May 29, 2009

7 Quick Takes Vol. 7




1. It is officially the start of football season, for Michael anyway. He coaches Middle Linebackers at Bellarmine Prep and starts summer practice next week. This means I won't get my hubby home until 6:30, if I'm lucky, but that's OK. I might complain about it sometimes (it's my goal not to this season!) but I know that this is such an incredible outlet for him and a chance to be a part of formation in young men's lives. Plus, it's his passion. The cool thing is that Avila and I can go to practice and she can run around while I lounge. We also get to be a part of weekly Unity Dinners (a weekly team and family dinner the day before games) and now that she's older and can stay up later for a night, she can go to games. We just need to get some gear! (Except I don't know how much I can wear it around since people think I'm in high school, anyway...)

~~~

2. I stayed under budget this month! After following my new budget for a few months now, I neither went over or spent to the amount - I actually ended up with money "left over" - money that can be put into savings! It is absolutely incredible how much you can save just by thinking and planning where every single dollar goes. What helped me this month was extra coupon cutting and planning ahead for expenses I knew were coming: like a haircut, gifts I needed to get, and other monthly expenses. The telltale sign that I'm being more conscious - the fact that I went into Costco and only bought one thing -and that thing was with a coupon and that thing was all we needed at the time. Yes, my friends, I was able to pass up the cute baby girl clothes.

~~~

3. Avila's name has been such an awesome tool for evangelization. When people ask where it comes from we get to say St. Teresa of Avila. Then some people proceed to tell us something Catholic about them (whether they are Catholic or not) and others ask about her life and we get into neat conversations. I guess it makes up for her name being difficult to say sometimes.

~~~

4. I manage to burn or cut myself at least once a day. You'd think after years and years of dancing I would be more graceful - but perhaps this is why I don't do knife throwing or baking for a living.

~~~

5. The more I live with him, the more I realize that my husband hardly ever has ulterior motives. What I mean is that he doesn't play games or say things to make someone think one thing and get something out of it for himself. Of course he isn't perfect, but I am humbled almost daily at the honesty and integrity of this man. In our culture we are taught to get something for ourselves at every turn - even when giving - and I must tell you I have fallen prey to this trap many times. However, when Michael gives, he gives freely and lovingly. His character is incredible and I know a big part of his formation came from football - which I another reason why I love him coaching. If other boys can turn out to be a man like Michael partly because of a good football program, then he can coach all he wants!

~~~

6. We had the awesome chance to see Audrey Maxine, our good friends' new baby, last night! She is sister's to Anaya and was adopted through the same incredible place: Adoption Ministries. I left my camera at home, so pictures will have to follow.

~~~

7. Like many mothers, I am passionate about vaccines. But unlike many mothers, I am passionate because many contain aborted fetal tissue in them! (Many people also don't realize that aborted fetal material is now being used in flavor enhancers and food additives as well. Where does it all end?) We must do something to provide moral alternatives. Which is why I am delaying the Chicken Pox, Hepatitis, and MMR vaccines. For one, children receive way too many vaccines in their first two years of life and I am spreading them out to make sure there is not an overload to tiny little Avila's system. And for another, there is increasing concern about human DNA derived vaccines and medications. I will give the Hepatitis B later in childhood or when she starts sports (whichever comes first) and the Chickenpox way later. I would rather her get the Chickenpox when she's young. In terms of the MMR, there is an option to vaccinate with a moral alternative (for Measles and Mumps at least) but trying to find it in the area has been a challenge. I have been in contact with many pro-life moms in the area and have also contacted Dr. Teresa Deisher who founded AVM Biotechnology in Seattle who is not far from developing moral alternatives to the current vaccines. The troubling thing is that our government is moving to forced vaccinations, which would leave moms like me stuck in a huge bind. I pray that this doesn't happen!

In terms of finding out which vaccines contain aborted fetal material you can check out http://www.cogforlife.org/

8 comments:

Jessica said...

The end of your first point made me smile because a few weeks ago we had a visiting priest from St. Martin's. One of my teens is discerning, which Fr. Paul knew, and he used his story as a jumping off point to get teens thinking about life choices and vocations. During the homily, he went up to different teens asking them what they wanted to be when they grew up. I sit in the teen section, with them, and wouldn't you know it he comes right up to me and asks what I want to be when I grew up. I started laughing, and could barely get out that I wasn't in high school. The teens got a huge kick out of it, and Fr. Paul was pretty amused afterward when I told him I was 27 :) Oh well, we'll appreciate this when we're 45, right?

Erin said...

Congrats on the budget, something I need to get back to!! Also, love the name Avila and I am sure it leads to interesting discussions...as does with our daughter Angelica when we tell people we named her after Mother Angelica. Also thanks for sharing your thouhts on vaccinations....we spent a long time reading, researching, praying and discussing that issue. I have posted a lot of our thoughts/decisions here:
http://www.hartsellhouse.com/search/label/Vaccinations
I found it very interesting that for some of the ones we wanted to continue with were so much better brands out there and I just had to make sure my doctor's office uses the one I want!! We also wait awhile after birth, spread out the ones we want and never do more than one at a time. There are several we will NEVER do and ones we will wait on. I watched a Law and Order episode a couple weeks ago that made me so mad...about this woman who chose not to vaccinate her don with MMR and then a kid at a playground got the measles (supposedly from him) and died....and the mother was being charged with negligence and murder!! CRAZY. Love the cogforlife website too!! All the decisions of motherhood and parenting!!

Evan said...

Wonderful. Another idiot who isn't vaccinating her kids. Go ahead and fight abortion, but fighting vaccines made from decades-old cell lines that have saved countless lives is stupid and is putting your and others' kids at risk. There's a reason diseases that have been effectively eradicated are coming back and infecting thousands of children.

Unknown said...

"ED," thank you for your passionate comment however I must address your main point - that I am an "idiot who isn't vaccinating her kids." First of all, I do not consider myself an "idiot" because I am not an "uttlery foolish or senseless person." I am a woman who is highly educated and have spoken to many high profile doctors about my decision and who have agreed with me. Secondly, I did not say I wasn't going to vaccinate my children. I simply said I was going to delay some of the vaccinations until either a prolife alternative is available or until they are older. I believe that the effects of vaccinating too much, too early, and with human DNA fragmenst have potentially more harm than the diseases themselves. The health, saftely, and holiness of my children is my utmost prioirity and if I did not follow my conscience (after much prayer and discernment) I would simply be another person who put my children's health at risk just to be "popular" by mainstream culture. This isn't something I have decided just to bodly say I am prolife, or a means to go against the flow for my own pride, but rather I am taking the extra time and effort and spending the extra money to ensure the health of my children.

Evan said...

So it's okay to put your children at risk because your conscience says you should? You seem to say that people are in the wrong for not vaccinating for "popular" reasons, but since you've "prayed" and "discerned" you're just doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Regardless of why you're doing it the way you're going about protecting the "health, saftely [sic], and holiness" of your children is directly putting other children at more risk for whatever debilitating diseases your daughter is not yet vaccinated for, and it's hard to believe someone's conscience would offer that as a viable option. I didn't mean to suggest you weren't "highly educated" but I'm assuming you aren't a doctor, and while you can find doctors that endorse any point of view on any medical topic the logical thing to do is to follow the normal vaccine schedule that has been developed over decades and is extremely effective, whether or not there are "prolife alternative[s]" out there.

Erin said...

There are LOTS of doctors out there, including Dr. Sears a very esteemed medical physician, who embrace an alternative vaccination schedule or even selective vaccinations. There has been lots of research and talk of getting rid of some of the vaccines such as polio since it has pretty much been eradicated..jsut like anythign else with time and changes in culture....things will change including the use and selective vaccines that are considered important and effective. in the end, a parent deserves the right to research, decide and discern what is best for their child.

Evan said...

You don't get rid of vaccines because a disease has been "pretty much eradicated". Polio still exists and there are still cases all over the world. There may have been talks about doing away with polio vaccinations when it actually is eradicated, but that won't be anytime soon since there more than likely won't be the same kind of global blitz that eradicated smallpox. There have been definite cultural changes in recent years, which is why measles and mumps and especially pertussis have had serious outbreaks all over the country. Parents have the right to research and decide what is best for their kids, but that doesn't shield them from criticism for making the wrong decision and doesn't stop the government from stepping in when they need to. Frankly, it's astounding that vaccination exemptions can be granted for religious reasons. There are rare cases when, medically, it is dangerous for children to receive shots. UHistorically those kids have been protected by the enforced herd immunity required vaccinations give. Now kids that don't have a choice about receiving vaccinations are being endangered by those that do.

Unknown said...

As arbitrator of this blog, I shall simply say that, as the Vatican has not put forth a definitive statement regarding the morality of using vaccines tainted with aborted stem cells, we are entitled to our own opinions and it would be best to leave it at that. I appreciate the spirited dialogue that has come about because of this post and I pray that God will grant wisdom to parents everywhere to do what they deem best for their children. In terms of my conscience, as Christ is the guide, it will always lead me to do what is best for my children and as long as I keep it conformed to Christ and His Church I have no doubt it will lead me in the right direction. I would love to direct anyone who is reading this post to a fantastic website: http://www.avmbiotech.com/home.html AVM Biotechnology is located in Seattle, WA, and "was founded in response to growing concerns about the need for safe, effective, affordable and ethical medicines and therapeutic treatments." Peace!