Mama: “What are you going to be for Halloween Olivia?”

Olivia: “Elmo.”

Mama: “We don’t have an Elmo costume, Livy.”

Olivia (without looking up from her book): “Grandma & Grandpa will send me one . . . ’cause I want one.”

Molly – “MINE!!”

• which sounds like a cross between the drawl of a southern belle and the seagulls from Finding Nemo as she clutches her sippy cup in a bear hug.

Olivia – “Please, just give me more pig meat.”

• which followed her refusal to eat cow meat (aka Swiss Steak) and her request for leftover Ham Steak from last night. For the record, she ate a “no thank you” helping of Swiss Steak before being rewarded with Ham Steak.

Violet – “ooo . . . ooo . . . ”

• which is just the cutest thing ever, especially when followed by her adorable grin (yet to be caught on camera)!

Recently, I asked Olivia to help me pick up the living room and she responded, “Who’s coming, Mama?” Later, I offered her a snack and she said, “Who made this, Mama?” This is not a good sign, I thought to myself. And then I got to thinking – maybe it is! After Violet was born, my new mother’s prayer group (we call ourselves “Madonnina‘s Mothers”) created a Care Calendar for me where they invited a good number of folks to lighten our load and bring us dinner. As a result, we received a warm meal every three days for the first month. Livy remembers well that each evening we were expecting dinner, I requested her help in making the living room a bit more presentable. So even though I could feel bad about Livy’s comments which imply that we only clean when company is expected and I never cook, I’m choosing to feel blessed because she is reminding me that we are loved. Even though we are far from family and many dear friends in Nebraska, we have become part of a community here, too. And it does a mother good to know that her family is not alone. May God bless each of you who generously reached out to us. And if you know of someone who just had a baby, is suffering an extended illness or facing other challenges, I encourage you to set up a Care Calendar for them and share the love!

You’re probably noticing a theme here lately, and I’m not sure if it’s the fact that the elections are looming or that October is Respect Life month, but it seems that the Life issues are definitely on our minds lately. If you share our passion for promoting the Culture of Life, go here and sign this petition:

International Call for the Rights and Dignity of the Human Person and the Family

Just in case you are like me and have read more books on mountaineering than finances, here is a video which may help you understand the current credit crisis. In case you don’t care and would rather read a book on mountaineering, I recommend Into Thin Air or Eiger Dreams by Jon Krakauer. I’m a little partial to Eiger since Jenny and I have been there. (The bottom, not the top.)

The credit crisis as Antarctic expedition from Marketplace on Vimeo.

The issue of abortion is simple to me. The question at the core of the issue is if abortion is killing an innocent human being. Usually the question is posed as “When does human life begin?”. After becoming a father, again , I suggest we work through it backwards. Are my girls innocent human beings now? That is clear – yes. OK, so what about Violet, 5 minutes after she was born? Again, you probably don’t have trouble answering that – yes. Now what about as she was being born? What about a week before she was born? She was almost 2 weeks over due remember. What about at 35 weeks? Some friends of ours just had their baby at 35 weeks and they are all doing well. So when did Violet gain the same human right, the right to live, that her older sisters have? Is it harder to answer when there is a face to put with it? I believe know that Violet was the same innocent living person while inside Jenny. I heard her heartbeat; I saw her on ultrasound. Why would some other baby inside their mother’s tummy not deserve the same protection and status as Violet?

You and I need to be able to answer that question before we vote. And anyone running for president needs to be able to answer that question too.

For those who say the issue is about choice, what about someone else’s choice makes a person less than a person? If Violet was a human being five minutes after she was born. And she was a living human being 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 weeks before she was born. How could anyone’s choice change that?

You have to decide for yourself, just make sure you can justify it to Violet.

The girls have each reached a milestone or two recently that deserve some attention:

Olivia is officially potty trained and wearing big girl panties all of the time (even at night)!! What a gift! I was really hopeful that I would not have 3 in diapers and everything fell into place for Livy just before Violet was born. She does really well now and maybe has one accident a week. As you know from a previous post, she has also started “school” through our parish two mornings a week. She LOVES it!! Her favorite is music time and the teacher said she really gets into it. She tries to sing all the words to a song now and is developing a decent tune.

Molly is walking (!), talking (a little), and growing up fast. Another gift was given me in Molly’s walking. I was really starting to wonder how we were going to go anywhere if I had to carry both babies. She still walks slow and tires easily, though, so we got a double stroller that is working quite nicely. She says bye bye, baby, Dada & Mama (which means just about everything else, but especially, I want that). She also signs all done/all gone, bib, drink, more, and milk. We are enjoying our special times when Livy is at school and Molly can get some big girl time. She would really like to be able to do everything she sees big sister doing.

Last, but certainly not least, Violet started smiling this week. Sweetest thing you ever saw! And she has barely started cooing, too. She is still eating and sleeping rather well and that occupies most of her time. Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to mind the chaos that is our life!

Today everyone was more than a little hopped up around here. After everyone was in bed I went looking for something to help me relax. I figured, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”. So right now I’m enjoying a Panhandler’s “Will Work 4 Hops” IPA, courtesy of my home-brewing buddy Karl. Here’s to you brewmaster, cheers!

There isn’t any more clear explanation for my support of Gov. Sarah Palin than the text of a speech she gave in Johnstown, PA today. Please go here and read the whole thing – it’s beautiful. I don’t know how anyone could disagree with what she said about protecting the lives of innocent children.

And when you finish reading Gov. Palin’s inspiring speech, go to Faithful Citizenship (an outreach of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops) and read their document on forming consciences for faithful citizenship. It’s long, but full of really good stuff – for ALL Americans (Catholics & non-Catholics alike). In it they repeat consistent Church teaching that protecting the right to life must be first and foremost among all political issues. Afterall, the Bishops remind us, life is “the most fundamental good and the condition for all others.”

Vote McCain-Palin on Nov. 4th!

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders & says . . .
Oh crap, she’s awake!!