Archive for 2009

10 Things I love About Luke

He’s compassionate – Maybe it was to make up for throwing a kitchen towel at me when I woke up that morning, or maybe he was just being nice, the other day, he got up from his nap and brought me a muffin to greet me from mine.  The next day he offered Andrew one, so I think he’s starting to think about the sharing thing. 

He’s observant – he notices the smallest things, from a little bug on the sidewalk to a helicopter far away…to a piece of junk on the carpet – Okay time to vacuum!  (I’m just glad that he’s graduated from tasting those small objects to handing them off to me.)

He’s brave – NO FEAR – and sometimes it would be nice if he had just a little.  He goes on the highest slide at the playground, and when he gets to the bottom he’ll turn around and just walk on up.  He’ll balance on top of a high wall, I mean, it’s amazing we haven’t had any injuries yet.  Oh, and the next one goes with this….

He’s tough – the nurse at the pediatrician said she’d never had anyone smile after getting a shot – well, that’s Luke for you.  That kid has a high pain threshold – he didn’t get that from his mother!

He loves animals – especially the ones with tails.  Everything from the meowing, barking, chirping kind, to the ones you cuddle up with at night – some of those have tails but they are the “taggie” kind.  He just loves being followed by a cat, or dancing around with the little puppy next door – they really aren’t that different – two year olds and pets….

He likes to pretend – his favorite “friend” is a soft toy of Eeyore.  He’ll make Eeyore fold arms for prayers, he shares his potty treats with him – and he’ll wait a while before discretely eating them for him – and sometimes he even joins in ring-a-round-the rosie or helps Luke build a tower.

He’s polite – He’s figured out that mom has a harder time declining his requests if he asks nicely, and he is very good at saying thank you…next goal:teaching him that it’s best to not fill your mouth to maximum capacity 🙂

He’s a great eater – I know that if Luke is not too interested in what I made for dinner, I can always default to tomatoes, frozen peas or green beans, or fruit.  He even likes raw broccoli!

He such a boy! So although he’s not big on meat and potatoes (see previous trait) he loves anything with wheels and/or an engine.  He’ gets so sad if I go out in the car and we pass by the freeway onramp, because it means he won’t see any big rigs, or buses.  He absolutely LOVES dirt, oh, and girls.  We were at a concert a while back and in the silence of the audience he calls out “GIRL!” when he noticed the orchestra consisting of several young girls.  Everywhere we go, we hear, “bus!” “truck!” or “girl!”

He loves books – He just started saying “book” and “read.”  Several times a day I’ll sit down and read to him.  He gets really excited when he can fill in the words he knows to a story he’s heard many times before.  In fact, to get him to stay on the potty when we were training I would read him book after book after book – he’ll still reach for the Reader’s Digest sometimes when he thinks he’s going to be a while in the “little room.”

I wanted to write this post because lately Luke has been very good, but also very good at being two.  I have moments when I have so much more respect for anyone who has done battle with the will of a two year old.  They are such little people with such big wills, but also big hearts.  As I wrote this list it helped me recall all the reasons why I just love that kid, and you know, no matter how many tantrums he has or how many times I have to say no – I ALWAYS will.

I’m Proud to be an American

It has been my observation that it is only those who are very patriotic that feel that their country has lost its appeal to outsiders before it really has.  Yes America (as we know and love it) is in decline and the things that we hold dear and sacred as its citizens are becoming threatened.  However, there is much of the outside world that is yet to achieve those freedoms and the amazing opportunities that are available here.  America is still worth "running" for, just ask all those guys down south who daily risk their lives to cross the border… 

When I stood and said the pledge of allegiance at my citizenship ceremony there was something inside of me that wept for joy.  I was so "proud to be an American".  It seemed strange to me to sense that not everyone in that room or in this country shared my feelings of patriotism.  Heck, I’m not even sure if our President feels privileged to put his hand over his heart in gratitude to our Founders.   I sat there and cried as Lee Greenwood sang the familiar tune that became a regular radio favorite after that infamous day in September.  It’s a shame that it takes an awful event to remind us that we’re proud to be American and of our duty to uphold it’s ideals.  And yet, in classrooms across the country that pledge is now absent from the schedule. 

One of the main reasons why I am determined to home school is because I want our children to be patriotic. (Even though at this time, with a two year old asserting his power at every opportune moment, I wonder at the sanity of that decision :))  I want them to say the pledge of allegiance, I want them to study the values upon which this country was founded and the lives and morals of the founding fathers.  To know that these men feared God and desired not only to be free themselves, but to make that gift available to all.  They fought for, lived, and died, for the freedom that is the backbone of this country. 

Sadly, I think that modern America has gradually come to misunderstand freedom as the "freedom" to do as you please without regard for others rights and without an acknowledgement of consequences.  We take on debts we can’t pay and want a bail out as soon as reality threatens our greed.  We take the lives of innocent children in the name of "freedom of choice" and we teach our children that as long as you are expressing yourself anything goes.  But freedom is not that superficial.  It is rooted in discipline, accountability, and the obedience to and fear of God. 

"America is great because she is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great" (commonly attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville).  I want to assure you that from a former foreigner’s point of view there is still so much good about it.  But it is up to us, those who want to uphold the principles of it’s founding, to teach the next generation what makes it good.  I am confident that even if we see democracy crumble and this nation fall in our lifetimes, the spirit of America, that spirit of freedom, liberty, and justice will stay alive in the hearts of children whose parents were true patriots and taught their children well.  It is up to us as individuals, parents, and families to uphold those values and freedoms and keep America free.

Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing!

“A person is a person, no matter how small…”

This week (hopefully) we will welcome to our family a little girl.  We don’t know what she looks like yet, how much she weighs (hopefully not as much as her brother did…ouch!), or what she will accomplish in her life.  However, we do know one thing for sure…she is a daughter of God and has something to offer this world no one else can.  Even though we don’t yet know her, we love her, and are so happy she will be joining us.  

I only hope we can teach her that same love for life.  In this world, so many people are confused about who they are and how to treat others, what is right, and what is wrong.  Society’s values are really messed up, and will only get worse unless we make a stand in our communities, schools, and families.  Wise words come to mind when I think about having a daughter “when you save a girl, you save a generation.”  
This world is a wonderful place, but it’s also a tough one, can you blame her for staying inside as long as she possibly can?  Even though this pregnancy has been hard on my body, I am grateful that I can have a child.  It is a priviledge and an honor to help give someone life.  There are too many people in the world who do not see it as such, and yet so many others who long for the opportunity to have a child and cannot.  I found this video in my email and felt like it hit the nail on the head.  Everyone should watch this, and think about how they can make a difference….

The Freedom of Choice Act kills people!

I’m writing to let you know about a terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide.

It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws that the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at:
http://www.FightFOCA.com

Thank you!