tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75466397722113748532024-02-19T15:12:41.320-07:00The Catholic Working MotherFind the peace and strength God wants for you as a Catholic working mother.JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-79238500683120444082018-04-07T13:55:00.001-07:002019-06-24T11:23:50.180-07:00Welcome to The Catholic Working MotherClick <a href="https://amzn.to/2tMIF2N" target="_blank">here</a> to order <i>The Catholic Working Mom’s Guide to Life</i>, released May 28, 2019 by Our Sunday Visitor Press.<br />
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My blog, <a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thecatholicworkingmother/" style="font-style: italic;">The Catholic Working Mother</a>, is hosted at the Patheos Catholic Channel. Please go there for new blog posts and book updates!<br />
<i><br /></i>You may also be interested in:<br />
<ul>
<li>Learning more about my new book, <a href="https://www.catholicworkingmom.com/p/about-my-book.html">The Catholic Working Mom's Guide to Life</a>.</li>
<li>Visiting my closed Facebook group, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/277224449145991/">Catholic Working Mothers</a>.</li>
<li>Visiting my public Facebook page, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/catholicworkingmother/">The Catholic Working Mother</a>.</li>
<li>Contacting me via e-mail at jrwahlund@icloud.com.</li>
</ul>
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Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<br />
- JoAnna Wahlund</div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-43237164785415482052017-02-19T18:26:00.000-07:002017-02-24T10:09:51.312-07:00Laura's birth story - January 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Laura Rose Wahlund</div>
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1/21/2017, 12:28pm</div>
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7lb 13oz, 20.75 in long</div>
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My entire pregnancy with Laura was fraught with anxiety due to our two previous losses. While I felt slightly less anxious with each positive milestone that we passed, I never was really able to settle down. As my pregnancy drew closer to full-term, I began feeling increasing anxiety about labor and delivery. I was worried that my labor would go so fast that we wouldn't make it to the hospital in time, and that we'd have an unplanned home birth or car birth (this fear stemmed from the fact that Peter's birth as very nearly an unplanned car birth). I was worried that I wouldn't be able to handle he the pain of labor, despite having had five unmedicated births. I was worried that something would go wrong during labor -- hemorrhaging, or placental abruption, or a host of other maladies -- and we would lose the baby. And so on.<br />
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I turned to <a href="http://desertbirthandwellness.com/pregnancy-and-birth-affirmations/">birth affirmations</a> and prayer to help soothe my fears. Every time a fearful thought would enter my head, I would tell myself, "Fear and anxiety are not of God. Get thee behind me, Satan." This strategy helped, but only somewhat.<br />
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I started having prodromal labor around week 37. The one day in January I didn't want to give birth was January 13 -- Elanor's 12th birthday -- so I was pretty convinced that was when I'd go into labor. Sure enough, I started having contractions the evening of the 11th and hardly slept at all that night. The contractions weren't terribly strong or regular, but occasionally they would wake me up.<br />
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I called in sick to work and kept timing contractions throughout the morning, and I sent the following text to my doula, Laura (the same doula we had for Peter's birth), at 9:38am on January 12:<br />
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"I was up all night with contractions 10 to 15 minutes apart... not terribly intense but I think I was just too anxious to sleep. They slowed down around 5am, but seem to be picking up again. They are about 20 minutes apart at the moment, not very intense, about 30 to 45 seconds long. I have a midwife appointment at 10:45; I might might checked to see if I have made any progress. Will text you if things pick up more."<br />
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I ate a high-protein english muffin with peanut butter and drank a <a href="http://masonjarchampagne.blogspot.com/2013/02/labor-inducing-smoothie.html">labor-inducing smoothie</a>. Collin stayed home from work as well, just in case, and I was grateful to have his company. We went to my appointment, and I requested a cervical exam. I was dilated to a 3, 80% effaced, and baby was at -2 station. My cervix was posterior still. I was excited because I'd only ever been dilated to a 2 prior to the onset of labor, so it seemed to me that this might be the real thing. Still, my midwife cautioned that it could easily be prodromal labor. She recommended that I go home and try to nap -- taking some Unisom or a warm bath to relax if needed. I was exhausted so that sounded like a good idea to me!<br />
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After I woke up from that nap, contractions were still coming but they were still pretty weak. Collin and I decided to walk to our sons' daycare to pick them up, instead of driving, in order to see if the walking would help strengthen contractions. We did so, walking a total of 1.4 miles, and after we got home contractions did seem to be picking up. They were coming every 10 minutes and lasting 1 minute.<br />
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Accordingly, we called my FIL to come and stay with the kids, and set off towards the hospital. It was premature, perhaps, but given Peter's fast birth, we didn't want to take any chances. I had contractions every 10 minutes on the way there, and had a pretty strong one in the drive-thru of the Burger King across the street from the hospital (Collin wanted to grab some supper quickly -- I'd eaten prior to leaving the house, but he hadn't).<br />
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We walked through the doors of the hospital... and contractions STOPPED. It was like my body suddenly flipped a switch from "labor" to "not labor." Even so, we went through the whole rigamarole of being checked into L&D triage, being checked (no changed from that morning), and I stayed on the monitors for about 20 minutes. We spent an hour or two walking in the hospital grounds to see if contractions picked up again, which they didn't, and I was checked again. Still dilated to a 3 and 80% effaced. We were discharged and went home.<br />
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So, I didn't have the baby on Ellie's birthday... which I was glad about, but at the same time I was rather peeved about the false alarm. I was tired of being pregnant and so anxious to meet this baby.<br />
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Fast forward to Sunday night (January 15). Around 10 or 11pm, I started feeling REALLY strange. I wasn't having any contractions, but I was experiencing labor like signs - upset stomach, very shaky, and alternating between hot and cold. It felt like I was either having a panic attack or in transition. I was pretty sure that I wasn't in transition given that I wasn't having contractions, but I worried it meant that something was wrong. We decided to go to L&D triage, just in case. We called my FIL to watch the kids again, and arrived at the hospital just before 2:00am.<br />
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There was no cervical change from my last appointment, but our doula came anyway just in case things changed. Baby looked and sounded great on the monitor, which was a relief, and after a while the symptoms subsided and I felt better. We never did figure out what had happened -- our best theories right now are that I had a panic attack or perhaps suffered a very mild case of food poisoning. (We'd eaten at a restaurant with Collin's mother and grandparents earlier that day, and apparently Collin's grandfather experienced similar symptoms the same night.) At 4:50am, we went home.<br />
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The next few days were difficult and frustrating because of continual prodromal labor. I had an appointment with my OB on Thursday the 19th, 39w3d, and I was was 3-4 centimeters, 80% effaced. With my consent, he stripped my membranes, hoping to stimulate labor. I'd never had a membrane sweep before. It was very uncomfortable, but not painful.<br />
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The next day, I started losing my mucous plug, which was an encouraging sign. With all of the other kids, I had the baby within 24 hours of losing my plug (some within 12 hours). I had irregular contractions 20-30 minutes apart all day. Even after a bath and hydrating with plenty of <a href="http://www.pennilessparenting.com/2011/10/laborade-recipe-homemade-healthy-sports.html">Laborade</a>, contractions kept coming. I couldn't sleep and wasn't hungry. Finally, around midnight, I called Collin. He was at his weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, and would have been home shortly, but I told him I'd prefer if he came home immediately because the contractions seemed to be getting closer together, and I'd feel better if he was here. He immediately packed up and came home, calling his dad on the way and asking him to come and watch the kids (again). My FIL was such a saint that week for putting up with the middle-of-the-night calls! We eventually made the decision to go into L&D yet again, and called Laura to ask her to meet us there.<br />
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We arrived around 1:20am. Contractions were about 7 minutes apart, but getting stronger. An exam showed I hadn’t had much change from my appointment on Thursday, and was still 4 centimeters and 80% effaced. However, with contractions that were persistent, the nurse suggested that we walk and be checked again in an hour or two. Laura arrived at the hospital around 2:00am.<br />
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We walked the halls, rested while Laura tried some acupressure spots, and returned to L&D for an exam at 4:30am. The nurse said my cervix was slowly changing, as I was now at 5 centimeters. Amanda, the CNM from my practice who on call, agreed to admit us to the natural birthing suite in the hospital. I was happy to hear that she was the one on call, as I've known her for several years and she had been so helpful and supportive when I lost Francis in June of 2015.<br />
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The natural birthing suites were brand new, and had just opened for business around Thanksgiving. Four rooms had been outfitted with a full-size bed with memory foam mattresses, and there was an option to buy an inflatable tub (we declined, as we preferred the jacuzzi tub already in the room -- you couldn't birth in the tubs, otherwise we might have gone with that option).<br />
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I labored for a few more hours, getting more and more frustrated. Contractions were not getting closer together. They stayed at around 7 minutes apart, and the intensity wasn't changing either. I tried to rest, and laid in bed with Collin for about an hour (those memory foam mattresses were SO NICE), but the contractions were just strong enough to prevent sleeping. We walked down to the hospital cafeteria to have some breakfast (I had bacon, eggs, and juice) but that didn't help either. Once we returned to the room, I tried sitting in the shower for a while, but the apparatus to hold the removable shower head in a fixed position above the tub was broken, so Collin had to manually hold it -- not fun for either of us. We also joked about asking Laura to leave the room and trying more intimate ways to kick labor into gear (that bed was REALLY nice, after all), but decided against it. ;)<br />
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I was checked again at 8:30am, and was only 6 centimeters. Contractions were still only 7-10 minutes apart, only lasting about a minute. At that point, I felt utterly defeated. I was exhausted from the long night, as well as the preceding weeks of prodromal labor. I started sobbing and told both Collin and Laura that I simply could not handle a full day of slow labor. I was too tired. I wanted an epidural and pitocin to move things along.<br />
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Both Collin and Laura knew that my birth plan specified that I did not want an epidural or pitocin unless medically necessary, so they both tried to encourage me toward other, more natural methods of speeding up labor. Laura suggested trying herbal tinctures or perhaps castor oil (Laura, in addition to being a doula, is also a Certified Professional Midwife, and thus very knowledgable about what to use to speed up a slow labor), but I was resistant. I didn't want to keep puttering along for the next day, trying one thing after another. I was too tired to keep walking. I felt like I had no more energy left. I kept sobbing, insisting that I wanted an epidural and pitocin, in that order. Collin reminded me that we'd have to move to a different L&D room for those options, but I didn't care. At that moment, even a C-section sounded good to me.<br />
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Finally, Laura suggested calling in the midwife and discussing our options with her. Amanda was doing rounds, but made it to our room about 15-20 minutes after we asked to speak with her. She came in and noticed right away how upset I was. She pulled up a chair across from me, took my hand, and asked me to tell her how I was feeling.<br />
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I kept sobbing and told her what I had been telling Laura and Collin for the past twenty minutes. I was too tired to go on. I wanted an epidural and pitocin because I could not keep going.<br />
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Amanda let me cry for a minute, and then she quietly asked if she could pray with me. I was surprised -- it isn't a suggestion that you usually hear from a doctor or midwife in a secular hospital -- but I readily agreed. So Collin, Laura, Amanda, and I (and maybe one of the nurses as well, I can't remember) bowed our heads in prayer. Even now I can't remember the exact words of the prayer, but I know she prayed for strength for me, and for discernment and wisdom for all of us as we decided what steps to take next. <br />
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After praying, we discussed options. Amanda said that she felt I was experiencing heightened anxiety and fear due to my previous miscarriages (very true), so we needed to be sure that we didn't make any decisions based on anxiety and fear. While an epidural and pitocin weren't out of the question if that's what I truly wanted, she knew me and knew my passion for natural childbirth, and encouraged me to try some other strategies first, just so we would know that we had exhausted our options before resorting to medication.<br />
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In the end, Amanda proposed doing a vigorous sweep of my membranes to see if that would make contractions stronger and closer together. She suggested that I get into the tub, turn on the jets, and try to relax as much as possible, because it was possible that stress and anxiety were keeping my labor from progressing. She promised to return in an hour or so and at that time we could re-evaluate, and perhaps break my water to speed things along if baby was low enough.<br />
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Somewhat reluctantly, I agreed. She did the vigorous membrane sweep (and boy, she was not joking when she said it'd be vigorous), and I got into the jacuzzi. Laura dimmed the lights and turned on my iPhone's "Labor" playlist. Collin pulled up a chair and sat next to the tub. Laura suggested that he try nipple stimulation while I was resting, because that might help too.<br />
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So, for the next two hours, that's what we did -- and it worked. (Mad props to Collin, because he did nipple stimulation for two hours straight -- poor guy, his hands must have been sore!) Contractions sped up and got closer together. I started needing to vocalize through them, which took the form of saying "Ooooooooopen, ooooooooooooopen" over and over, as I tried to visualize my cervix opening up. </div>
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Around 11am I announced my intention to open a cause for canonization for the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/10/obituaries/candido-jacuzzi-83-is-dead-inventor-of-whirpool-bath.html">inventor of the Jacuzzi</a> (He was Italian, so he was probably Catholic!) as at that point, I was begging both Jesus and Mary to be with me and help me get through labor. I made it a point to offer up my contractions for specific prayer intentions (I'd asked friends on Facebook to give me intentions to pray for a few weeks previously).</div>
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Amanda came in about 11:10 (according to my doula's notes) and did a cervical exam. She did it while I was still in the tub! I was so grateful I didn't have to get out. I was 8cm! I was also starting to get those panicky, "I don't think I can do this anymore" feelings that indicate transition. I stayed in the tub for about half an hour longer, until I started feeling enormous pressure. I had to leave the tub (to my great displeasure), but I was given the green light to start pushing.</div>
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I was hoping the pushing stage would be similar to previous births, in that I'd push twice and baby would be here, but alas -- it was not to be. I tried laying on my side and also going on my hands and knees. They cranked up the head of the bed and I leaned against that, and pushed that way for a while. I was peeing and pooping all over the place because baby was putting pressure on my bladder and rectum, but it still seemed to take forever for baby to descend. At some point, my water broke, but it probably happened while I was peeing so no one noticed. (Gross, right?) We only realized it had happened when Amanda checked baby's station and could feel hair instead of the amniotic sac. </div>
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Finally I announced, "I can't push like this anymore!" and turned over so I was sitting up. Finally, things started to happen. I pushed, and pushed, and pushed again, and finally baby's head was born. Amanda quickly told me to stop pushing -- she wanted to ease baby out so I wouldn't tear -- and then instructed me to push again, more slowly. With one final push, baby was born at 12:28pm. I'd only pushed for 40 minutes, but it had seemed like 40 hours. </div>
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My doula took a video of the actual birth, but I haven't watched it yet. I may add it to this story at some point, but I haven't decided if I want that online yet -- from what she tells me, it doesn't leave much to the imagination. :) </div>
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The baby was put on my chest immediately, and I was crying in relief that it was finally all over. Unlike previous births, this time I looked for myself to see the gender, and burst into fresh tears of joy when I saw that we had a baby girl. I'd felt she was a girl all along, and I'd been hoping for a girl so that we'd have three girls and three boys. </div>
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We told Amanda and the nurses that her name was Laura Rose. (The fact that our doula's name was Laura was a happy coincidence -- you can read the reason we chose her name at the end of this story.) She laid on my chest as we waited for the cord to stop pulsing. I tried to latch her onto my nipple but it was a little difficult due to the position I was in -- I'd ended up nearly flat on my back as I was pushing (my choice). I did eventually get her latched on, but I think it wasn't until after I birthed the placenta and the cord was cut.</div>
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Unfortunately, despite having taken alfalfa supplements since 34 weeks to reduce chances of postpartum hemorrhage (as I did with Peter), I had heavy bleeding and was passing large clots. Apparently this isn't uncommon with moms who have had six or more births. Amanda explained her concerns and asked for my permission to administer pitocin and methergine, and I consented to both. They did help slow the bleeding. </div>
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Happily, unlike four of my other births, I did not have a second degree tear! I had torn very slightly, but it was so small that I only needed one stitch. Amanda numbed the area with a shot of lidocaine and put in the stitch. </div>
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Amazingly, other than the lidocaine, pitocin, and methergine, I didn't need any other medication during my stay -- not even acetaminophen or ibuprofen. My afterbirth pains were minimal and I had very little discomfort from my tiny tear. Laura nursed very well from the start, and our hospital stay was uneventful. We were discharged from the hospital on my due date, January 23.</div>
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I have mixed feelings about this labor. I was glad, in the end, that I did it unmedicated, but at the same time the slower pace was very mentally difficult and exhausting for me. As always, though, the moment she arrived was absolutely incredible, and she was worth every minute of the pain.</div>
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I am grateful for my rockstar care providers, though -- I could not have gotten through this birth without my midwife Amanda: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOfNNwsjd05Bsv3R0Qc4zrJ76nPd90XYbtN5i57fVRHnZj2Kg__bTlR9CrWgYQzzZdXdMf7pfIwyGkO409URqMz8fKWvru4fjJCkYaoc9TLoFXTA1Gq8XKZbMYDSUG0pxaZkCUEwkIKk/s1600/IMG_5980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOfNNwsjd05Bsv3R0Qc4zrJ76nPd90XYbtN5i57fVRHnZj2Kg__bTlR9CrWgYQzzZdXdMf7pfIwyGkO409URqMz8fKWvru4fjJCkYaoc9TLoFXTA1Gq8XKZbMYDSUG0pxaZkCUEwkIKk/s320/IMG_5980.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Nor could I have managed without our doula, <span id="goog_217516861"></span><a href="http://www.supportingyourbirth.com/">Laura</a> (if you're in the Phoenix metro area, I highly recommend her as a labor doula or a homebirth midwife!). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmiS-yWbLmLkmyayMwRp7Ue5ewTkOzae4rueDIWa9XaYrDof8S2_EXFUqRvm8J0vAFvTpCd7wNsZU0UsV_HRLwwVOTdBiLysFJpExhgL-kEJU3bjK4HliJvFLu-vrtrhvQCP_E7Jpre8/s1600/laura+and+laura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmiS-yWbLmLkmyayMwRp7Ue5ewTkOzae4rueDIWa9XaYrDof8S2_EXFUqRvm8J0vAFvTpCd7wNsZU0UsV_HRLwwVOTdBiLysFJpExhgL-kEJU3bjK4HliJvFLu-vrtrhvQCP_E7Jpre8/s320/laura+and+laura.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You can read about why we chose her name <a href="https://sanctanomina.net/2017/01/27/birth-announcement-laura-rose/">here</a> (we didn't name her after our doula - that was just a happy coincidence!).<br />
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Baby Laura Rose is so sweet and so beautiful -- I am so in awe of how God has blessed us. And she's a big hit with her older siblings! :)</div>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-40616673844638316072016-09-13T12:00:00.000-07:002016-09-13T12:00:27.474-07:00Baby Update!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm now 21 weeks along and the pregnancy is going well! We had our 20-week ultrasound last week and got some great pictures of "Baby Snitch." Best news of all -- s/he looks 100% healthy! No clubfoot (!!!), and no other issues or abnormalities detected. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85ydcNnZU71wAY5x31rUzMMzJmA-KF3BVLfNf7pE0eSoiDmtH8uEZTtUkuDBWypqSMpu0DxnH6_ooImBWe_uyhWloChy48LC4mNSAWR6QOnEZqmxZ2KU912sCf_sWYyH4iBFE0om_7NA/s1600/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.42013.7059772.46031872.bd2d49bc3d2.0000000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85ydcNnZU71wAY5x31rUzMMzJmA-KF3BVLfNf7pE0eSoiDmtH8uEZTtUkuDBWypqSMpu0DxnH6_ooImBWe_uyhWloChy48LC4mNSAWR6QOnEZqmxZ2KU912sCf_sWYyH4iBFE0om_7NA/s320/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.42013.7059772.46031872.bd2d49bc3d2.0000000000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We caught a smile!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2jBAMMThrWVbbvxwOnGYIZRSWRQ7XI5atZEfeoN0OxBbOd8dSbAwadPULgIF5iUoS3yFxl3jP4Eo8UgNbMYA3lUxzMDhlux3PjPiUvmUimcwM5d2iLFBeF5UoJHCmbSrZKU7CDRobLg/s1600/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.41630.1339471.46031872.ed273d81676.0000000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2jBAMMThrWVbbvxwOnGYIZRSWRQ7XI5atZEfeoN0OxBbOd8dSbAwadPULgIF5iUoS3yFxl3jP4Eo8UgNbMYA3lUxzMDhlux3PjPiUvmUimcwM5d2iLFBeF5UoJHCmbSrZKU7CDRobLg/s320/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.41630.1339471.46031872.ed273d81676.0000000000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that face!! <br />S/he likes having his/her arms up by his/her face, just like Peter.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtytnKbyXZRFAV59mf0d4ajKaArBKuO4KnIHyNOAbNKyqEgu1GA0nSM-f2em_WE7Qqi5eyg51lrg1UjqbyT89Ev1oz6aUWMTXYxdr89q1PE8shvGhJRQuDXX-GDfe-zUcXT133hwuFWU/s1600/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.41578.4126666.46031872.f9b3bb256b2.0000000000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtytnKbyXZRFAV59mf0d4ajKaArBKuO4KnIHyNOAbNKyqEgu1GA0nSM-f2em_WE7Qqi5eyg51lrg1UjqbyT89Ev1oz6aUWMTXYxdr89q1PE8shvGhJRQuDXX-GDfe-zUcXT133hwuFWU/s320/1.2.276.0.26.1.1.1.2.2016.287.41578.4126666.46031872.f9b3bb256b2.0000000000.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full-body shot in 3-D</td></tr>
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<br />JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-57487261806814443132016-08-13T16:24:00.000-07:002016-08-13T16:29:13.180-07:00It's Been A While!I've been a pretty poor blogger lately, both here and at Catholic Working Mother. I'm hoping to change that, though. Not that I necessarily have any more time, but I do miss blogging. I've been doing some creative fiction writing as an outlet, which helps, it's not the same.<br />
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Brief update for those of you who don't follow me on social media:<br />
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- The kids started school on August 3rd. I now have a 6th grader, a 3rd grader, a 1st grader, and a PRESCHOOLER! (See next bullet.)<br />
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- I had Peter tested by AZ Early Intervention for a speech delay last year, and he's been receiving therapy for several months, with little progress. (He hasn't had as many sessions as I'd hoped, due to illness and other factors.) Well, once he's three he "graduates" from Early Intervention and needs to receive services from the public school system, so this summer we went through the process of getting him tested again.<br />
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He was diagnosed with a moderate speech and language delay, and as such he qualifies for preschool through the public school system. He receives speech therapy while there. So he rides the school bus every day (we had to set up the bus rides due to my work schedule) and attends school from 8:15-10:45. So far he seems to enjoy it very much!<br />
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Poor Gabriel is the odd man out this year, but he'll start kindergarten next year.<br />
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- Our vacation this summer was an epic road trip to and from North Dakota to attend a family reunion for my mother's side of the family. We took four days to drive from AZ to ND, and three days to drive back, with about a week between in ND. Amazingly, we had no major mishaps. It was exhausting, but we had a lot of fun and made some great memories, and it was great to spend some time with my family. I met a few relatives I hadn't yet had the chance to meet, and saw many that I hadn't seen since we left ND.<br />
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- I'm becoming the employee of a new company, but my job is still exactly the same, as is my office. Long story short, my parent company decided to "divest" the division I work for, and it was sold to a private equity firm. It's not altogether dissimilar to the acquisition we went through in 2012.<br />
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Thanks to that firm's investment, our division is incorporating as a new company effective September 1 (the new name isn't public knowledge yet - although the divestiture itself is - so I can't blog it quite yet). Good news is that my benefits don't seem to be changing much, I still get to keep all my service years and, so far, I get to keep my flexible schedule and telecommute most of the time. Here's hoping it stays that way.<br />
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- And the biggest news of all:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRK_LG3MgrfAuaYUU7Zy8K18nQ6P115jA_MZSrsykdS1CrRC88if_zoOON6a-x5QmfX4IsUEZB9POjq2dP-cv7_SMiIb80jeqkeg8SaVJFM0Dtdw3Evc1tzvKhVZBtPtX3sKSRHG3Dqt4/s1600/baby10_12wks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRK_LG3MgrfAuaYUU7Zy8K18nQ6P115jA_MZSrsykdS1CrRC88if_zoOON6a-x5QmfX4IsUEZB9POjq2dP-cv7_SMiIb80jeqkeg8SaVJFM0Dtdw3Evc1tzvKhVZBtPtX3sKSRHG3Dqt4/s320/baby10_12wks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our newest son or daughter, due to arrive sometime in January 2017 </td></tr>
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Meet Baby #10, a.k.a. Baby Snitch (so nicknamed by a FB friend at 10 weeks, after the <a href="http://babysizer.com/">babysizer.com</a> observation that our baby was as big as a Golden Snitch). </div>
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For obvious reasons, this pregnancy has been fraught with anxiety. I had repeated pregnancy loss testing back in December, and it yielded no abnormal results, with one exception -- I am heterozygous for the <a href="http://mthfr.net/mthfr-a1298c-mutation-some-information-on-a1298c-mthfr-mutations/2011/11/30/">MTHFR A1298C gene mutation</a>. It's not certain if this particular mutation causes the inability to process folic acid that the other MTHFR mutations do (there was no evidence of that from other tests), but just to be safe I started taking a prenatal vitamin (<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Laboratories-Vit-Min-Vegetable/dp/B00O2CSTRI">this one</a>) with methylated folate instead of folic acid. I also called my doctor's office and had bloodwork done right away. </div>
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My first two HCG results were a little lower than they like to see (doubling time was 62 hours) and my progesterone was a tad low (20), so my midwife started me on progesterone supplements immediately. Both numbers markedly improved, and at the suggestion of my midwife I went in for weekly ultrasounds from weeks 8-11 (with the exception of week 11 -- the ultrasound machine was in use that day so my midwife tried the doppler instead, and found the baby's heartbeat immediately). Each time, baby looked great - strong heartbeat and appropriate growth.</div>
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I elected to do the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuchal_scan">NT test</a> at 12 weeks. Normally we eschew most prenatal testing, but this time around I wanted it -- maybe the test would give us some clue about what went wrong in the event that we had another loss. We went into the test with some trepidation, as it was at our last two 12 week appointments with Francis and Jude wherein their deaths were diagnosed. </div>
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However, as you can see from the above picture, Baby Snitch looked wonderful. S/he was moving around, waving his/her arms, and had a nice strong heartbeat. Even better, all measurements looked great and there's no evidence of any chromosomal abnormalities from either the ultrasound or the blood test.</div>
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I'm 16 weeks now (almost 17) and everything seems to be going well so far. We've heard his/her heartbeat via Doppler several times, which has been reassuring. I have his/her anatomy ultrasound on September 8. It'll be a Level II ultrasound because I'm technically AMA (advanced maternal age), and also because of the prior history of birth defects (Peter's clubfoot). As is our custom, we won't be finding out his/her sex, but I'm eager to see him/her again. </div>
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I'm hoping for a healthy baby -- we have a 96% chance that this baby <i>won't</i> have clubfoot, which is pretty good, but there's always that 4% chance that he or she will. It won't be the end of the world if he or she does have clubfoot, and we'll be much more prepared to deal with it this time around, but I'm really hoping for a newborn period that doesn't involve weekly casting appointments and surgery at 8 weeks old. It made Peter's newborn period rather stressful. </div>
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I'm praying that there won't be any other birth defects (although I'm thinking anything major would have been seen at the NT test). But if there are, s/he will still be welcomed joyfully, of course, but I think all mothers hope for a healthy baby. </div>
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The kids are <i>very</i> excited about their new sibling, although Ellie is apprehensive about the possibility of having to share her birthday (January 13). My EDD is January 23, so Baby could very well decide to come on her birthday, but I think we're both hoping s/he will choose a different day. Still, Collin and his youngest brother have the same birthday (December 24) so we know from experience that it's not the end of the world if they do end up sharing. </div>
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Even though my pregnancy has gone very well so far, we're not out of the woods yet, and my pregnancy loss support groups have taught me that late losses can still occur. I'm striving to stay hopeful and to enjoy every moment of this baby's life, no matter how short it may be. Your prayers are appreciated! </div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-71292116914881907892016-04-30T15:32:00.001-07:002016-05-09T12:19:11.971-07:00Yes, there are lots of missing people if a zygote is really a person<span style="font-family: inherit;">It took some research, but I think I tracked down the correct e-mail address for the author of the editorial referenced in the first paragraph of my letter, below. I sent this letter to him today, but I am publishing it here as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">I'm hoping you're the same Dr. David A. Nash who wrote the following editorial in the Lexington Herald-Leader ("Lots of missing people if a zygote is really a person"), found here: <a href="http://www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-ed/article72132087.html" style="color: #0a8de9;">http://www.kentucky.com/opinion/op-ed/article72132087.html</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">If not, feel free to ignore this e-mail. If so, however, I wanted to share my experiences with you.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">First of all, I absolutely agree that there are a lot of missing people if a zygote is really a person. Death has always been a part of life. In years past the death rate, especially for infants, was much higher than it is now. For example, in 1850, the mortality rate for infants was 216.8 per 1,000 babies born. (Source: <a href="https://eh.net/encyclopedia/fertility-and-mortality-in-the-united-states/" style="color: #0a8de9;">https://eh.net/encyclopedia/fertility-and-mortality-in-the-united-states/</a>) Do you think that infants weren't people back in 1850 since so many of them died of natural causes in their first year of life? </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Secondly, in your editorial you said the following, "We do not designate the results of such spontaneous abortions as 'persons' nor grant them the respect routinely given 'persons,' by naming them, providing a respectful burial or including them in our population and mortality statistics."</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">It's interesting that you say they are not including in mortality statistics after quoting pregnancy loss statistics! Those seem to be mortality statistics. However, the fact that they are not included in infant loss statistics does not mean that unborn children are not actually persons -- it only means that they are not (yet) considered persons by our government. That was also the case with slaves in 1835 (they were only considered 3/5ths of a person for tax purposes), but I think you would agree that they were, objectively, persons even if the government did not legally regard them as such at that time.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">I have had one spontaneous abortion and three missed abortions (or, as I prefer to call them, miscarriages). All of my deceased children have names, Dr. Nash. They are Noel, Chris, Francis and Jude. Noel, Francis, and Jude died at 12 weeks gestation. Chris died at 5w6d. Three of them (Noel, Francis, and Jude) we saw via ultrasound. Two of them (Francis and Jude) had strong heartbeats at 8 weeks gestation, but had inexplicably died at 12 weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Three of my children are buried in cemeteries, with grave markers. Noel is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fargo, North Dakota. Francis and Jude are both buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Avondale, AZ. We had funeral services for all three. We weren't able to bury Chris, as my miscarriage happened late at night in the emergency room and my husband and I were too shocked and overwhelmed to attempt to save his or her remains (that miscarriage remains my only "natural" one -- I've had D&Cs for the other 3, as their deaths were diagnosed via ultrasound). But we had a memorial service for him or her, anyway. I've uploaded several pictures of the graves and funerals we've had for our miscarried children so you can see that they were, indeed, mourned and buried:</span><span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTAzI1mvdGK2Go-6KQq9L0jcEJZ1pqwe2fWvYIWjy0y-6qfENncpTpi1lUUBK5XSM-06Gksow4QnXHV4qYZt0CM6jVgypeo7uloMcYDQkW4DQELtDvO7DJ43g3LeA2qSkC65fYJqPf8I/s1600/noelsgrave_070307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTAzI1mvdGK2Go-6KQq9L0jcEJZ1pqwe2fWvYIWjy0y-6qfENncpTpi1lUUBK5XSM-06Gksow4QnXHV4qYZt0CM6jVgypeo7uloMcYDQkW4DQELtDvO7DJ43g3LeA2qSkC65fYJqPf8I/s320/noelsgrave_070307.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Noel's grave, Holy Cross Cemetery, Fargo, ND</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5AmPmraBC2Rbm-xivp3YAp3M8Lp2dTR5RXHu7B8t_u5BJNBjjtERKrG39xoNZNr31ZyMjbDDPZ6E0JrOiErjgj4xUFKipQGDeqAgKnMn7WzA6rdZarIxl-udXXa16H2cymHALOUmGMQ/s1600/11406772_10152781263586249_8024596319591612597_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5AmPmraBC2Rbm-xivp3YAp3M8Lp2dTR5RXHu7B8t_u5BJNBjjtERKrG39xoNZNr31ZyMjbDDPZ6E0JrOiErjgj4xUFKipQGDeqAgKnMn7WzA6rdZarIxl-udXXa16H2cymHALOUmGMQ/s320/11406772_10152781263586249_8024596319591612597_n.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Francis' burial, June 2015</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenszp1ZsDpqklg7_wvbUs684_TaO7YhLPonVYScUTBmMqnryH2aAUaKR6AIJmPx64KfwXdehFvu_dQLsspyI8SOhLVHiu1ZUfDWfeGhNiubxoZ5Qdr_-Lkh0M4eCDyyk3mnXFN7j7ErU/s1600/blogger-image--2023528086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjenszp1ZsDpqklg7_wvbUs684_TaO7YhLPonVYScUTBmMqnryH2aAUaKR6AIJmPx64KfwXdehFvu_dQLsspyI8SOhLVHiu1ZUfDWfeGhNiubxoZ5Qdr_-Lkh0M4eCDyyk3mnXFN7j7ErU/s320/blogger-image--2023528086.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jude's burial, October 2015</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTItHYaEn56GSW4PmYb-mUMc3OkEKHHFhxmwB766v2uqkRq6rTNiMyWs7fvboMszqfKDYkm5N4MLGYjlHgV9Id-TzQ6UiOOs1wOJH2MwX-ldFBhOAW2N56HyBjRTiXc2MTm73iKWT8aI/s1600/francis_grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvTItHYaEn56GSW4PmYb-mUMc3OkEKHHFhxmwB766v2uqkRq6rTNiMyWs7fvboMszqfKDYkm5N4MLGYjlHgV9Id-TzQ6UiOOs1wOJH2MwX-ldFBhOAW2N56HyBjRTiXc2MTm73iKWT8aI/s320/francis_grave.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Francis' gravestone</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVIcp3RYlT9_4aI5zwI8YYp-qu0x_IN4tZXDAJHSOjStTQQHKjXz5POM5DkLi1IWUPs2VXpF5NwGCRBsQnRapWGlD0ocWblPsFwx3Q3ltw_MlyuOZ7KG5YkQ9kvNLOfViZO2zAwooKvc/s1600/jude_grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVIcp3RYlT9_4aI5zwI8YYp-qu0x_IN4tZXDAJHSOjStTQQHKjXz5POM5DkLi1IWUPs2VXpF5NwGCRBsQnRapWGlD0ocWblPsFwx3Q3ltw_MlyuOZ7KG5YkQ9kvNLOfViZO2zAwooKvc/s320/jude_grave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(added 5/9/16) Jude's gravestone, next to Francis'</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Also, miscarried children are provided a respectful burial. At the time of my most recent loss, my husband and I were given a paper stating that we had three options when it came to the disposition of Jude's remains. We could let the hospital handle the disposition and choose to have the remains cremated and interred either at the local Catholic cemetery – in fact, in the exact same section in which we had buried Francis – or scattered in the Superstition Mountains. The paper stated that this would be done in 30 days’ time. We could also choose to have the remains released to a local funeral home, or we could choose to have the remains released to us (we chose the latter option so that we could have private services). </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">It's not true at all that miscarried children aren't given proper burials or funerals. Many are, and many parents wish they could bury their children but don't know how. However, a proper burial isn't what determines whether or not humans are persons. Even genocide victims thrown into unmarked mass graves were persons, even if their oppressors did not believe so (and even if the oppressive government did not legally consider them persons). </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">There's objective criteria for personhood (see <a href="http://blog.secularprolife.org/2011/11/no-matter-how-small.html">here</a>, for example), and unborn children meet that criteria even if our legal system hasn't quite caught up to that fact yet. </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">My lost children were people, Dr. Nash, just as much as my five living children are people. I mourned their deaths when they happened, and I still mourn them every day of my life. They were human beings by all scientific criteria, and they were persons by all subjective philosophical criteria. The fact that they were unborn and not born doesn't change that fact. </span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">If you'd like to engage on this topic further, I'm more than willing to do so. I think it's an important discussion to have. But if not, that's all right too. I just wanted to set the record straight regarding some of your comments.</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">Sincerely,</span></div>
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<span data-mce-style="font-size: 14px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif;" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px;">JoAnna Wahlund</span></div>
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</span>JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-66195210566189094862016-04-10T07:00:00.000-07:002016-04-10T07:00:15.631-07:00A Positive Facebook Discussion with a Pro-Choice PersonDusting off the blog because I had an amazing conversation on Facebook the other day, and I just had to share it. I think this is the first time I've had a conversation with a pro-choice person on Facebook where the person actually considered my points and my evidence, and freely admitted when her assertions were wrong. It's a Year of Mercy miracle!<br />
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This happened on a friend's wall, not my own, so I've blacked out the pro-choice person's comments in black and the comments of all other participants in red. The very last comment comes from the friend on whose wall this conversation took place.<br />
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This conversation is long (twenty-four screenshots!), but I think it's worth reading.
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<br />JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-82747701339537270492015-11-01T03:13:00.001-07:002015-11-07T21:29:02.811-07:00Another Saint in Heaven<div>
I hate to break my blog fast with bad news, but it's 2:30 in the morning and I ate too much Halloween candy before bed. That's not the bad news, that's just the reason I'm blogging at this hour. Also, I apologize for the stream of consciousness blogging that will follow, I just need to get all of this out but I don't think it will be very coherent.</div>
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We have another Saint in heaven. Ironically, looking back, I believe I tested positive exactly 2 months before I miscarried. I conceived around August 15, tested positive around August 28, and on October 28 we found out our sweet baby had died.</div>
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It is such a baffling loss. I had two prior ultrasounds this pregnancy, one at eight weeks and one at ten weeks. Both times, the baby was measuring right on target and had a beautiful heartbeat. I could even see him or her wiggling around. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAax9s_H3uqi8zKTUdwPiE_xOaN67sfcaTaS6rp5-C-9VgQb4bZv-Qvww4BMqGIPJnvK6jV1niTCfMcZs0fmUzaSs9ylH-5hQG8qqlfoGUZmCszae7rr9Qqwfch6qHEUryP3Xht2K35s/s640/blogger-image--1611646270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAax9s_H3uqi8zKTUdwPiE_xOaN67sfcaTaS6rp5-C-9VgQb4bZv-Qvww4BMqGIPJnvK6jV1niTCfMcZs0fmUzaSs9ylH-5hQG8qqlfoGUZmCszae7rr9Qqwfch6qHEUryP3Xht2K35s/s320/blogger-image--1611646270.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Our ultrasound at eight weeks</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Our ultrasound at 10 weeks</span></td></tr>
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Then, at what was supposed to be a routine prenatal appointment at 12 weeks, my midwife could not find the baby's heartbeat on Doppler. She wheeled in a portable ultrasound machine and did a belly ultrasound, which showed a baby about the right size but too still, and no flicker of a heartbeat.</div>
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Even so, we held out a thin shred of hope. The portable ultrasound machine was old and fuzzy, so she sent me to a nearby radiology practice for a better quality ultrasound (the practice I go to does have an in-house, high-quality 3-D ultrasound machine, but the tech only works Mondays and Fridays, and this was a Wednesday). </div>
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But our hope was extinguished. Although the baby was measuring exactly the right size for his or her gestational age, there was no heartbeat. Our baby had died.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Jude, 12w4d... too still</td></tr>
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I had a D&C the following day. I briefly thought about taking pills to induce labor instead, and delivering naturally, but I couldn't bear the thought of going through all that pain knowing it would end in heartbreak. Or miscarrying at home with the children around. Or having to deal with the baby's body myself. Also my doctor usually recommends a D&C if the pregnancy has progressed past 10 weeks, as he has observed a higher rate of complications with miscarrying naturally past that point. </div>
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Once again, I went in for surgery. Many of the same nurses were working in the surgical department and remembered us from June. They were shocked and sad to see us return. </div>
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And once again, we have had to bury another baby. The same section of the same cemetery, the same deacon performed the service, and we even had several of the same friends present. The same tiny casket, with the same little blanket covering it. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">We named the baby Jude, since we found out about his or her death on the feast day of Saint Jude, patron of impossible causes. I had just finished a novena to him on the day of my appointment. In the time between my first and second ultrasounds, I begged St. Jude for a miracle, but it was not to be.</span></div>
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I am having a much harder time with the aftermath of Jude's loss than I did with Francis'. With Francis, I was able to accept his or her loss as a fluke. Granted, I had had two prior miscarriages before Francis, but they hadn't been consecutive. I've brought five healthy babies to term (Peter's birth defect notwithstanding). I thought, surely, my "pattern" would hold and my miscarriage would be followed by a full-term pregnancy. I even began making plans as a portent of hope - discussing names, hiring my doula, planning for maternity leave, even unpacking my maternity clothes. I had started wearing some, as my regular clothes were starting to get tight.</div>
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But my hopes were dashed, and it was made even more inexplicable by the fact that by all accounts the baby was healthy and thriving throughout most of the first trimester. I had much less nausea than usual, but I attributed that to the fact that I was taking some additional vitamin supplements. Plus, I had had terrible nausea and vomiting with Francis, so I knew that bad nausea did not necessarily equate to a healthy pregnancy.</div>
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And now I just feel at a loss. Is there something wrong with me? Did I do something to cause this? Do I have low progesterone, or a blood clotting disorder, or is it because I'm approaching advanced maternal age (I turn 35 on November 3) <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">and my egg quality is declining</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">?</span></div>
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Or is there another reason altogether? Does God think I'm a such a terrible mother that I don't deserve to be blessed with another living child? Intellectually I know that's not true, but in my darkest moments I still wonder. I wake up in the middle of the night and start crying when I remember that I'm not pregnant anymore.</div>
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I spoke to my OB about having genetic testing done on Jude, but it would cost us $2500 out-of-pocket and that is just not an expense we can bear right now. In addition, my OB pointed out that if the tests did show something wrong genetically, it's not really something we could act upon, and he prefers to perform tests that yield an actionable outcome. </div>
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He is going to refer me to a reproductive endocrinologist, though, for more extensive testing on me. Maybe I do have some sort of blood clotting disorder or genetic mutation that has caused my four losses, and I've just been amazingly fortunate to bring five healthy children to term. Maybe there's something we can do next time, if there is a next time. Assuming we ever get pregnant again, I know I am definitely going to get my progesterone tested first thing, just in case. But my OB doesn't think progesterone deficiency was a factor in my loss, since the placenta takes over progesterone production at 10 weeks and it's unlikely to have a late miscarriage caused by progesterone issues (usually that kind of deficiency will cause an early miscarriage). Plus my progesterone has been tested with other successful pregnancies, and was always at an optimal number. Still, I don't think he would object if I asked to be tested, and it may prove to be one more piece of the puzzle.</div>
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I feel guilty for taking this loss so hard when I do have five beautiful, healthy children. But they are grieving as well. My oldest daughter is especially devastated; she has longed for another baby sibling now that Peter is a toddler and not a baby. She especially wants a little sister, but she understands that the baby's gender is beyond our control. Telling her that Jude had died was one of the hardest things we've ever done.</div>
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And as a consequence I'm terrified of getting pregnant again. Obviously it's too soon - both logistically and in terms of the grieving process - to make any decisions in that regard, but I know that if we do choose to get pregnant again, my first trimester is going to be a time of constant fear and trepidation, not joy. And even having successful ultrasounds that show a a living baby won't help take away the fear. </div>
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I think that miscarriage definitely robs you of your pregnancy innocence, but multiple consecutive miscarriages, especially after what seemed like positive signs, completely robs you of your joy. A positive pregnancy test seems like a harbinger of doom instead of a gift of new life.</div>
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And yet I know I shouldn't feel that way either. God has given, and God has taken away. My babies are with God now, and they will never know pain, will never know sin, will never know heartbreak or loss. They are perhaps the most fortunate of all my children in that regard. But it hurts that I will not know them this side of heaven. </div>
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It feels so strange to not be pregnant anymore. I can't quite seem to wrap my mind around it. One day I was pregnant, the next I was not - but there is no baby in my arms to help me acclimate to the change. Part of me wants to give away all of my maternity clothes, baby clothes, and baby gear, just to get the constant reminders out of the house. Part of me feels that's foolish because… What if? I don't know. Something to think about later, I guess.</div>
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I've been writing for about an hour now and it's about time I shut things down and try to get more sleep. If you've made it this far, thanks for "listening."</div>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-69243465831521542422015-08-04T09:31:00.001-07:002015-08-04T09:31:24.059-07:00Planned Parenthood and the Two Bobs<div>
Remember that scene from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/">Office Space</a> with the two Bobs? (If not, you can watch it on YouTube <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNuu9CpdjIo">here</a>.) I like to imagine it would be that same way with Planned Parenthood.*</div>
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I can see the two Bobs sitting across the table from a PP representative:</div>
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BOB: So what you do is you make referrals and you send the women down to real healthcare providers?</div>
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PP: That -- that's right.</div>
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BOB: Well, then I gotta ask, then why can't women just go directly to the healthcare providers, huh?</div>
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PP: Well, uh, uh, uh, because, uh, doctors are not good at dealing with women.</div>
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BOB: You physically take the mammograms from the women?</div>
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PP: Well, no, my, my preferred clinic does that, or, or the hospital.</div>
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BOB: Ah.</div>
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BOB: Then you must physically bring them to the clinic.</div>
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PP: Well...no. Yeah, I mean, sometimes.</div>
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Bob: Well, what would you say… you do here?</div>
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PP: Well, look, I already told you. I deal with the goddamn women so the healthcare professionals don't have to!! I have people skills!! I am good at dealing with women!!! Can't you understand that?!? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!!!!!!!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*This dialogue was authored by my friend Robert S. and submitted as a comment to one of my Facebook posts. I asked him if I could blog it, and he gave me permission. Thanks, Robert!</span></i></div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-56621118186704740742015-07-26T12:55:00.001-07:002015-07-27T07:38:09.044-07:00Why Are We Pushing NFP? Because Sometimes It's Needed.Emerging from my blogging hiatus to address a particularly tiresome article from the "holier-than-thou" Church brigade.<br />
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This time it's Michael Voris hosting an <a href="http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/why-are-we-pushing-nfp">article</a> by Dr. Jay Boyd, claiming that the Church is wrong in "pushing" NFP.<br />
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Note that Boyd claims NFP is licit, but claims that those using it to avoid pregnancy aren't adequately discerning grave reasons to do so. She implies that there are very few grave reasons in which it is necessary for a Catholic couple to avoid pregnancy, and it's far better to simply have has many babies as physically possible and leave the rest up to God. (Which is kind of like throwing yourself off a cliff and trusting God to save you.)<br />
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This is the comment I left in reply, in its entirety:<br />
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From Gaudiem et Spes, by Pope Paul VI:</blockquote>
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"Let [parents] thoughtfully take into account both their own welfare and that of their children, those already born and those which the future may bring. For this accounting they need to reckon with both the material and the spiritual conditions of the times as well as of their state in life. Finally, they should consult the interests of the family group, of temporal society, and of the Church herself. The parents themselves and no one else [not Jay Boyd, and not Michael Voris] should ultimately make this judgment in the sight of God. But in their manner of acting, spouses should be aware that they cannot proceed arbitrarily, but must always be governed according to a conscience dutifully conformed to the divine law itself, and should be submissive toward the Church's teaching office, which authentically interprets that law in the light of the Gospel. That divine law reveals and protects the integral meaning of conjugal love, and impels it toward a truly human fulfillment. Thus, trusting in divine Providence and refining the spirit of sacrifice,(12) married Christians glorify the Creator and strive toward fulfillment in Christ when with a generous human and Christian sense of responsibility they acquit themselves of the duty to procreate."</blockquote>
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I've heard Jay Boyd make the claim before that use of NFP is not virtuous. However, she has never been able to back up that claim with actual Church teaching.</blockquote>
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The Church, contrary to what Jay Boyd and Michael Voris claim, does not teach that every couple MUST use NFP. She teaches that the parents themselves, and no one else, should make decisions regarding family size in the sight of God (see quote from Gaudiem et Spes above). Sometimes that means using NFP to avoid. Sometimes that means using NFP to acheive. Sometimes that means not using NFP at all. A Catholic couple can do all three in the course of their married life, depending on their circumstances.</blockquote>
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It makes no sense, as Jay Boyd is trying to claim, that the Church says NFP is licit but that it should not be used. If it is licit, then Catholics can freely discern whether or not they should use it, and if their reasons are just. Those reasons, however, are subjective, not objective, and only the couple themselves, in the sight of God, can decide if their reasons are just.</blockquote>
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It seems Dr. Boyd and Michael Voris are practicing Matthew 23:4: "For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them."</blockquote>
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Michael Voris <a href="http://philotheaonphire.blogspot.com/2013/04/is-michael-voris-married.html">is not married</a>. Dr. Boyd <a href="http://philotheaonphire.blogspot.com/2013/03/questioning-nfp.html?showComment=1374110797358#c4108511574311360264">had a tubal ligation</a> after two children because she was unaware of Church teaching re: sterilization. They have never had to shoulder the burden of a large family in tandem with the financial difficulties of a subpar economy, mental stress and/or illness, physical illness, etc. (Please note that large families are WONDERFUL and joyful, and those who have large families are to be commended for their great generosity. However, the blessing of a large family also comes with great responsibility, especially financially, unless one is blessed to be independently wealthy.) So it is easy for them to say that couples "overuse" NFP. But thankfully the Church does not teach what they claim it does.</blockquote>
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Edit: And because I'm sure I'll be asked - my husband and I have been married since 2001 and Catholic since 2003. We have 5 children on earth, and 3 in heaven. My most recent miscarriage was in June 2015. My doctor has recommended that we avoid pregnancy for 3 months in order to give my body a chance to heal. I'm sure Jay Boyd and Michael Voris would think this reason is not sufficient, but my husband and I have discerned through prayer and reflection that it is, and thus we are using the Marquette Method of NFP to avoid pregnancy. Thankfully we, not them, have the final say in the sight of God. We reevaluate our reasons for avoiding at the start of every cycle to determine of they are indeed just reasons to avoid.</blockquote>
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Not surprisingly - although hilariously - Mr. Voris redacted my comment, claiming it was an "ad hominem" attack, and that the details of his and Dr. Boyd's personal lives were irrelevant. [Note: since that time, a moderator for Church Militant contacted me to let me know that he, not Mr. Voris personally, redacted my comment. I have since been banned from commenting at Voris' blog. I guess he just can't handle the truth.]<br />
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On the contrary, I think it is very relevant. It's simple truth that those facts are VERY pertinent given the scope of their arguments against NFP. They've never been "in the trenches," so to speak, yet they claim authority on this topic. Neither of them have never had any experience whatsoever with needing to discern their family size in the context of Catholic moral teaching, yet they claim that those of us who are obligated to make this discernment are somehow not being generous enough (despite <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/permissible-avoid-pregnancy-using-nfp/">Church teaching</a> that says no one else can make that judgement except the couple themselves in the sight of God).<br />
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Have you heard the <a href="https://danieljmitchell.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/left-wingers-are-only-generous-with-other-peoples-money/">conservative argument</a> that it's very easy for liberals to be generous with someone else's money? In the same vein, it's easy for the unmarried (Voris) or sterilized (Boyd) to be generous with someone else's fertility. It's no trouble at all to claim that others can and should have 10+ children when you don't have to bear the burden of feeding, clothing, educating, cleaning up after, and spiritually tending those children.<br />
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It's easy for them to tell another couple they aren't being generous enough with their family size when they don't have to pay that couple's mortgage, grocery bills, utilities, car payment(s), student loan and/or medical debt, and other expenses.<br />
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It's easy for them to tell another couple they aren't being generous enough with their family size when they don't suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum, bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, or other illnesses.<br />
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But for those of us struggling to raise a larger-then-average family in the midst of financial hardship, mental or physical illness, and other serious concerns, we recognize the Church's wisdom in encouraging us to know and learn a method of natural family planning so we can use it if and when we discern it is prudent to do so (and remember, the Church calls us to <a href="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-catholic-church-means-by.html">responsible parenthood</a>, which encompasses generosity <i>and </i>prudence - not just generosity).<br />
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Why does the Church "push" NFP? Because it's better to learn NFP in the months leading up to your wedding when you are (presumably) not having sex, so you can chart your cycles and learn your body without having to factor in intercourse. After the wedding, you and your spouse can discern what to do - avoid, achieve, or just ignore NFP completely if that's what you feel God is calling you to do. And if there comes a time where you discern that avoiding pregnancy is needed, you already have the knowledge at your fingertips and don't have the added stress of trying to learn a method from scratch in the midst of stressful conditions (new baby, health difficulties, financial woes, etc.).<br />
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The Church also "pushes" NFP because <i>so few Catholics use it</i>. That's what baffles me about Voris, Boyd, and others who discourage NFP. Talk about <a href="http://biblehub.com/matthew/23-24.htm">straining at gnats while swallowing camels</a>! Any Catholic couple who chooses to avoid pregnancy and elects to use NFP instead of contraception should be <a href="http://littlecatholicbubble.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-nfp-plea-stop-giving-warnings-and.html">commended</a>, not condemned. Even if their motives aren't 100% pure (which is impossible for anyone but the couple themselves to discern), at least they are <i>trying </i>to act morally, which is a good first step toward a complete conversion of heart regarding their family size. <br />
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After all, NFP can be <i>hard</i>. It’s almost like it was designed to persuade couples who do have allegedly selfish motives that the reasons they have to avoid pregnancy aren’t really that serious. Who voluntarily abstains from sex with their spouse if they don't have a <i>really </i>good reason for doing so?<br />
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If Catholics are inclined to be <i>selfish</i>, they aren’t going to use a method like NFP, which requires one to be <i>selfless</i>. As blogger John Gerardi <a href="http://johnvgerardi.wordpress.com/2013/08/31/the-heresy-of-nfp-come-on-now/">says</a>, “When Catholics want to be selfish, they don’t use a method of fertility planning that involves enormous amounts of self control and long periods of continence. They just use contraception, something naturally tailored for people who are trying to be selfish.”<br />
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How does it make sense to attack Catholics who are trying to do the right thing? How does it make sense to take a situation than you have never been in, yourself, and presume to make judgement about it? I don't mind when my priest gives me advice about discerning family size - in fact I welcome his advice, because he knows, thanks to the confessional, the intimate details of my life, my marriage, and my struggles. He's heard the confessions of other couples in my position. He's studied for years, as part of his vocation, to counsel couples in these situations. He is the one of the shepherds the Church has appointed to help me make spiritual decisions.<br />
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Neither Voris nor Boyd have been appointed by the Church as the shepherds of other Catholics' fertility - they have taken that responsibility unto themselves and it is most emphatically not needed.<br />
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But I will extend an offer to them. They can come and live in my home, among my family, and help my husband and I raise our children and pay our bills. Then, perhaps, we will consult them when discerning our family size.<br />
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Otherwise, they should butt out.JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-76557621843599244472015-06-19T14:00:00.000-07:002015-06-19T14:11:01.871-07:00When You Look for the Bad Expecting to Find It, You Surely Will<div class="tr_bq">
I was disappointed (but not altogether surprised) to read a post at <a href="http://the-american-catholic.com/2015/06/19/bear-growls-pope-francis-the-angry/">The American Catholic</a> today in which blogger Donald McCleary agrees with a post at "<a href="http://corbiniansbear.blogspot.com/2015/06/ecocyclical-bears-impressions.html#comment-form">St. Corbinian's Bear</a>" proclaiming that "The tone of [Pope Francis'] Papacy is <i>anger</i>."</div>
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My response:<br />
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<a href="http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln-quote-if-you-look-for-the-bad-in-people-expecting-to-find-it-you"><img src="http://www.quotehd.com/imagequotes/TopAuthors/tmb/abraham-lincoln-quote-if-you-look-for-the-bad-in-people-expecting-to-find-it-you.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.quotehd.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln-quote-if-you-look-for-the-bad-in-people-expecting-to-find-it-you">Abraham Lincoln Quotes</a></div>
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I have to wonder if we're truly experiencing the same papacy, because I get the exact opposite impression. My impression of Francis' papacy is one of love, care, and concern. Where is this "anger" coming from? I don't perceive anger in Pope Francis' words at all. I perceive passion for particular issues. I perceive a wry sense of humor that doesn't always translate in written form. I perceive compassion, and an urgency that all those who are believers in Christ <i>live </i>their faith, not just pay lip service to it.<br />
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Most importantly, I perceive that Pope Francis wants us to look beyond the myopia of our own comfortable little spheres and start thinking globally about the welfare of all our neighbors, not just the ones who live, think, and believe as we do. Not just the ones who vote for the same candidates that we do and hold the same political preferences we do.<br />
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I'm sad that some self-professed Catholics are showing such disrespect towards their Holy Father. For example, <a href="http://corbiniansbear.blogspot.com/2015/06/ecocyclical-bears-impressions.html#comment-form">St. Corbinian's Bear</a> calls him "naive," "confused," and accuses him of "idealizing" (idolizing?) the poor because they are "the Poor" and not because he truly has a heart for them. [To which I say, why are his actions not enough to prove his love for the poor? He doesn't just give lip service to this, <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-visits-roman-parish-serving-homeless-poor/">he lives it</a>. Daily. And he doesn't boast about it. What more do you need? What would convince you that he truly loves the poor?]<br />
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Do Catholics have to agree with every word or action taken by the Pope? No. But:<br />
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This religious submission of mind and will must be shown in a special way to the authentic magisterium of the Roman Pontiff, <i><b>even when he is not speaking ex cathedra</b></i>; that is, it must be shown in such a way that <i><b>his supreme magisterium is acknowledged with reverence</b></i>, the judgments made by him are sincerely adhered to, according to his manifest mind and will. His mind and will in the matter may be known either from the character of the documents, from his frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or from his manner of speaking. (<a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html">Lumen Gentium</a>, #25, emphases mine)</blockquote>
As a Catholic you should respect the office, which includes respecting the man currently holding that office, even if you disagree with him. Calling the current pope "naive and confused," as well as leveling unfair and unproven accusations against him, is not respect.<br />
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As to the claim that his papcy has a tone of "anger," I have found a plethora of quotes to the contrary (all but the last are from <a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/upload/pope-francis-quotes1.pdf">this document</a> at the USCCB site; the last is one that Pope Francis said a few days ago during his general audience, and it touched my heart):<br />
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Jesus’ three questions to Peter about love are followed by three commands: feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Let us never forget that authentic power is service, and that the Pope too, when exercising power, must enter ever more fully into that service which has its radiant culmination on the Cross. He must be inspired by the lowly, concrete and faithful service which marked Saint Joseph and, like him, he must open his arms to protect all of God’s people and embrace with tender affection the whole of humanity, especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Only those who serve with love are able to protect! (3/19/13)</blockquote>
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You tell us that to love God and neighbor is not something abstract, but profoundly concrete: it means seeing in every person the face of the Lord to be served, to serve him concretely. And you are, dear brothers and sisters, the face of Jesus. (5/21/13)</blockquote>
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For us Christians, love of neighbor springs from love of God; and it is its most limpid expression. Here one tries to love one’s neighbor, but also to allow oneself to be loved by one’s neighbor. These two attitudes go together, one cannot be exercised without the other. Printed on the letterhead of the Missionaries of Charity are these words of Jesus: “as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40). Loving God in our brethren and loving our brethren in God. (5/21/13)</blockquote>
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“God is love”. His is not a sentimental, emotional kind of love but the love of the Father who is the origin of all life, the love of the Son who dies on the Cross and is raised, the love of the Spirit who renews human beings and the world. Thinking that God is love does us so much good, because it teaches us to love, to give ourselves to others as Jesus gave himself to us and walks with us. Jesus walks beside us on the road through life. (5/26/13)</blockquote>
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A God who draws near out of love walks with His people, and this walk comes to an unimaginable point. We could never have imagined that the same Lord would become one of us and walk with us, be present with us, present in His Church, present in the Eucharist, present in His Word, present in the poor, He is present, walking with us. And this is closeness: the shepherd close to his flock, close to his sheep, whom he knows, one by one. (6/7/13, Sacred Heart)</blockquote>
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Jesus wanted to show us his heart as the heart that loved so deeply. For this reason we have this commemoration today, especially of God’s love. God loved us, he loved us with such great love. I am thinking of what St Ignatius told us.... He pointed out two criteria on love. The first: love is expressed more clearly in actions than in words. The second: there is greater love in giving than in receiving. (6/7/13, Sacred Heart)</blockquote>
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These two criteria are like the pillars of true love: deeds, and the gift of self. (6/7/13, Sacred Heart)</blockquote>
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What is the law of the People of God? It is the law of love, love for God and love for neighbor according to the new commandment that the Lord left to us (cf. Jn 13:34). It is a love, however, that is not sterile sentimentality or something vague, but the acknowledgment of God as the one Lord of life and, at the same time, the acceptance of the other as my true brother, overcoming division, rivalry, misunderstanding, selfishness; these two things go together. Oh how much more of the journey do we have to make in order to actually live the new law — the law of the Holy Spirit who acts in us, the law of charity, of love! Looking in newspapers or on television we see so many wars between Christians: how does this happen? Within the People of God, there are so many wars! How many wars of envy, of jealousy, are waged in neighborhoods, in the workplace! Even within the family itself, there are so many internal wars! We must ask the Lord to make us correctly understand this law of love. How beautiful it is to love one another as true brothers and sisters. How beautiful! Let’s do something today. (6/12/13)</blockquote>
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Nor is the light of faith, joined to the truth of love, extraneous to the material world, for love is always lived out in body and spirit; the light of faith is an incarnate light radiating from the luminous life of Jesus. It also illumines the material world, trusts its inherent order and knows that it calls us to an ever widening path of harmony and understanding. (6/29/13, no. 34)</blockquote>
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In the Gospel, we read the parable of the Good Samaritan, that speaks of a man assaulted by robbers and left half dead at the side of the road. People pass by him and look at him. But they do not stop, they just continue on their journey, indifferent to him: it is none of their business! How often we say: it’s not my problem! How often we turn the other way and pretend not to see! Only a Samaritan, a stranger, sees him, stops, lifts him up, takes him by the hand, and cares for him (cf. Lk 10:29-35). Dear friends, I believe that here, in this hospital, the parable of the Good Samaritan is made tangible. Here there is no indifference, but concern. There is no apathy, but love. (7/24/13, Providence)</blockquote>
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That is the purpose of our mission: to identify the material and immaterial needs of the people and try to meet them as we can. Do you know what agape is? It is love of others, as our Lord preached. It is not proselytizing, it is love. Love for one's neighbor, that leavening that serves the common good. (10/1/13)</blockquote>
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[A] faith which is lived out in a serious manner gives rise to acts of authentic charity. (10/31/13)</blockquote>
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The true disciple of the Lord commits himself personally to a charitable ministry whose scope is man's multiform and endless poverty. (10/31/13)</blockquote>
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Every day we are all called to become a “caress of God” for those who perhaps have forgotten their first caresses, or perhaps who never have felt a caress in their life. (10/31/13)</blockquote>
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Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. (11/24/13, no. 2)</blockquote>
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What counts above all else is “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). Works of love directed to one’s neighbor are the most perfect external manifestation of the interior grace of the Spirit: “The foundation of the New Law is in the grace of the Holy Spirit, who is manifested in the faith which works through love”.[40] (11/24/13, no. 37)</blockquote>
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Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others. Under no circumstance can this invitation be obscured! All of the virtues are at the service of this response of love. If this invitation does not radiate forcefully and attractively, the edifice of the Church’s moral teaching risks becoming a house of cards, and this is our greatest risk. It would mean that it is not the Gospel which is being preached, but certain doctrinal or moral points based on specific ideological options. The message will run the risk of losing its freshness and will cease to have “the fragrance of the Gospel”. (11/24/13, no. 39)</blockquote>
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In a culture paradoxically suffering from anonymity and at the same time obsessed with the details of other people’s lives, shamelessly given over to morbid curiosity, the Church must look more closely and sympathetically at others whenever necessary. (11/24/13, no. 169)</blockquote>
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Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing else than the culmination of the way he lived his entire life. Moved by his example, we want to enter fully into the fabric of society, sharing the lives of all, listening to their concerns, helping them materially and spiritually in their needs, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep; arm in arm with others, we are committed to building a new world. (11/24/13, no. 269)</blockquote>
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Benedict XVI has said that “closing our eyes to our neighbor also blinds us to God”,[209] and that love is, in the end, the only light which “can always illuminate a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working”.[210] When we live out a spirituality of drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare, our hearts are opened wide to the Lord’s greatest and most beautiful gifts. Whenever we encounter another person in love, we learn something new about God. Whenever our eyes are opened to acknowledge the other, we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God. If we want to advance in the spiritual life, then, we must constantly be missionaries. (11/24/13, no. 272)</blockquote>
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“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:43-44). Jesus asks those who would follow him to love those who do not deserve it, without expecting anything in return, and in this way to fill the emptiness present in human hearts, relationships, families, communities and in the entire world. (2/23/14, Cardinals)</blockquote>
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“You are God’s temple … God’s temple is holy, and that temple you are” (1 Cor 3:16-17). In this temple, which we are, an existential liturgy is being celebrated: that of goodness, forgiveness, service; in a word, the liturgy of love. This temple of ours is defiled if we neglect our duties towards our neighbor. Whenever the least of our brothers and sisters finds a place in our hearts, it is God himself who finds a place there. When that brother or sister is shut out, it is God himself who is not being welcomed. A heart without love is like a deconsecrated church, a building withdrawn from God’s service and given over to another use. (2/23/14)</blockquote>
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The gift of piety means to be truly capable of rejoicing with those who rejoice, of weeping with those who weep, of being close to those who are lonely or in anguish, of correcting those in error, of consoling the afflicted, of welcoming and helping those in need. The gift of piety is closely tied to gentleness. The gift of piety which the Holy Spirit gives us makes us gentle, makes us calm, patient, at peace with God, at the service of others with gentleness. (6/4/14)</blockquote>
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Giving primacy to God means having the courage to say ‘no’ to evil, ‘no’ to violence, ‘no’ to oppression, to live a life in service of others and which fosters lawfulness and the common good. When a person discovers God, the true treasure, he abandons a selfish lifestyle and seeks to share with others the charity which comes from God. He who becomes a friend of God, loves his brothers and sisters, commits himself to safeguarding their life and their health, and also to respecting the environment and nature. (7/26/14, Homily)</blockquote>
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In your Christian lives, you will find many occasions that will tempt you, like the disciples in today’s Gospel, to push away the stranger, the needy, the poor and the broken-hearted. It is these people especially who repeat the cry of the woman of the Gospel: “Lord, help me!” The Canaanite woman’s plea is the cry of everyone who searches for love, acceptance, and friendship with Christ. It is the cry of so many people in our anonymous cities, the cry of so many of your own contemporaries, and the cry of all those martyrs who even today suffer persecution and death for the name of Jesus: “Lord, help me!” It is often a cry which rises from our own hearts as well: “Lord, help me!” Let us respond, not like those who push away people who make demands on us, as if serving the needy gets in the way of our being close to the Lord. No! We are to be like Christ, who responds to every plea for his help with love, mercy and compassion. (8/17/14, Youth)</blockquote>
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In effect, the visible sign a Christian can show in order to witness to his love for God to the world and to others, to his family, is the love he bears for his brothers. The Commandment to love God and neighbor is the first, not because it is at the top of the list of Commandments. Jesus does not place it at the pinnacle but at the center, because it is from the heart that everything must go out and to which everything must return and refer. (10/26/14)</blockquote>
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In the Old Testament, the requirement to be holy, in the image of God who is holy, included the duty to care for the most vulnerable people, such as the stranger, the orphan and the widow (cf. Ex 22:20-26). Jesus brings this Covenant law to fulfilment; He who unites in himself, in his flesh, divinity and humanity, a single mystery of love. Now, in the light of this Word of Jesus, love is the measure of faith, and faith is the soul of love. We can no longer separate a religious life, a pious life, from service to brothers and sisters, to the real brothers and sisters that we encounter. We can no longer divide prayer, the encounter with God in the Sacraments, from listening to the other, closeness to his life, especially to his wounds. Remember this: love is the measure of faith. How much do you love? Each one answer silently. How is your faith? My faith is as I love. And faith is the soul of love. (10/26/14)</blockquote>
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[Jesus] gives us two faces, actually only one real face, that of God reflected in many faces, because in the face of each brother, especially of the smallest, the most fragile, the defenseless and needy, there is God’s own image. And we must ask ourselves: when we meet one of these brothers, are we able to recognize the face of God in him? Are we able to do this? In this way, Jesus offers to all the fundamental criteria on which to base one’s life. But, above all, He gave us the Holy Spirit, who allows us to love God and neighbor as He does, with a free and generous heart. (10/26/14)</blockquote>
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Having come to earth to proclaim and to realize the salvation of the whole man and of all people, Jesus shows a particular predilection for those who are wounded in body and in spirit: the poor, the sinners, the possessed, the sick, the marginalized. Thus, He reveals Himself as a doctor both of souls and of bodies, the Good Samaritan of man. He is the true Saviour: Jesus saves, Jesus cures, Jesus heals. (2/8/15)</blockquote>
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Jesus, seeing the crowds of people who followed him, realized that they were tired and exhausted, lost and without a guide, and he felt deep compassion for them (cf. Mt 9:36). On the basis of this compassionate love he healed the sick who were presented to him (cf. Mt 14:14), and with just a few loaves of bread and fish he satisfied the enormous crowd (cf. Mt 15:37). What moved Jesus in all of these situations was nothing other than mercy, with which he read the hearts of those he encountered and responded to their deepest need. (4/11/15, no. 8)</blockquote>
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As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, he desires our wellbeing and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do his children. Just as he is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other. (4/11/15, no. 9)</blockquote>
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"I would like to underscore the last phrase of the Gospel we heard today. After Jesus brings this young man back to life, son of the mother who was a widow, the Gospel says: 'Jesus gave him to his mother.' And this is our hope! All our dear ones who have gone -- all -- the Lord will restore to us and we will meet together with them. And this hope does not disappoint. Let us remember well this gesture of Jesus! 'Jesus gave him to his mother.' Jesus will do this with all our dear ones in the family. (General Audience, 6/17/15)</blockquote>
I hope that the bloggers who claim that Pope Francis' papacy is one of anger will start reading <i>all </i>of Pope Francis' words with an open mind and spirit, instead of constantly looking for anger expecting to find it.JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-5231922307003769942015-06-13T09:19:00.004-07:002015-06-13T09:20:22.638-07:00My Blogiversary<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Image%20from%20Baby%20Belly%20Kelli" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjc3aV9-TdGOiT5h1mpOYwFd-xUl8nidU0XJwhDH5yJgzS1P9JEdw9r8d5D6xJ8vYzB0UFMMeTBKi08c4nrRwXrQIoxxblZzY9PmwH6bFusft13cd2mWMlECV8xanKHDtIqsV2fiKHm3Q/s320/Blogiversary.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://www.babybellykelli.com/happy-blogiversary-to-me-i-missed-it/">Baby Belly Kelli</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I started this blog six years ago today (which I only remembered thanks to my Timehop app).<br />
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I know I don't update very consistently, but it's nice to have an outlet if I need one - and I've made so many friends in the blogging world, for whom I am truly grateful! Here's to many more years!JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-89963293282345821632015-06-09T16:15:00.000-07:002015-06-09T16:15:00.220-07:00Francis' BurialHere are some pictures from Francis' burial on Saturday, June 6, at <a href="http://www.holycrosscatholicmortuary.com/">Holy Cross Cemetery</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBULx2IUulBJAxIRTWd-FRU-XavnmbAgi7jXFVymU3z1PW3UOhHaUnUHr4k_xNMyn5KutsF1L4ECLFAt5h7zKUK-nN8Ukkq5bYf5oIk_OSiZiWqmONJBTYJ_bXm25blovWmne3LEv3Qtg/s1600/11406772_10152781263586249_8024596319591612597_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBULx2IUulBJAxIRTWd-FRU-XavnmbAgi7jXFVymU3z1PW3UOhHaUnUHr4k_xNMyn5KutsF1L4ECLFAt5h7zKUK-nN8Ukkq5bYf5oIk_OSiZiWqmONJBTYJ_bXm25blovWmne3LEv3Qtg/s320/11406772_10152781263586249_8024596319591612597_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laying Francis to rest. <br />The coffin and blanket on top were provided by the funeral home. <br />I was given the blanket to keep.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsVGqLslCmQ-cgJtGpa84jujtBwPDUS5tOU_Du3W2z7YNyCgGtBgBo1U6Vmy92VjYpKKsc0Zi0zp_qPzJlqbzuPLLwKSiGgYWr2QDak6O1i9pdVumcYIdOuMzBJllNyxQyC6bO4Lk-qo/s1600/10155624_10152781263431249_924813571919230844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsVGqLslCmQ-cgJtGpa84jujtBwPDUS5tOU_Du3W2z7YNyCgGtBgBo1U6Vmy92VjYpKKsc0Zi0zp_qPzJlqbzuPLLwKSiGgYWr2QDak6O1i9pdVumcYIdOuMzBJllNyxQyC6bO4Lk-qo/s320/10155624_10152781263431249_924813571919230844_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Francis' name will be carved on this stone.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNhFvv-OGARr2SHpJtGlQx8diBCnimMRVcOJbtm5lsYWZU7gegmqDFGYRVTldkE7qkI3G0RFAqR410oknNkNBRjYLFTabIbxxUnMJTTiJs0dt39LSQXtgzR7wuTXyYTDqVCtU1c1Qa-I/s1600/10409442_10152781263381249_6435283157918585542_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNhFvv-OGARr2SHpJtGlQx8diBCnimMRVcOJbtm5lsYWZU7gegmqDFGYRVTldkE7qkI3G0RFAqR410oknNkNBRjYLFTabIbxxUnMJTTiJs0dt39LSQXtgzR7wuTXyYTDqVCtU1c1Qa-I/s320/10409442_10152781263381249_6435283157918585542_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower arrangement courtesy of my wonderful friends from my parish's Catholic Daughters group.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGMgpvmV9YQl4mnXg1y7UjLVyHqPzN9xph7ypPhpYdZmDmIkERGTPhUDDr963Ch_ItvOaR5vK17t6kb76vDYDQ9oXK8b91tLkKQiTn8gR8kO8iuBVs3htTidwWaGrPzA1eJWhrVEmxXI/s1600/10447136_10152781263316249_8284381382642739061_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGMgpvmV9YQl4mnXg1y7UjLVyHqPzN9xph7ypPhpYdZmDmIkERGTPhUDDr963Ch_ItvOaR5vK17t6kb76vDYDQ9oXK8b91tLkKQiTn8gR8kO8iuBVs3htTidwWaGrPzA1eJWhrVEmxXI/s320/10447136_10152781263316249_8284381382642739061_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Francis was buried in a section of the cemetery specifically for babies under 20 weeks gestation. <br />It's called the Rachel Section and has this statue next to the headstones. <br />(Didn't notice 'til later that one of the cemetery employees was behind the tree.)</td></tr>
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<br />JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-71968530431854816832015-06-03T11:45:00.000-07:002015-06-03T14:00:55.976-07:00In Memoriam<body><meta property="og:url" content="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2015/06/in-memoriam.html" />
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Sad news to share. On June 1, at my 12-week OB appointment, we discovered that our little Sprout had passed away. S/he was only measuring 10 weeks and had no heartbeat. I had two ultrasounds to confirm - one on a portable u/s machine, performed by my midwife, and one on a higher-quality machine, performed by a trained u/s technician. This picture is from the latter ultrasound.<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl86kWnzgYWsdHiEJTUTF7133KrekA45NikL95ILMnsK9lO3oJ4iu_4-scK9KnXax1p68iMinQTFcjLZ-lzUWdSdGON1u8omRokBa3ZRdBdbAE0x_g6d4JgE3AynOfzLtISrMiIZ5_43I/s1600/blogger-image-628609510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl86kWnzgYWsdHiEJTUTF7133KrekA45NikL95ILMnsK9lO3oJ4iu_4-scK9KnXax1p68iMinQTFcjLZ-lzUWdSdGON1u8omRokBa3ZRdBdbAE0x_g6d4JgE3AynOfzLtISrMiIZ5_43I/s320/blogger-image-628609510.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I was </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">shocked, and devastated, especially since four </span>weeks previously I had seen Spout's lovely heartbeat flickering on the ultrasound screen. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ed5QxLEOrRPew2qf0uHuZVDaD_yBJb60CsgsgTsuPAQwmytoHMnMd5qBPnxTpgYSVtPDrWs8pRqNATtsDpA2FALmWcmq3aRTu1qXGkeSt2HGTLD3aArOaCWDQMjDhaS075e6nsN0BbA/s1600/blogger-image-96425336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ed5QxLEOrRPew2qf0uHuZVDaD_yBJb60CsgsgTsuPAQwmytoHMnMd5qBPnxTpgYSVtPDrWs8pRqNATtsDpA2FALmWcmq3aRTu1qXGkeSt2HGTLD3aArOaCWDQMjDhaS075e6nsN0BbA/s320/blogger-image-96425336.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My OB recommended a <a href="http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/d-and-c-procedure-after-miscarriage/">D&C</a>, since natural miscarriages can be harder and more prone to complications the further along you are. </div>
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I agreed with his recommendation, and had the D&C yesterday. Thankfully everything went smoothly. </div>
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We named the baby Francis. S/he will be buried at our local Catholic cemetery on Saturday. </div>
<br /></div></body>JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-45162564343120778892015-05-17T13:25:00.000-07:002015-05-17T13:38:47.696-07:00How an Arizona Transplant Figured Out Lefse-Making<div>
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Lefse-making was always a big deal in my house when I was growing up. My mom would invite a houseful of relatives over, and the kids would run wild as the adults riced twenty pounds of potatoes and made hundreds of batches of lefse. Sometimes we'd have two or three lefse grills going at once. As the kids got older, we were allowed to help rice the potatoes. Then, we were promoted to moving and turning the lefse, which was a BIG DEAL and took a lot of practice to get right.<br />
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After I moved to Arizona, I missed lefse <i>so </i>much. It's not something you can buy locally (and really, once you've been raised on the homemade stuff, the store-bought lefse is just no comparison). My mom would FedEx me some packages from time to time, but that was a tricky proposition given how perishable it is. She'd have to pay to overnight it, and that isn't cheap.<br />
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Last December, I read <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/12/19/371941681/for-norwegian-americans-christmas-cheer-is-wrapped-up-in-lefse">this NPR article about lefse</a>, and it stirred up my longing all over again, and I bemoaned my lefse-less state on Facebook.<br />
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"Why don't you just make it yourself?" a friend asked me. <br />
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"I can't!" I replied. "I don't have a lefse stick or a lefse grill, not to mention a pastry board or a corrugated rolling pin."<br />
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But I was suddenly intrigued. Could I make it work, even without the "proper" equipment? Maybe... just maybe. I asked my mom for her lefse recipe and a few tips, and read a few pages on <a href="http://www.lefsetime.com/">LefseTime.com</a>. I took inventory of my kitchen utensils and made one purchase -- a decent potato-ricer (more on that below).<br />
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One evening, shortly after Christmas, I gave it a shot.<br />
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And it worked! I couldn't believe it!<br />
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I MADE LEFSE!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-6ONXA27lZOt7FfnZxl6aNdZ_shNORT4ul8dBIeqPsM9dbKr580eVRlbu8XVQwwtFRRbz-biRNwUyvryNhagUmS_MeiK0GTKMss3BsvE6kXV7S63q9N3McRR2VGmCg7ub2V1z0ZGjUQ/s1600/IMG_4500.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP-6ONXA27lZOt7FfnZxl6aNdZ_shNORT4ul8dBIeqPsM9dbKr580eVRlbu8XVQwwtFRRbz-biRNwUyvryNhagUmS_MeiK0GTKMss3BsvE6kXV7S63q9N3McRR2VGmCg7ub2V1z0ZGjUQ/s1600/IMG_4500.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It tasted as just as good as it looked, too.</td></tr>
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Now you, too, can share in the joy of Norwegian-American cookery, because I'm detailing my process here, and explaining what substitutions I had to make in lieu of the proper equipment.<br />
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<b>Basic Lefse</b><br />
Recipe from my Great-Grandma Hazel Bjertness<br />
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3 cups russet potatoes (4-6 medium/large)<br />
6 tbls shortening (I use vegetable oil)<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (plus extra, to be used while rolling)<br />
2 tbls sugar<br />
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Here is some of the equipment you'll need: a potato ricer, a rolling pin, a pastry board or similar surface, a lefse grill or pancake griddle, and a long, thin stick to use to move and turn the lefse. A Kitchen-Aid mixer is also very helpful to have.<br />
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Peel potatoes and cut them into equal-sized chunks.<br />
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Place potatoes into a large pot of salted water and boil until they are tender (usually about 20-25 minutes).<br />
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Drain potatoes into a large colander. (Drain them well -- you don't want any excess water hanging around; that will make your potatoes too mushy.)<br />
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Now you get to rice your potatoes. For this step, a potato ricer is essential. I bought this one at <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/oxo-good-grips-reg-adjustable-potato-ricer/1040192246?Keyword=potato+ricer">Bed, Bath, and Beyond</a>:<br />
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I like that it has three settings, but no removable disks (because I tend to easily misplace loose parts). Plus it's sturdy and will last a long time. I used one of those 20% off coupons I always get in the mail so price-wise it wasn't too bad.<br />
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Now, the ricing. Get a fairly large bowl to hold the riced potatoes in -- I use the bowl from my Kitchen-Aid mixer, since it's what I use to mix the dough after this step.<br />
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I use the "fine" setting on my ricer, which is the smallest one (the other two settings are "medium," and "coarse"), but if you only have a one-setting potato ricer, that should work too.<br />
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Ricing is fairly straightforward -- point the bottom of the ricer towards your bowl, use tongs to put a couple of chunks of potato into the main barrel and (slowly! hot potato spatter can hurt!) squeeze the handles together with both hands.<br />
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According to my mother, Grandma Hazel always said to "rice 'em twice." So that's what I do too -- when all the potatoes have been riced, I do it all over again.<br />
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Once the potatoes are riced (twice!) add the 6 tablespoons of shortening. As stated, I use vegetable oil because that's what my mother told me to use. I've seen other recipes that use butter or Crisco solid shortening, and if you really want to go for the unhealthy factor, I imagine lard would work too.<br />
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Mix well (I use my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer), making sure the potatoes and shortening are thoroughly combined.<br />
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Now you have to wait until the potatoes are completely cooled. If you have the time, you can leave the bowl sitting out at room temperature for a few hours, covered with a dishtowel. Or, you can use the fridge or freezer (just make sure you stir the dough every half hour or so to ensure even cooling).<br />
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Once the potato mixture is completely cool, add the salt, sugar, and flour. Knead well (I use the dough hook on my Kitchen-Aid mixer). Add more flour if necessary - you want a slightly sticky dough, but not too sticky.<br />
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Now is a good time to preheat your grill to 500 degrees. My mother has a special <a href="http://www.lefsetime.com/store/Bethany-Heritage-Lefse-Grill-Teflon.html">Bethany Lefse Grill</a> (as an aside: my little sister's name is Bethany, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence... then again, my mother <i>really </i>likes making lefse). <br />
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However, these fancy lefse grills run for about $100 a pop, so... needless to say, I don't have one. Instead, I use a pancake griddle - <a href="http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1198772/presto-cool-touch-electric-griddle.jsp">this one</a> - which was a gift from my father-in-law:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A good-sized pancake griddle is a must for large-family cooking.</td></tr>
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I have to be careful not to make the lefse too big to fit the griddle, but as long as I keep the rounds small enough, it does the job. <br />
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Next, you get to make lefse balls! </div>
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Literally, flour your hands well and roll the dough into balls. Make sure your lefse balls are nice and smooth, no cracks, because cracks can cause problems when you roll them out. Size depends on how big you want your lefse rounds to be. The bigger the ball, the bigger the round. I make mine about the size of the bulb on those nose suckers they give you at the hospital whenever you have a baby (and then you never use them again because you can never find one of the darn things, and you just buy a <a href="http://www.fridababy.com/shop/nosefrida/">NoseFrida</a> instead because it works so much better).<br />
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Anyway.<br />
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Put your lefse rounds on a glass or ceramic plate or pan. Now you're ready to roll them out. My mother always used a special pastry board with a cloth cover - <a href="http://www.lefsetime.com/store/Pastry-Board-and-Cloth-Set.html">this one, in fact</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzhCjr6DnzYCaoN1U38Z2pTnHVkn1oppge9vicpHXbZp3ghBbKa0tpvBzQOVo85s1E7rlQAsA_pV5uppe-sMLaOOFmKO6nhT3IubU_c-LleNWdFM5LupjQ14mn1Sb0C19RzQG_idkoJI/s1600/Pastry-Board-Cloth-Set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzhCjr6DnzYCaoN1U38Z2pTnHVkn1oppge9vicpHXbZp3ghBbKa0tpvBzQOVo85s1E7rlQAsA_pV5uppe-sMLaOOFmKO6nhT3IubU_c-LleNWdFM5LupjQ14mn1Sb0C19RzQG_idkoJI/s1600/Pastry-Board-Cloth-Set.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how it has markings for different sizes of lefse or pie crust or whatever? Fancy.</td></tr>
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but sadly I don't have one of those. I used my large <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Stoneware/Stoneware+Large+Round+Stone+with+Handles/1371">Pampered Chef pizza stone</a> instead (except mine doesn't have handles, because I got it as a wedding gift 13 years ago). I tied a dishcloth over it and doused it liberally with flour.<br />
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My mother also used a <a href="http://www.lefsetime.com/store/lefse-rolling-pin-corrugated.html">corrugated rolling pin</a> with a cloth cover, but again, I don't have one. I just use a regular wooden rolling pin.<br />
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Rub flour allllllllllll over your rolling pin. (If using a corrugated pin, make sure flour gets into all the grooves.) Plop a lefse ball into the middle of your well-floured surface, flatten it slightly with your palm, like you're shaping a hamburger patty, and roll away. If you've ever rolled out a pie crust, you'll want to roll it like that -- start in the middle and work your way out, working your dough into a nice, thin, round circle.</div>
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If you've never rolled out a pie crust and/or you need to see an example, start at 13:23 of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-0fxRe4ukc">this video</a> (the entire video is worth watching if you're a more visual learner).<br />
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Now comes the tricky part. You need to transfer this paper-thin lefse round onto the griddle.<br />
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The absolute best tool to use is a <a href="http://www.lefsetime.com/store/Lefse-Stick-1-1/2-wide.html">lefse stick</a>:<br />
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But (big surprise!) I don't have one. So, I used a <a href="http://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Cook%27s+Tools/Large+Spreader/1646">Pampered Chef frosting spreader</a>:<br />
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Not quite the same but it worked surprisingly well. It would have been easier if it were longer, but I had to make my lefse rounds on the small side anyway, owing to the size of my grill, so I made it work.</div>
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Slowly and carefully slip the end of your stick or spreader under bottom part of the lefse (i.e., the side closest to you), and s l o w l y slide it forward until it reaches the other end. If you rip a hole in your lefse, stop and re-roll. If you made it to the other side with no rips, lift the stick/spreader (your lefse will be dangling from it, with each side hanging down and the middle supported on the stick) and transfer the lefse to the grill. Lay it down flat and slip the stick/spreader out. Use your fingertips (quickly, because it's hot!) to straighten or smooth the lefse on the grill surface.</div>
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This is one of the hardest parts, and it can take a lot of practice. I really recommend watching the video above, because it helps to actually see someone do it.<br />
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You cook the lefse on one side for about 30-45 seconds. Watch for bubbles in the dough, and peek under the edge to see if brown spots have formed. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJdKAOrMlHNLfAnqoUJNl4fawSHaIQ4Be7Jt5SuZKVoYvJUTU3VHvydT03t732W5Z-_GR-YOd1XAgaL5i67cVVCrEc_zgqeiVsJSR9WYX3qlUQHYoNEQHPJJQRLaGtX_HOigsJ4aPVaw/s640/blogger-image--60244907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglJdKAOrMlHNLfAnqoUJNl4fawSHaIQ4Be7Jt5SuZKVoYvJUTU3VHvydT03t732W5Z-_GR-YOd1XAgaL5i67cVVCrEc_zgqeiVsJSR9WYX3qlUQHYoNEQHPJJQRLaGtX_HOigsJ4aPVaw/s640/blogger-image--60244907.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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If so, flip it over using the same method you used to transfer it to the grill. The second side will cook faster. Lift the lefse off once it's done and transfer it to a cooling rack. Per the advice of my mother, I used wax paper between the layers and covered the cooling rounds with a dishtowel so they didn't try out. You can also buy <a href="https://www.lefsetime.com/store/Lefse-Cozy.html">lefse cozies</a>, and I imagine <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025UIDA2?psc=1">tortilla warmers</a> might work as well, although I've never tried this.<br />
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Wipe off any excess flour from the griddle and start the whole process over again.<br />
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Once your lefse rounds have cooled, store them in Ziploc freezer bags and keep refrigerated, or frozen if you aren't going to eat them right away. (But be sure to eat a few fresh off the griddle; they're best that way!)<br />
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Warm in the microwave for 15 seconds prior to eating, if they've been refrigerated. I like mine spread with butter, sprinkled with white sugar, and rolled up. My grandfather used to eat his with butter only, and they can be eaten with no topping at all. I've even heard of some who wrap it around meatballs.</div>
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If you've read this far, kudos to you! Hope you enjoyed my long-winded tutorial. Happy Syttende Mai!</div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-79670270630971018122015-05-04T14:15:00.000-07:002015-05-04T14:16:01.376-07:00Why I Love My OB<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had my first prenatal visit this morning, and I got a sneak peek at "Sprout"! S/he was measuring spot on and had a beautiful heartbeat (although I forgot to ask what the heart rate was). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a picture-of-a-picture since I'm too lazy to go upstairs and use the scanner.</td></tr>
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I saw my OB for this particular visit (there are also two certified nurse-midwives in his practice, and I see all of them for visits depending on who has an opening). As per usual, he was awesome.</div>
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1. He was very congratulatory, and made no derogatory references to the fact that this was baby #6 (not that I'd expected him to, but I've heard horror stories from other women with other OBs). He is neither Catholic nor NFP-only.</div>
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2. He told me the baby was measuring 8 weeks, 2 days. I said, "Yes, that corresponds exactly to what's on my NFP chart." His response? "Oh, that's right, you're very knowledgeable about your fertility. That's great." </div>
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3. He mentioned that by his calculations the due date was actually 12/13, not 12/12. I said I'd like to keep it at 12/12, and he asked why. I told him it was because that December 12 is the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn. His response? "Well, we can't go against the saints. December 12 it is." </div>
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4. We talked a bit about the fact that I'm technically <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150211084031.htm">advanced maternal age</a> now, since I'll be turning 35 during this pregnancy (at around 34 weeks, for crying out loud). We got on the topic of how some people look older or younger than the really are, and he said, "If I didn't know you, I'd guess you were around 26." </div>
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5. I mentioned my concerns about <a href="http://clubfootchronicles.blogspot.com/2015/01/zofran-and-clubfoot.html">Zofran possibly causing Peter's clubfoot</a>, and he said that he's much more hesitant about prescribing it now, and will recommend Diclegis (which I'm currently taking) first. </div>
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6. He asked about Peter's treatment and prognosis, and we talked a bit about the chances of this baby having clubfoot too. He'd actually read up on it prior to our appointment, and knew that the risk of this baby having clubfoot <a href="http://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/clubfoot.aspx">was only 4%</a>. </div>
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7. He didn't blink an eye when I declined the <a href="https://fetalmedicine.org/nuchal-translucency-scan">NT scan</a>, but mentioned that he'd be sending me directly for a Level II ultrasound this time around, as opposed to the standard anatomy scan, due to the AMA factor as well as Peter's diagnosis (both factors deem it "medically necessary"). That's fine with me as it'll make that much easier to see if this baby has clubfoot or not. </div>
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I love my OB! </div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-32141570835765106502015-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:002015-04-28T08:00:13.169-07:00Visit My New Blog!Today is the launch of my new blog, <a href="http://www.catholicworkingmother.com/">www.CatholicWorkingMother.com</a>! To celebrate, I'm doing a giveaway of a book about St. Gianna!<br />
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<a href="http://www.catholicworkingmother.com/2015/04/28/welcome-and-giveaway/">Check it out!</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iT_wybOhBfbkGGlG6RPC0DFghrDvVtya4ACm3ZdUvtAOlQickYNx32KbAttswzjqiSphp4LEDXxxMM1u0ADZjLveHbZJ5pOJjfMIbJpNre1jyA_pmtGQXTfnmZmcCdwB288x8uZoctE/s1600/20040516_beretta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iT_wybOhBfbkGGlG6RPC0DFghrDvVtya4ACm3ZdUvtAOlQickYNx32KbAttswzjqiSphp4LEDXxxMM1u0ADZjLveHbZJ5pOJjfMIbJpNre1jyA_pmtGQXTfnmZmcCdwB288x8uZoctE/s1600/20040516_beretta.jpg" height="320" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Gianna, pray for us!</td></tr>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-31672359303159681562015-04-24T15:50:00.000-07:002015-04-24T15:50:30.734-07:00Why I've Been Quiet LatelyIt's not just the typical busy life of working full time plus five kids... it's not just the post-vacation scrambling to catch up... it's not even working on <a href="http://www.catholicworkingmother.com/">my new blog</a>, set to launch on Tuesday (feast day of St. Gianna Beretta Molla!).<br />
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Nope, there's another reason entirely that blogging has had to take a backseat...<br />
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Yes, that's right... as those of you who are my FB friends already know, Wahlund Baby #6 is due December 12, 2015. We haven't come up with a nickname for him/her yet. (I suggested Lupe or Guadalupe, since Baby is due on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but Collin nixed it.) </div>
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I've been struggling with pregnancy-induced nausea for the past several weeks (I refuse to call it "morning sickness" because for me it's 24/7), especially since I <a href="http://clubfootchronicles.blogspot.com/2015/01/zofran-and-clubfoot.html">won't take Zofran</a> this time around. </div>
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Last week was really bad... I threw up twice (once at work) and felt horrible the rest of the time. I guess that's better than non-stop vomiting and a trip to the ER (as experienced with pregnancies #1 and #3), but still, it was pretty hard to function. I decided to try several different solutions in hopes that something would help. </div>
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Although I still have some bad days, I think I mostly have a handle on it. Part of me is scared that it means imminent miscarriage, but it could also be the changes I've made. In hopes that it is the latter and not the former, here is what I've done:</div>
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<li>My doctor gave me a perscription for Diclegis (unisom + vitamin b6), which is the only category A drug that is FDA-approved for pregnancy nausea, and I've been taking two at bedtime for the last two weeks.</li>
<li>I'm getting more magnesium. I tried soaking in a tub of warm water + 2 cups Epsom salts (aka magnesium sulfate) for over 45 minutes, and the next day I felt so much better. I picked up some magnesium supplements in pill form and am taking those every evening before bed (and soaking in the tub whenever I can, too!).</li>
<li>I have started following <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/how-i-mostly-cured-morning-sickness">this diet</a>, as recommended by Jen Fulwiler: no processed food, no sugar, no grains or vegetable oils. It's been a struggle but I'm mostly sticking with it. </li>
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I don't know what it is that is working, but SOMETHING is. I can manage the nausea without Zofran, which I wasn't sure would be possible. Praise God.</div>
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My first prenatal appointment is May 4. Please join me in praying that the ultrasound will show a living, thriving baby!</div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-56577331950916925652015-03-27T10:45:00.002-07:002015-03-27T19:52:58.900-07:007 Quick Takes Friday - March 27, 2015<div style="text-align: center;">
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Whew, what a busy month it's been! I can't believe Lent is almost over.
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As I mentioned in my QT two weeks ago, we decided to spend a few days in California during the kids' (and Collin's) spring break. The reason we went to California? Well, we had to see a mouse about a car.
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Yes, that's right, we went to DISNEYLAND! Collin was able to get some discounted two-day Park Hopper tickets through his job, and I sold some stock shares that had vested last November (I get an annual stock award from my company if we meet certain goals during the year). We decided to use half of the proceeds of the sale for a fun family vacation.<br>
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Our last trip was three years ago, while I was pregnant with Gabriel, so there were a lot of new rides to experience and new sights to see. The remodeled California Adventure park is beautiful, and Cars Land was fantastic! As you can see above, we very much enjoyed the Radiator Springs Racers ride. I finally was able to go on the revamped Star Tours ride, and it was fabulous.<br>
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Elanor was chosen for the Jedi Training Academy, and William was chosen by Thor to try and heft Mjölnir (they had a "<a href="https://disneyland.disney.go.com/entertainment/disneyland/character-meet-thor-innoventions/">Meet the Avengers</a>" attraction inside Innoventions). The pictures are fantastic! We're going to order a digital CD, and I'll probably share the photos on Facebook this weekend. (One more week of no Facebook... I'll be honest, I can't wait to get back on.)<br>
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Once we returned from Disneyland, we had one day at home to do laundry and some yardwork, and the next day we went to my aunt and uncle's new home outside of Maricopa, AZ. We stayed there until Saturday evening. My mother and stepfather had flown in the previous day, and my cousin Kelsey was there too, along with some friends of my aunt's. Their ranch has several horses and Elly was in the seventh heaven of delight.<br>
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Peter met his stepgrandpa Rod for the first time. They hit it off.<br>
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This weekend my grandmother Violet flies into town for her annual visit, and I'm excited to see her again. Busy busy!<br>
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For more Quick Takes, visit <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/">This Ain't the Lyceum!</a></div>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-83540248830729065042015-03-06T11:08:00.000-07:002015-03-06T11:08:59.052-07:007 Quick Takes Friday - March 6, 2015Thanks to Kelly at <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/">This Ain't the Lyceum</a> for hosting!<br />
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1. We had a joint birthday celebration/extended family dinner for William and Violet last Saturday at Golden Corral (their choice of venue; they both love the chocolate fountain), so last night we celebrated Violet's birthday with a dinner of hamburgers with cake for dessert. Violet requested "an Elsa cake" and the local Safeway was able to oblige:<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">As I mentioned yesterday, our birthday season is finally over. We're </span><i style="text-align: left;">almost </i><span style="text-align: left;">entirely in odd number territory now; the kids are 10, 7, 5, 3, and 1. Ellie is the "even" man out (instead of the odd man out, haha). </span></div>
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2. The rest of our month is crazy busy. Tomorrow, <a href="http://catholic-kara.blogspot.com/">Kara</a>, our friend Mary, and I are going to see (and hear!) <a href="http://www.azpolicy.org/get-involved-events/first-way-pregnancy-center-and-abby-johnson">Abby Johnson</a> speak, and we'll probably do lunch afterwards. <a href="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-edel-gathering-day-2.html">I've met Abby before</a> and can't wait to see her again and hear what she has to say. I may try to get another autograph. :) </div>
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3. The kids have spring break March 16-20 (as does Collin - I love that he gets spring break off too, now that he works for a school district! Luckily, his spring break coincided with the kids'). I took the week off of work. We're going to California for a few days (we haven't been there for three years), and the day after we get back my mother and stepfather are flying down. My aunt Sheri (my mother's older sister) and her husband recently purchased a ranch near Maricopa, AZ and we're all going to spend a few days out there. </div>
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4. My grandma Violet flies in for her annual visit the weekend after that, on March 29. I was afraid her health wouldn't allow her to come this year, but she says she's feeling better and wants to come. </div>
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And then it's Holy Week! Whew! </div>
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5. My latest post for Catholic Stand is up: <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/there-is-no-pope-in-islam/">There Is No Pope in Islam</a>. </div>
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6. Please pray for a special intention! St. Francis de Sales, pray for us. St. Joseph the worker, pray for us. St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us.</div>
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7. Did you hear the wonderful news?? <a href="http://catholic-kara.blogspot.com/">Kara</a> and her family have committed to adopting baby <a href="http://reecesrainbow.org/87971/sponsormcintee-2">Truman</a>! Please consider donating to one of their current <a href="http://catholic-kara.blogspot.com/p/current-fundraisers_28.html">fundraisers</a> -- they have a very short time to raise a large amount of money. One of her fundraisers is a raffle for an American Girl doll, so please check that out!! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSUk3cKOOpCskpu61pB7qrTgXO6r9ki15qjrYQQW1FU7nvHgrRoHym6FJUxm6BuFkmjBHZIqcuOpi7eAY4Av-qdhRj9z3QxqYo09hqc5mbOocjckvjt_mgxDDuUGsvYwNqMDCnPUowKc/s1600/seven-quick-takes-friday-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSUk3cKOOpCskpu61pB7qrTgXO6r9ki15qjrYQQW1FU7nvHgrRoHym6FJUxm6BuFkmjBHZIqcuOpi7eAY4Av-qdhRj9z3QxqYo09hqc5mbOocjckvjt_mgxDDuUGsvYwNqMDCnPUowKc/s1600/seven-quick-takes-friday-2.jpg" height="283" width="400" /></a></div>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-40927644736077943222015-03-05T07:59:00.000-07:002015-03-05T07:59:26.450-07:00Violet is Five!<div>
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Five years ago today it was a Friday in Lent, and <a href="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2010/03/violets-birth-story.html">I had a baby girl</a>. Father Hans came to see us in the hospital, and was very impressed that we had named her after that day's liturgical color. </div>
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I even remembered to have a meatless meal (a tuna sandwich) for lunch!</div>
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Violet is exuberant about life and fascinated with everything around her. She's probably going to be reading before kindergarten (which she starts in August!), given her insatiable curiosity with letters and words that has recently developed. She's also a fantastic big sister to Gabriel and Peter.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZ6ILutZJQEjtPM7rb7V_opz_4liJ958sRiVCGLdqF7akI075sTYzUxMo2tmMvWQPGiVCcBucnecouJT8UEQbkxvrJF1p9V1fZ3MeBtc5OjtBS35-tLfHJo_3zqwYd7CuySHRC-agXDI/s640/blogger-image--1693656309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHZ6ILutZJQEjtPM7rb7V_opz_4liJ958sRiVCGLdqF7akI075sTYzUxMo2tmMvWQPGiVCcBucnecouJT8UEQbkxvrJF1p9V1fZ3MeBtc5OjtBS35-tLfHJo_3zqwYd7CuySHRC-agXDI/s400/blogger-image--1693656309.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Happy birthday, Violet Elizabeth!</div>
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After today, "birthday season" (in which we have at least one family birthday every month from October to March) is officially over until Peter turns 2 (gulp!) in October.</div>
JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-14851198403521502322015-03-04T10:25:00.002-07:002015-03-04T10:25:37.756-07:00Happy National Grammar Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://hollyedgell.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/march-forth-its-national-grammar-day/">Let's celebrate!</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLGCTA3pDBRAqzdKmzPNgrYozZKtuMlHzPLb_ixkh4ZQDYDXmhsYQfzhH70pT90jyn1ACeVxu0ENubR0vBDzqxMB58kjtCYYjW9GxOvEKB7cGI57N6X1BUh3j4Cx6RGjCdZTYymwlmQg/s1600/grammartini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLGCTA3pDBRAqzdKmzPNgrYozZKtuMlHzPLb_ixkh4ZQDYDXmhsYQfzhH70pT90jyn1ACeVxu0ENubR0vBDzqxMB58kjtCYYjW9GxOvEKB7cGI57N6X1BUh3j4Cx6RGjCdZTYymwlmQg/s1600/grammartini.jpg" /></a></div>
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Sadly, I don't think I'd like this drink -- I'm not a fan of gin and I don't like olives. But I applaud the concept!JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-32552531846786535842015-02-25T08:00:00.003-07:002015-02-25T08:00:38.717-07:00I Have a Seven-Year-Old!My oldest son turns seven today!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since this picture was taken, he's lost his two front teeth!</td></tr>
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He's gone from a tiny 6lb, 4oz baby (<a href="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2009/06/williams-birth-story-february-2008.html">4 weeks early!</a>) to a tall young man who excels in school and loves playing Xbox (as well as classic Nintendo) with his dad. He is sweet, caring, and says he loves God. (Future priest? Let's hope so!)<br />
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Happy birthday, William Joseph!<br />
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-45754396517561506382015-02-13T10:40:00.003-07:002015-02-13T10:40:51.983-07:007 Quick Takes Friday - Resources for Lent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhy-_O5L3dH2bCa9hw-hfquOC8gww4UyORHZrP11y5iBac4BF5bufZRRzIPjQqtkoYFIbGLUtkb10-I0be-ox5fHbetXLkcJEdV2dyGksQT5tIhHN1yWCZtwyfnT00FZojsqavDWAf5U/s1600/seven-quick-takes-friday-2-1024x727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJhy-_O5L3dH2bCa9hw-hfquOC8gww4UyORHZrP11y5iBac4BF5bufZRRzIPjQqtkoYFIbGLUtkb10-I0be-ox5fHbetXLkcJEdV2dyGksQT5tIhHN1yWCZtwyfnT00FZojsqavDWAf5U/s1600/seven-quick-takes-friday-2-1024x727.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ash Wednesday is in less than a week! I've found cheap and/or free Lenten resources around the Internet recently, and I wanted to share the love.<br />
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(Full disclosure - I recently joined the Amazon Affiliates program, so if you buy any of the Amazon resources by clicking on their respective Amazon links below, I get a small percentage of the sale.)<br />
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<b>1.</b><i> 2015 Magnificat Lenten Companion </i>(I bought this one!) - 99 cents on Kindle<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=astofho-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00S8XPDYY&asins=B00S8XPDYY&linkId=CUPJKR45A2IG6A7Y&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<b>2. </b><i>Lenten Meditations with Fulton J. Sheen</i> - 99 cents on Kindle<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=astofho-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B008Y1CNDE&asins=B008Y1CNDE&linkId=7KDM7LZGZ3F3J5UA&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<b>3.</b><i> Living Faith: Lenten Devotions for Catholics: Lent 2015</i> - 99 cents on Kindle<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=astofho-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00PV09QEU&asins=B00PV09QEU&linkId=2EVX7MP4CXOHCORE&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<i><br /></i><b>4. </b><i>Pope Francis: Living Lent with Passion: Encouragement and Daily Prayers</i> - 99 cents on Kindle<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=astofho-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00QU31YVA&asins=B00QU31YVA&linkId=2HN2SY5RCZA5DIPD&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<b>5. </b><i>The Cross and the Beatitudes</i> by Bp. Fulton Sheen - $3.49 on Kindle<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=astofho-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00BYJJNZ4&asins=B00BYJJNZ4&linkId=2VVNQNHSJTSAZQSN&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
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<b>6.</b> Free Printable Calendars:<br />
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<a href="https://tracimsmith.wordpress.com/2015/01/24/family-lenten-practices-calendar/">Family Lenten Practices Calendar</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.catholicicing.com/printable-lenten-calendar-for-kids/">Printable Lenten Calendar from Catholic Icing</a><br />
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<b>7. </b>Meatless meal resources:<br />
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/joanna47/meatless-recipes/">My Meatless Meals Pinterest Board</a><br />
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<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipes/holidays-and-events/easter/lent/">Recipes for Lent</a> from AllRecipes.com<br />
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<a href="http://www.catholicmom.com/lent_recipes.htm">Lenten Recipes for Your Family</a> from CatholicMom.com<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/easter-ideas/recipes-for-lent">Recipes for Lent</a> from GoodHousekeeping.com<br />
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<a href="http://taylormarshall.com/2014/03/strategy-for-lents-meatless-fridays.html">12 Meatless Lent Meal Ideas</a> from TaylorMarshall.com<br />
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Read more Quick Takes at <a href="http://thisaintthelyceum.org/sqt-im-counting/">This Ain't the Lyceum</a>!JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-32401173207151810552015-02-06T16:55:00.001-07:002015-02-06T16:55:23.923-07:00Vaccines Redux<span style="text-align: left;">DISCLAIMER: I'm going to be talking about vaccines in this post. A lot. If you are sick of the whole vaccine debate, please feel free to skip this post and instead enjoy this meme in honor of the forthcoming <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/harper-lee-published-july-28687808">To Kill A Mockingbird sequel</a> (SQUEEEE!):</span><br />
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Now, for those of you who have stuck around...</div>
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My latest post at Catholic Stand, <a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/lets-be-reasonable-vaccines/">Let's Be Reasonable About Vaccines</a>, was well received, but sadly I don't think the people for whom it was meant are taking the message to heart. And some people are accusing both me and Catholic Stand of being "anti-vaccine" or "encouraging people not to vaccinate." They claim to have read the piece but I have to doubt that, given that it says the<i> exact opposite. </i>I even put it in bold and all caps so there would be no doubt whatsoever. Maybe I should have made a cat meme instead? I don't know. At any rate, here are further thoughts of mine for the two or three people who aren't yet sick to death of this topic.</div>
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<b>The Moral Question</b></div>
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I had a word limit on my CS post (1500 words max) so I couldn't put in all of the information I wanted to. But I'm getting a lot of comments along the lines of, "It was ONE ABORTION 50 years ago! One! How can you weigh that against the threat to children?!" </div>
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First off, it was more than one abortion. Many more. For those who need proof of how these cell lines were created, see pages 81 and 91 of <a href="http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/01/transcripts/3750t1_01.pdf">this document</a> for testimony from Dr. Alex Van Der Eb, the scientist who developed the stem cell lines HEK-23 and PER.C6 (italics mine) This quote is from page 91, where Dr. Van Der Eb is talking about his PER.C6: </div>
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So I isolated retina [cells] from a fetus, from a healthy fetus as far as could be seen, of 18 weeks old. There was nothing special in the family history, or the pregnancy was completely normal up to the 18 weeks, and it turned out to be a socially indicated abortus, abortus provocatus, and <i>that was simply because the woman wanted to get rid of the fetus</i>.</blockquote>
Then there is <a href="http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=503157">this article from 1969</a> about the creation of the rubella vaccine:<br />
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Explant cultures were made of the dissected organs of a particular fetus aborted because of rubella, the 27th in our series of fetuses aborted during the 1964 epidemic. </blockquote>
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Chilling how casually this is discussed in the medical literature, isn't it? "the 27th in our series of fetuses aborted..." "socially indicated abortus... simply because the woman wanted to get rid of the fetus." </div>
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And yet I am supposed to hail these vaccines as God's gift to humankind. These vaccines were built upon the backs of murdered children and that is something we should <i>never </i>forget. We MUST protest this atrocity. Scientific research can provide great boons to humankind but we can't throw our morality out the window in the process. Surely scientists can procure ethical sources for the human tissue samples they need to conduct such research. </div>
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Putting aside the fact that "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_of_the_children">Won't somebody please think of the children?!</a>" does not dispense us of our obligation to engage in moral reasoning, one of my most serious objections to these unethically-sourced vaccines is the fact that this type of research, creating and sustaining cell lines derived from the cells of aborted fetuses, is <i>still going on</i>. For example, attempts to create an <a href="http://what%20you%20do%20when%20you%20reject%20these%20vaccinations%20on%20this%20basis%20is%20deny%20the%20one%20good%20thing%20that%27s%20come%20from%20something%20negative./">HIV or Ebola vaccine</a> utilize these unethically-derived stem cell lines (specifically, the HEK-293 and PER.C6 lines). These scientists don't HAVE to use these cell lines; <a href="http://www.cogforlife.org/ebolaPressRelease.pdf">there are ethical ones available</a> -- lines that are in use by other organizations also trying to create a vaccine. </div>
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Debi Vinnedge of Children of God for Life <a href="http://www.cogforlife.org/2014/11/17/fda-pathetic-response-aborted-fetal-ebola-vaccines/">wrote to the FDA</a> expressing her concern about the use of these unethical stem cell lines, and in their response (in which they basically said, "So what?") they were several factual errors. She pointed out these errors in a second letter but, as of yet, there is no response. </div>
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I quoted the article <a href="http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/science/ethical-issues/immunity-from-evil-vaccines-derived-from-abortion.html">Immunity from Evil?: Vaccines Derived from Abortion</a> by Dr. Jameson Taylor in my CS article, but here are some excerpts I didn't have room to include: </div>
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The bishops were forced to address the question [of vaccines] when President Bush used the abortion-tainted chicken pox vaccine to justify federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.</blockquote>
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Using abortion-tainted vaccines encourages abortion just as does purchasing any other product derived from fetal tissue. Indeed, these vaccines were the first fetal tissue therapies to gain widespread acceptance, and their popularity is frequently cited to promote fetal tissue research agendas. Over the past 10 years, <b>numerous congressmen have referred to the vaccines to garner support for federally subsidized research on fetal tissue</b>. The University of Nebraska likewise excused its fetal tissue program <b>by invoking both the vaccines and the Church's toleration of their use</b>. In Forbes v. Napolitano (2001), the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals <b>used the polio vaccine, among other things, to strike down an Arizona law banning experimentation on aborted fetal tissue</b>. The court specifically ruled fetal tissue research must be legal to guarantee women the fullest possible range of "reproductive decisions." [bolding mine]</blockquote>
So, this is going to keep happening until those responsible for creating and manufacturing vaccines decide not to use them anymore, or they decide to make ethical alternatives available. My problem is, as I stated in my article, they have no incentive to do so if everyone just uses the unethically-sourced ones anyway.<br />
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I wish all of the Catholics (and others) who have called me names and accused me of wanting to kill children would take the time they use to abuse me and instead spend it writing letters of protest to Merck et al. As Phil Lawler pointed out in his article, <a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/otn.cfm?id=1074">Conscientious Objection to Vaccinations</a> (bolding mine):<br />
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This is not a call for passive acceptance of the vaccines derived from fetal remains. (And by the way, chicken-pox vaccine falls into that category as well.) It is a clear call for action to remedy an injustice. If Catholics mobilized to demand ethical vaccines, the pharmaceutical industry would be forced to respond. <b>If Catholics are content to say that they can be justified in using these vaccines, the injustice will continue</b>.</blockquote>
We can't simply say, "The Vatican has said these vaccines are licit to use. If you object to them you're being scrupulous." We have a <b>duty </b>to object to them <i>even if</i> we use them, and having serious moral reservations about their use is not being scrupulous <a href="http://www.cogforlife.org/vaticanresponse.htm">per the document itself</a>, which acknowledges that the creation and use of the vaccines pose ethical problems.<br />
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Also, I saw this article just as I was about to hit "Publish" on this post, and it's excellent. <a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?id=972">The Pontifical Academy for Life did NOT argue it is morally obligatory to use tainted vaccines</a>. As the author, <a href="http://www.catholicculture.org/about/leadership/bio_jeff_mirus.cfm">Dr. Jeff Mirus</a>, said in the combox, "Please, everyone, note this principle: While cooperation with evil is sometimes permissible, it can NEVER be mandatory!"<br />
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<b>That Being Said</b><br />
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Despite my moral objection I am considering having Peter (and perhaps the other kids as well) vaccinated with the MMR. I'm still not convinced that the risk (9 confirmed cases in my state of 6.6 million people) is worth the hysteria, but I see the logic of the argument that measles is a very contagious disease, and by the time the outbreak is serious it could be too late to vaccinate (due to supply and demand issues with the vaccine).<br />
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Also, Peter visits Phoenix Children's Hospital once every 3-4 months due to his clubfoot, so he is in greater proximity to the immunocompromised (or those who may be carrying the measles virus, if they are at the hospital for treatment) than the other kids. (Generally I take time off work on a weekday to take him to his appointments; the other kids don't come with us.)<br />
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I also read this on the <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/complications.html">CDC website</a>: "For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it."<br />
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You know what the United States <a href="http://globalclubfoot.org/clubfoot/">incidence of clubfoot</a> is? One in 1,000.<br />
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Yeah. When you've already won the lottery in that regard, so to speak, it makes you think.<br />
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<b>Principle of Double Effect</b><br />
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Recently I've been mulling over if the <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/double-effect/#Formulations">Principle of Double Effect</a> would apply in this instance.<br />
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<i>1. The act itself must be morally good or at least indifferent.</i> It is morally good, or at least morally neutral, to vaccinate people against serious illness.<br />
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<i>2. The agent may not positively will the bad effect but may permit it. If he could attain the good effect without the bad effect he should do so. The bad effect is sometimes said to be indirectly voluntary.</i> I don't will the bad effect (promotion of abortion) and right now there is no way for me to procure ethically-sourced vaccines (i.e., attain the good effect without the bad effect).<br />
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<i>3. The good effect must flow from the action at least as immediately (in the order of causality, though not necessarily in the order of time) as the bad effect. In other words the good effect must be produced directly by the action, not by the bad effect. Otherwise the agent would be using a bad means to a good end, which is never allowed.</i> The abortions themselves are not what cause the vaccines to be effective. The abortions themselves didn't produce the vaccines - it was research on the tissue taken from the baby that created the vaccine, not the abortion itself. Nor were the abortions performed for the explicit purpose of making a vaccine (although they may have been encouraged, which seems likely, especially in the case of the 27 abortions performed due to rubella exposure. We really have no way of knowing).<br />
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<i>4. The good effect must be sufficiently desirable to compensate for the allowing of the bad effect.</i> The Pontifical Academy for Life stated in their document that the danger of disease was an acceptably proportionate reason to allow the remote material cooperation with evil.<br />
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Seems to me double effect would indeed apply here, which goes a ways toward assuaging my conscience, but I might hunt up an actual Catholic moral theologian and get their take on it.<br />
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So, that's where I'm at.<br />
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Note: Since this is my personal blog (unlike Catholic Stand), I'm going to delete comments at my discretion. If you can't say anything charitable, don't say anything at all. </div>
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JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7546639772211374853.post-1310609472822934112015-01-22T20:34:00.006-07:002015-01-22T20:36:07.414-07:00There's No Reason to Feel Offended by Pope FrancisI think I've finally been able to pin down why I'm so bothered about the reaction to the Pope's <a href="http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/full-text-of-popes-in-flight-interview-from-manila-to-rome-84716/">infamous "rabbits" comment</a>.<br />
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Hypothetically*, let's say a generic Christian minister made the following comment during a news interview:<br />
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"Some women think that, in order to keep a boyfriend, they have to have sex. No. Responsible sexual behavior." </blockquote>
The next day, the media reports, "[Pastor] states women shouldn't have sex! War on Women!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplmsYvsR4WwGEnVdHKC5GndQcu7peiaRYZGPNj3tzIgz_IGAoA14BJ9nX3UOLaGn4xeaorKsfBiEWCdlN5c9kGm34t57ch74LJTnUI9mXEhd8afgCdjXZtTU2OvbpfECfFnxWfN1hgW4/s1600/popefrancis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplmsYvsR4WwGEnVdHKC5GndQcu7peiaRYZGPNj3tzIgz_IGAoA14BJ9nX3UOLaGn4xeaorKsfBiEWCdlN5c9kGm34t57ch74LJTnUI9mXEhd8afgCdjXZtTU2OvbpfECfFnxWfN1hgW4/s1600/popefrancis.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></div>
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It'd be ridiculous, right? Anyone could look at the actual comments in context and see that's clearly not what the pastor said, or meant. He clarified his words with "In order to keep a boyfriend"; clearly, his statement was not directed to <i>all </i>women - only those who believed that they had to have sex in order to keep their boyfriends.<br />
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As a woman, I wouldn't be offended by his words, since I agree with him that women shouldn't feel like they have to have sex in order to keep their boyfriends (since any boyfriend who won't respect your choice to abstain from sex prior to marriage isn't worth keeping).<br />
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Compare that to what Pope Francis said:<br />
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Some think that -- excuse the language -- that in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits. No. Responsible parenthood. </blockquote>
Clearly, Pope Francis' comment was not meant to include all people with children across the board; rather, he was only talking about the specific people who believe that in order to be a good Catholic, you have to reproduce without recourse to human reason, just like rabbits do.<br />
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That's why I'm so puzzled by all of the parents of many who were so offended by his remarks. I don't know any mom or dad of many who thinks that they HAVE to have a certain number of children in order to fulfill some kind of "good Catholic" quota. They have the number of children that they do because they discerned that they should, and that's <a href="http://a-star-of-hope.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-catholic-church-means-by.html">precisely as it should be</a>. Unless you're a person who honestly believes that in order to be a good Catholic, you have to reproduce without recourse to human reason, Pope Francis wasn't talking about you or your family. There's no reason to feel offended.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkvCNNkPn11yLo2rUc4nMtwShoRyOW70EipJzEYhYfQdv2lHXk1yHU0H0cuNpW__C8oKNgPE-qca0SwX_A6OFTfzYRb_d0Hrkluu6GK6SYSskeMbJIumjwmEkOnp7F5DzOyfyJ4mkZ1s/s1600/offense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkvCNNkPn11yLo2rUc4nMtwShoRyOW70EipJzEYhYfQdv2lHXk1yHU0H0cuNpW__C8oKNgPE-qca0SwX_A6OFTfzYRb_d0Hrkluu6GK6SYSskeMbJIumjwmEkOnp7F5DzOyfyJ4mkZ1s/s1600/offense.jpg" height="248" width="400" /></a></div>
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And if you DO believe you have to reproduce without recourse to human reason in order to be a good Catholic (I personally don't know of any Catholic who thinks this, but there are many non-Catholics who are under that impression), Pope Francis was explaining that such a belief is in direct opposition to actual Catholic teaching.<br />
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Not to mention that if Pope Francis really thought large families were a bad thing, he wouldn't say <a href="http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1500285.htm">this</a> only a day or two later:<br />
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"It gives consolation and hope to see so many large families that welcome children as a true gift of God. They know that every child is a blessing."<br />
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<i>*Not a perfect analogy, obviously, but it's the best I could come up with after a long day at work and a long evening dealing with a three-year-old's histrionics. If you can think of a better one, or if you'd like to buy a three-year-old, please leave a comment!</i>JoAnna Wahlundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09942928659520676271noreply@blogger.com7