrived! Here are the stats:

Name: Monica Kateri
Day: October 22, 6:55pm
Weight: 7 pounds, 3 ounces
Length: 20 inches

It was a harrowing labor, but oh so worth it. This is one beautiful and amazing baby girl! Here are a few of our favorite pics:




I think my favorite moment today was taking our first (short) walk through the neighborhood.



As Kevin said, "I think this is the proudest moment of my life."

Bond "Never Dies"

One thing that Kevin brought into our marriage was an exhaustive collection of James Bond movies. I was not terribly pleased, since they all have ridiculous amounts of murder, intrigue and really scantily clad women cast in degrading roles. So, they're in the basement. Though I protest, he still has an affinity for Bond. Check out his latest Christmas Wish, a "Dr. No" Swatch watch.

As Kevin's friend, another Bond afficionado said, "The most frustrating part would be wearing one of these and not having anybody else appreciate it."

I'll save you the frustration, Kev.

Yes, I'm Still Pregnant

Nearly 41 weeks pregnant and still counting...



Here are some nursery pictures. Now all we need is the baby, right?!

You Know You're Incredibly Pregnant When...

• The shark-like furniture salesman alerts you to the location of the store's restroom before the fabulous sale and 0% financing on that leather sectional sofa.

• The customer service employee at Lowe's asks if you want to ride one of those motorized scooters around the store "so you don't have to walk".

LIFE, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

This is an election frought with issues and media coverage fighting for our attention. Check out this blog post from a friend of mine. She makes the case for why protecting life, specifically that of the unborn, if of utmost importance.

For all you Cynics out there

I often like to include images to go with my posts, and I considered putting up this spoof of a "Successories" motivatioinal poster because it made me laugh.



However, I don't think it quite fits, since the baby is not lurking around waiting to "screw me over" with the pain of labor. This little one does not have manipulative abilities as of yet.

Check out Despair, Inc for more tongue-in-cheek displays. The "Government" demotivator seems especially pertinent these days.

In Case You Were Wondering...

...we're still waiting on The Babe. My due date is less than a week away (October 14th), but babies are not like term papers and utility bills. There is no hard and fast time line for little ones, in most cases.

So, I guess this is a good time to grow in the virtue of patience and enjoy the Andrea Time I have left. Please pray for a timely, safe, and healthy delivery. I look forward to sharing good news and pictures very soon!

Respect Life Sunday

Yesterday marked Respect Life Sunday in the Catholic Church throughout the United States. Every year since 1972, US Bishops have set aside the first Sunday in October for prayer and a renewed resolve to embrace a culture of life and end the killing of innocent human beings, regardless of age, size, health and dependency.

The right to life of children in the womb is close to my heart, and has become even more dear during pregnancy. Experiencing a child within me, a life that is separate and yet so intimately connected to mine, has been surreal and challenging, but altogether beautiful and humbling. God saw fit to entrust me with this life that is so vulnerable. Apart from my choice to protect this child, there is no protection for him or her under the law; the child in my womb does not have the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Father Frank Pavone, the director of Priests for Life stated recently, "...there’s only one group in our society whose right to life has been directly and formally denied, and that is the children in the womb...Deny their right to life, and you undermine the entire moral order." The right to life from conception to natural death is absolutely critical to all social issues from the war in Iraq, to immigration, to health care, to responsible environmentalism. The right to life is at the heart of all issues facing our society.

Please consider the right to life--in regards to abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research--in the upcoming elections-presidential and local. Our right to life is the most important and precious gift we have. Please do all you can to protect it for all people in our society.

Voting with a Clear Conscience - Catholic Edition
Voting with a Clear Conscience - Interdenominational Edition

Guess we'll have to write "toilet toll" into the budget

Here's a recent email trail between Kevin and one of his college friends that transpired in the wake of the current US economic crisis and a bank buy-out between Wachovia and Citibank. The joys of financing and mortgages...

Kevin: How is NC reacting to the whole Wachovia deal, I know they are big in Charlotte.

Brian: Wachovia still owns a small portion of my car. Now, apparently Citibank will own a small portion of my car. I might as well change my name to “Brian Citibank” and be done with it.

Kevin: The majority of my house is owned by Wells Fargo. I think I have enough in it now that I might own the square footage where my bed is and where the toilet is. I am quite pleased because now I can sleep and take care of business and they can't take that away from me!

Brian: You’ll still need to keep some change on you so that you can pay the toll to travel between the two though!