True Love

A dear friend, or one who I count as such but have never met in real life has a new baby.

This baby is the 10th child in the family. Of the 10, 9 are adopted. Most of the children have profound needs. In this beautiful family their needs are more than being met and they have all surpassed the expectations of the "professionals". They never do seem to account for love. Especially true love.

Lesa and her new baby.



This is a picture of all the children.



This is not a family of extravagant means but they are certainly extravagant in the way they love.

When you start to worry about the future, the economy, how God will supply your needs and those of your family think of this family and their incredible faith. It is not for us to doubt God's providence, or second guess His provision.

A little boy came to the world at Christmas time. And this family said, "There is room at the Inn."

By Request : Happiness

In "this brave new world that has such people in it" I give thee happiness. It is only a chemical concoction away. Or a television broadcast. Or a cable TV subscription.



And if you haven't read Brave New World by Alduos Huxley- well you simply must. When I started reading it I could not put it down and read all night until daylight. It's that kind of book. Required reading.

Since the election and the devastation loss of a dear friend, a sister really it is hard to know how to go on. What to think.

My current coping mechanism is that the next 4 years will be but an anomaly, a blip and soon forgot and repented of.

Yes, I do believe in Fairy Tales. I recommend Grimm's.

But life goes on, unrelentingly. Mum 2 Twelve will soon be Mum 2 Thirteen. Our children still need their oatmeal in the morning. They still need to be educated. And we place all our hopes in THEM. Perhaps in a very unfair and intense way.

Will it make them better? More capable? Courageous?

Can we transmit to them what our generation lacks? Self preservation at the expense of morality. Also Known As expediency.



From Don McLean’s lyrics:

Starry starry night
paint your palette blue and grey
look out on a summer’s day
with eyes that know the
darkness in my soul.

Shadows on the hills
sketch the trees and the daffodils
catch the breeze and the winter chills
in colors on the snowy linen land.

And now I understand what you tried to say to me
how you suffered for your sanity
how you tried to set them free.

They would not listen
they did not know how
perhaps they’ll listen now.

Voter Intimidation in Philadelphia

With thanks to Thomas Shawn.



When I voted this morning in Townsend, MA I followed one of the links provided by the McCain link and went to Memorial Town Hall (where I had voted in the past). When I got there it seemed no one was voting and there was a sign outside that said vote at North Middlesex High School. I got back in the car and drove down there. When I entered to vote I was told that I had to take my Sarah Palin button off (?). And then I indicated to the election workers that the polling place advertised online is Town Hall. The election workers tried to tell me well that is the information from the campaign right? Exactly I said and that is what THEY were told.

Then I learned that the decision to change the election location was only made in October. Now wasn't it in October that McCain started winning? (probably just a coincidence.) Then I learned that a postcard was supposedly sent out to every voter telling them where the polling place was. Guess what- we didn't get it.

Crooks. I will be writing a letter to the Town Clerk. Townsend is a pretty conservative town and I think largely going for McCain.

Keep voting and don't let anyone intimidate you.

The Victory Feast is in the Oven

We're preparing a home-raised turkey, and there will be mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, butternut squash, homemade bread and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. We are thinking optimistically here. "Claiming it" as the Southern Baptists would say.

The questions that will be answered today:

1. How many votes for Obama are a result of "white guilt"?

2. How wrong were the polls who have had Obama as high as 15% points over McCain. As if.

3. How much of a fool of herself will Katie Couric make this time? (Remember when she almost burst into tears when Kerry conceded?) I enjoyed that far too much.

4. Will there be rioting? My daughter is in Chicago so I told her to get home from work early and lock the dorm doors in case things get lively in Chicago- "the murder capitol of the country". (The effects of Community Organizing are still being felt it seems.)

5. How much voter fraud will be revealed? My daughter has 2 friends from Indiana (white Catholics from a battleground state who are breaking for McCain)who requested absentee ballots. They never received them. When they called to inquire about the status they were told they never received their information. I think those votes have probably already been cast if you know what I mean.

6. What will Meghan McCain do now? I've enjoyed her blog- McCain Blogette for all the important reasons- great photos, great fashion and great music. Spirit, Dedication to her family, and hard work- what a great role model she has been. The Cindy and John McCain must be as proud of her as she is of them.

7. I'm listening to something really funny- The Manning Report. Reverend Manning is a Manhattan minister who is African American and opposed to Obama. Warning this is very politically incorrect and very hilarious. I've just hit replay. (perhaps some of the humor is in bad taste and the language is strong but I'm in a forgiving mood today). (you can find it on YouTube).

8. Which Thrift store will get Sarah Palin's campaign wardrobe? Will that information be released to committed Republicans who had 3 yard signs, attended a Sarah Palin rally, conducted sign waves in NH and defended the ticket fearlessly online? (There may be a sizing challenge but in my euphoria at McCain's victory I expect I won't eat for several weeks.)

9. What will McCain's Cabinet look like? My social and professional calendar can be cleared at a moment's notice. I hate to leave New England you know but for my country I could make the sacrifice.

10. If Obama wins (and I've left this possibility last because I believe it is so remote) how long will it be before we are attacked and Obama does absolutely nothing to defend us? And at that point will the people voting for him who have said, "We should be okay as long as Obama doesn't go all radical on us." realize they've made a mistake.

Happy Halloween a little late...

Because I need something to keep my mind off the election. Though this helped. And I don't know anything about Bob Krumm except that he is right ;).

The house all decked out.



The kids dressed up for a night of Trick or Treating. The only one not pictured is Rose who was Taylor Swift. Andrew is a Celtic's player, Nathaniel an Indian, Tim is batman, Stephen is a gladiator, Teddy is Optimus Prime and Becca is a Princess. (in real life too, not just for Halloween.)I put a snowsuit on Becca under her costume because in New England you just never snow. One minute it's 70 degrees and the next minute it's snowing.






A better view of the pumpkins.

A Civilian National Security Force

Sort of like the KGB I imagine.

Third Party Voters- keep those feelings of moral superiority coming. It may be all you have to hold on to if you get your way.