and counting… I didn’t think we would go this long, but we’re going strong!

Haven’t had much going on here – kids have been on spring break for the week, and all but Monday was rainy and cold.  It’s even predicted we may have a teeny bit of snow flurries in the next few days.  Love Ohio – sunny and 70 one day, snowy and 40 the next!

So about the only exciting thing was Autumn and her fish acquisition.  Justus’ Satan Fish finally died (this fish lived without food, in sludge water, you name it – and never died – and managed to kill about 10 fish in the meantime) so we went hunting for a new resident for his small aquarium.  Autumn talked us into one for her too – and she’s OBSESSED.

I now see us as the family that makes a secret run to the pet store to replace a floating fish without her knowledge.  I never thought that would be us, but it will be.

She’s had several animals die in her life – the Cat Eating Bird incident (I don’t believe I ever told that story – that’s for another time), several of Justus’ fish, etc.  But they were never HERS.  She must’ve checked on that fish (upstairs in Justus’ room) seven times last night. 

And named him Fish.

She’s so creative.

I tried to talk her into “Cat”.  I thought I was funny.  She did not.

I heard her say “Good Night Fish” last night.

Maybe we should’ve picked a pet that doesn’t have a lifespan shorter than a moon phase.  This could get messy.

http://mattiemkim.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/10-arguments-about-abortion/#comment-19

1. Argument: Abortion must be legal because women have a “right to privacy.” Your Response: A recognized right to privacy doesn’t mean that anything goes. What you do in the privacy of your home, for instance, is wrong if you’re abusing a child, operating a prostitution ring, or selling illegal drugs. Likewise, a woman’s “right to privacy” doesn’t grant her the authority to end the life of a living human being, in this case her preborn child. Legal abortion  assumes that a woman will have to choose between her needs and her baby’s, and that doesn’t have to be the case. Placing the child’s right to life in competition with a woman’s right to privacy is a no-win for both mother and child.

2. Argument: The preborn baby is not a living human being. Therefore, abortion is acceptable. Your response: Basic biology blows this argument out of the water. A human embryo or fetus is, well…human. A member of the homo sapiens species and the offspring of, well…humans. No one with a fundamental knowledge of human biology can argue against this with any credibility. If the baby is not a living human, why does the doctor who’s treating a pregnant woman have two patients? If the preborn are not human, why do 37 states and the federal government have laws charging two counts of murder when a pregnant woman and her baby are killed?

3. Argument: Abortion helps women who face an unexpected or difficult pregnancy. Your response: When you think of the situations in which abortion is most frequently considered, you see that abortion ends the pregnancy but doesn’t necessarily solve the underlying problem. Economically disadvantaged women are still economically disadvantaged. A woman who was sexually assaulted still must confront the trauma of that experience. Abortion can also create health and psychological problems that didn’t exist before, including difficulty becoming pregnant again in the future, depression, substance abuse, and suicide.

4. Argument: A woman has a right to control her own body. Therefore, she can decide to abort a fetus. Your response: A baby is not part of a woman’s body. It has its own genetic code, blood type, and immune system.

5. Argument: Abortion should be legal because women have a “right to choose.” Your response: Abortion advocates created the slogan, “right to choose” to take attention away from what abortion does– destroys a living, growing human life. It’s funny that they never finish the sentence: A woman has the right to choose WHAT? To chose to end the life of her preborn child. All sorts of laws prevent one human from harming another (murder, rape, assault); that’s the basis of a civilized society. Abortion isn’t a civilized response to an unexpected pregnancy.

6. Argument: If abortion is outlawed, women will turn to dangerous illegal abortions as they did before abortion was legalized. So women will die. Your response: It might surprise you to know that the number of illegal abortion deaths before legalization in 1973 was exaggerated, and for political reasons. Early abortion advocates admit this as the case. The number of illegal abortion deaths dropped drastically, not with the advent of legal abortion, but with the development of antibiotics. Mattie’s note:As stealing is illegal, many people resort to violent means of robbery. So why not just legalize theft so that the thieves don’t have to steal dangerously?

7. Argument: Even if I’m personally against abortion, it’s wrong for me to impose my views or my morality on someone else who supports abortion. Your response: Every law represents someone’s morality. Laws against drowing crying infants represent near-universal standards of morality and civility. The preborn child is a member of the human family and as such deserves a chance to be born and thrive, just like you and me.

8. Argument: Abortion should be allowed when a woman is sexually assaulted. She shouldn’t be forced to live with a reminder of this crime. Your response: Yes, rape is a terrible crime and assault, but abortion is also an assault against the woman and her child. How is it just for an innocent child to pay with her life for the crimes for her father? Mattie’s note: Statistics show that not more than one or two rapes out of every one thousand results in pregnancy. That’s 0.1-0.2%. Are we going to legalize murder for one tenth of one percent??

9. Argument: A preborn child is merely another part of the woman’s body. Therefore, abortion is acceptable. Your response: Again, basic biology begs to differ. A young human growing in her mother’s womb has a completely unique genetic code and may have a different blood type. If the human is male, he has a different gender. Mattie’s note: Read that last sentence again. HE HAS A DIFFERENT GENDER!!!!! You can’t have a body part that is your own that has a different gender than you. DUH.

10. Argument: The preborn may be a human, but not a “person” with feelings and thoughts. Therefore, abortion is not killing a person. Your response: The notion of “person” or personhood is a philosophical concept. Let’s stick to the hard, cold biological fact that the offspring of humans are human. Mattie’s note: Ok, first of all, who are we to decide personhood? A few hundred years ago (and even more recently), certain races were not viewed as humans with feelings and thoughts. History sure does repeat itself. Also, while in the womb, a baby can smile (which is universally accepted as a symbol for happiness, which is a feeling), wiggle its toes, and even learn to recognize its mother’s voice.

I thought Mattie made some exellent, very thought provoking points.  Thought I’d pass them along.

with family!

First, a long nap on the swing in the late morning:

Then cooking some hot dogs over the fire pit:

Ayla was a big helper with her hot dog stick:

Sitting outside and eating is FUN!
 

Then onto some roasted marshmallows cooked over the fire!!!!  Gooey Yummy!

Then Ayla had some fun with big brother on the trampoline:

While Daddy giggled with Autumn on the swing:

Ah.  I love springtime – and family.

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/03/20/aol-hot-seat-poll-the-special-olympics-joke/

AOL Hot Seat Poll: The Special Olympics joke

posted at 10:15 am on March 20, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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You’ve read the take from myself and AP on Barack Obama’s “Special Olympics” wisecrack last night. Now it’s your turn to weigh in. Along with AOL’s readers, join in a poll to give your verdict on Obama’s attempt at levity on Leno. Offensive? Funny? Unwise?     Click the link above to take the poll.

To help you out, here’s the actual video, and I’ll compare it to another notable comment about the Special Olympics from a major political figure this month. First, thank goodness we elected that brilliant and witty Chicago politician:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKlYT2bseII&feature=player_embedded] 

And thank goodness we didn’t elect that classless trailer-park hick from Alaska:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izn63SHXPMw&feature=player_embedded]

Take a moment to read the comments too – funny stuff!!

 

from her teenage son – especially when it’s the third time in a row:

My wonderful husband has aged yet another year today… as have we all.  The girls and I are heading out shortly to pick up an ice-cream cake (Autumn INSISTS this is what he wants), a Dora balloon (another thing Daddy will surely want), and a BIG teddy bear – “cuz Daddy’s big”.  Gotta love the mind of a four year old!

Mama on the other hand isn’t quite so sure what to get the man that has everything.  I’ve run out of ideas, and now that I only have a “part-time salary” instead of the big bucks I used to make, budget is an issue.

I mean, in the past, I was able to get him things like two tickets to the Cleveland Browns, in not so shabby seats.  I had a genuine leather duster shipped in from out of state (sucker weighs about 100 pounds, I swear)… “seduction nights” in the Presidential Suites of local hotels.  I almost got him white-water rafting tickets and flying lessons too, until I realized he’d want me to come along and that just wasn’t going to happen!

We already have plans for the Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre this spring.  We sometimes go to the track too, to watch the horses and enjoy a nice meal.  So those options are out, they’re the “norm”. 

Ugh!  He loves to cook, maybe something for the kitchen.  But that’s not fair – I cook too, so it’s not really all for him.  I mean, that’s like getting a pregnant woman a gift for the baby on her birthday, ya know?  It’s not really for HER, per se.  I dunno.

Augh.  I left the corporate world so I didn’t have the stress of decisions!!   Maybe we’ll head out to the Discovery Store or Bed Bath store and see what unique, interesting things might catch my eye.  Decisions decisions!!!

Anyways, hubby never reads my blog, so he won’t see this – but darling partner, friend, and lover, you are my world.  I love you more today than I did 10 years ago, and I’ll love you more tomorrow.  Thank you for loving me too!

The Perfect Baby Handbook

It’s here: The unparalleled humor book that understands every parent’s natural desire to raise a conveniently superior child.

No, not The Baby Whisperer. The green book right there. 

… Web bonus:  The often amusing Perfect Baby Blog!

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