Friday, January 30, 2009
along the same lines
I just saw this today and thought it went hand in hand with my letter to the President. To me it seems like such a compelling case for life. I realize that some will never change their minds, but I have to believe that there are others who might come to see the value of life and choose a different course. I pray that is so.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
a letter to the President
There is a piece of legislation called the Freedom of Choice Act that I believe every one of us needs to know about. It is a bill that President Obama promised to sign into action if he were elected. In fact, in a speech to Planned Parenthood, he said it would be the first thing he would do in office. I had heard of it in passing, but it is only recently that I did some research and became informed of exactly what the Freedom of Choice Act entails. Please click the link to read about in greater detail, but in a nutshell, I will simply say that it is a bill that would eliminate state restrictions on abortion, allowing every state in the country to perform abortions until the age of viability (at 20 some odd weeks). After that point, late term abortions could be performed for the health of the mother. This would reverse all legislation that has been put in place to limit abortions in our nation.
I really don't know everything I can do to make my voice heard, but I am starting with what I can do. I am writing a letter to President Obama that I am sending to him, my congressman, my senators, and my local newspaper. Will it ever get read? Maybe, maybe not. But even if no official eyes ever see it, I must do what is in my power to do to be a voice for the babies who don't have one.
Here is my letter.
Dear President Obama,
It is no secret that the abortion debate rages strong in our country, as opposing sides square up, unyielding and polarized in their views. Yet when I look at all the players, pro-life and pro-choice, one common denomonator is impossible to deny. Everyone participating in the discussion is alive. That one fact unites us, whether we like it or not, by placing us in the elite group of the born. It is by means of this special status that we are afforded all the privileges we enjoy, things like living and breathing, feeling and thinking, voting and legislating. And while we didn’t do anything to earn this status, it’s unimaginable for us to operate outside of it.
Perhaps if we lived in a universe where that was not the case, the abortion debate would be markedly different. Imagine, for example, that you were a fetus equipped with full mental capacity. Imagine your awareness and knowledge were the same as that you currently possess. Now imagine that you as a fetus must vote on the legality of abortion. But with one little catch: you don’t know which choice your mother will make if abortion is an option.
Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you’ve experienced in this life, your family, your career, even the presidency itself, for your mother’s right to choose? Would I be willing to do the same? A thought provoking scenario, certainly, but one that is strictly theoretical none the less. An exercise in imagination, but nothing more.
The debate will no doubt continue to rage as the Freedom of Choice Act is brought to the table, but no matter what the outcome, one thing is for sure. The debate will always be lopsided. After all, the people involved in the discussion will without exception approach the issue from the vantage point of being alive.
A thoughtful citizen,
Angie Luce
Memphis, TN
I really don't know everything I can do to make my voice heard, but I am starting with what I can do. I am writing a letter to President Obama that I am sending to him, my congressman, my senators, and my local newspaper. Will it ever get read? Maybe, maybe not. But even if no official eyes ever see it, I must do what is in my power to do to be a voice for the babies who don't have one.
Here is my letter.
Dear President Obama,
It is no secret that the abortion debate rages strong in our country, as opposing sides square up, unyielding and polarized in their views. Yet when I look at all the players, pro-life and pro-choice, one common denomonator is impossible to deny. Everyone participating in the discussion is alive. That one fact unites us, whether we like it or not, by placing us in the elite group of the born. It is by means of this special status that we are afforded all the privileges we enjoy, things like living and breathing, feeling and thinking, voting and legislating. And while we didn’t do anything to earn this status, it’s unimaginable for us to operate outside of it.
Perhaps if we lived in a universe where that was not the case, the abortion debate would be markedly different. Imagine, for example, that you were a fetus equipped with full mental capacity. Imagine your awareness and knowledge were the same as that you currently possess. Now imagine that you as a fetus must vote on the legality of abortion. But with one little catch: you don’t know which choice your mother will make if abortion is an option.
Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you’ve experienced in this life, your family, your career, even the presidency itself, for your mother’s right to choose? Would I be willing to do the same? A thought provoking scenario, certainly, but one that is strictly theoretical none the less. An exercise in imagination, but nothing more.
The debate will no doubt continue to rage as the Freedom of Choice Act is brought to the table, but no matter what the outcome, one thing is for sure. The debate will always be lopsided. After all, the people involved in the discussion will without exception approach the issue from the vantage point of being alive.
A thoughtful citizen,
Angie Luce
Memphis, TN
Monday, January 26, 2009
a sheared sheep, and a fuzzy lamb
Saturday I swallowed my pride and took a picture of my handy work. I admit that with the head band (mix-matched colors not withstanding) it doesn't look terrible. Just SHORT.
And then there is Adrienne who is just now reaching the outer limits of the definition of "fuzz." Hair is almost there =) Until then, I need to make it obvious that she's a girl when she's wearing her Tiger blue so that she doesn't get so many "what a handsome little guy" remarks.
And finally, the two little Tigers together on a day that turned out to be gloriously victorious in our matchup against UT.
Hair or no, they sure are sweet!
And then there is Adrienne who is just now reaching the outer limits of the definition of "fuzz." Hair is almost there =) Until then, I need to make it obvious that she's a girl when she's wearing her Tiger blue so that she doesn't get so many "what a handsome little guy" remarks.
And finally, the two little Tigers together on a day that turned out to be gloriously victorious in our matchup against UT.
Hair or no, they sure are sweet!
Friday, January 23, 2009
oops
Every so often in life there is that moment when your stomach sinks and realization waxes bright as it dawns on you that what you just did can't be undone. First you feel sick, then ridiculously stupid, and then finally, just as the self deprecation is easing up, the depression settles in as you reconcile yourself with the irrevocable consequences of what just happened. The "oops" moment. Trivial and, in the scheme of eternity, inconsequential as it may be, it is still rough on the psyche and difficult to digest. You know you must move on, but all you can dream about is a time machine that could take you back to that brain freeze moment, with the express purpose of injecting a little common sense into your thick headed skull.
On Wednesday, I became reacquainted with that moment.
As the evidence shows, I wielded a pair of scissors with reckless disregard to the consequences, shearing my child and leaving her looking like a very pretty little boy.
Why? That's the logical question, but the one for which I have no answers.
How do I feel? Let's just put it this way. The knowledge that hair grows has only partially alleviated my regret.
Such are the little vicissitudes of life.
On Wednesday, I became reacquainted with that moment.
As the evidence shows, I wielded a pair of scissors with reckless disregard to the consequences, shearing my child and leaving her looking like a very pretty little boy.
Why? That's the logical question, but the one for which I have no answers.
How do I feel? Let's just put it this way. The knowledge that hair grows has only partially alleviated my regret.
Such are the little vicissitudes of life.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
opportunity
Through the crazy twists and turns God has taken us through, He has now brought us to the place where more people can hear about Him because of what has happened. This is sanctity of human life month, and Life Choices (the crisis pregnancy center and adoption agency we worked with) has asked Nathan and me to speak to a local church in the Sunday service about our story. We will get a chance to share about Poppy and the difference her life made. We will share how her life, however brief, held indescribable value, and how something so broken in the world's eyes, could be used to make such an impact on the hearts of those who found out about her story. We will share about our journey through adoption and the brave, courageous choice of one birth mother that led us to Adrienne. We will get to tell people that life is precious, no matter what circumstances surround it, and we will have the chance to encourage others to make life affirming decisions in their own lives. All of that because of a beautiful girl named Poppy Joy.
I didn't see all of that a year ago. The future, still unclear, didn't show me where God was going to take us. But now, praise God, I can see that just as Paul wrote, our circumstances have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. What more could I ask for?
**Someone asked about where we will be, so for those who want to know, we are speaking at the 10:50 service at Eudora Baptist Church.**
I didn't see all of that a year ago. The future, still unclear, didn't show me where God was going to take us. But now, praise God, I can see that just as Paul wrote, our circumstances have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. What more could I ask for?
**Someone asked about where we will be, so for those who want to know, we are speaking at the 10:50 service at Eudora Baptist Church.**
Monday, January 19, 2009
wishes
Five fantastic days of Disney, one day of travel, and one desperately needed reunion later, we are home! Was it wonderful? Yes. Was it magical? Are you kidding-it was Disney! Of course it was. Was it perfect? That depends on how Marianna's little stomach virus fits in with that definition. The moment she wasn't able to make it to the bathroom before having an accident, resulting in an emergency strip down in the middle of fantasy land, followed by the disposal of her favorite princess panties and the replacement of a 15 month old's diaper, certainly wasn't perfect, but that excluded, we came pretty close.
It's hard to cram five packed days into one little post. Thanks to the amazing help and tips from so many of you, and especially Laura (thank you, thank you!), we were able to plan our days so that we could fit in everything we really wanted to do. I can say this: by the time we left, we didn't feel like there was anything we had really wanted to do that we didn't. We hit all four parks, riding every kiddie ride available, seeing every show, loving all the characters, and enjoying the beauty that is everywhere you look. We ate with princesses, Pooh, and Mickey. We watched Belle, and Ariel, and Nemo. We rode everything available to those under 40 inches. And when all that was done, we couldn't go another day without getting back to Adrienne! We knew that the trip to Disney wouldn't be nearly as fun for her as a vacation with her grandparents and the wonderful family who kept her those first weeks after she was born, but it was still hard to be away.
Now for pictures. I documented the trip in film, but I'll try and give you just a few as a representative sample.
On our way to the Magic Kingdom for the first time...just a little excited.
Marianna and her best friend, Maggie, riding Dumbo
The Goofy roller coaster was a huge hit!
Right after eating at the Crystal Palace with Pooh and friends.
A big hug for Mickey.
Mission Accomplished after Buzz Light Year ride
Meeting the princesses was a highlight for Marianna, no doubt about it.
We all loved the Nemo ride and aquarium at Epcot.
Lunch with the princesses in the Netherlands
Our whole group right before leaving the Magic Kingdom the last night
It's hard to cram five packed days into one little post. Thanks to the amazing help and tips from so many of you, and especially Laura (thank you, thank you!), we were able to plan our days so that we could fit in everything we really wanted to do. I can say this: by the time we left, we didn't feel like there was anything we had really wanted to do that we didn't. We hit all four parks, riding every kiddie ride available, seeing every show, loving all the characters, and enjoying the beauty that is everywhere you look. We ate with princesses, Pooh, and Mickey. We watched Belle, and Ariel, and Nemo. We rode everything available to those under 40 inches. And when all that was done, we couldn't go another day without getting back to Adrienne! We knew that the trip to Disney wouldn't be nearly as fun for her as a vacation with her grandparents and the wonderful family who kept her those first weeks after she was born, but it was still hard to be away.
Now for pictures. I documented the trip in film, but I'll try and give you just a few as a representative sample.
On our way to the Magic Kingdom for the first time...just a little excited.
Marianna and her best friend, Maggie, riding Dumbo
The Goofy roller coaster was a huge hit!
Right after eating at the Crystal Palace with Pooh and friends.
A big hug for Mickey.
Mission Accomplished after Buzz Light Year ride
Meeting the princesses was a highlight for Marianna, no doubt about it.
We all loved the Nemo ride and aquarium at Epcot.
Lunch with the princesses in the Netherlands
Our whole group right before leaving the Magic Kingdom the last night
Sunday, January 11, 2009
always changing
Not quite half way through the month yet, and we're off with a bang! I love that life is always changing, never stagnant. It certainly doesn't leave much time for getting bored, but it does give a lot of opportunity for a little learning and growing.
Adrienne has been doing quite a bit of the latter over the past few weeks. She hit the 8 month mark yesterday, and she has made it clear that the sedentary lifestyle is no longer for her. In fact, crawling isn't for her either. Instead she would evidently prefer to move straight on to walking, leaving the tedious hands and knees part for some other 8 month old to figure out. I can see the frustration in her eyes when she lays on her stomach, refusing to push those knees up under her, waiting for someone to come close so that she can grasp on to hands or clothing and pull herself up. Once she's got a set of fingers, she's off. I'm totally on board with her plan, but unfortunately, I think the "you can't walk before you crawl" maxim isn't going to leave her exempt. I know she will learn eventually, but I hate having to watch her struggle, when I know exactly what it is she wants: mobility! Here is a picture of her doing what she loves best.
On another front, I got the exciting news this week that I'm now officially Angie Luce. It took only 6 1/2 years for me to make it to the social security office to get my name changed on my social security card, but since we had to go in to get Adrienne's, I finally took the plunge. As it turns out, the hassle was entirely in getting Adrienne's card, while mine was a cinch. We're still waiting to see if Adrienne's will go through, but in the mean time, my card came on Friday and Nathan decided that the most practical (and fun) way of disposing of the old card would be to burn it.
Turns out the paper is actually fire resistant, and it took some real effort on his part to get that thing burning!
Another item of change this past week had to do with the girls' health, which went from good to bad very quickly! I took Adrienne to the doctor Monday morning, and when Marianna woke up looking like this on Friday, I decided it was time to take her as well.
In the past three years, I had only been to one sick visit to the doctor previous to this week, but we're out of town next week and I wanted to try and get rid of the gunk if at all possible before we leave. Both girls had minor ear infections due to the congestion that had built up, and both antibiotics are knocking out each respective infection just as we hoped.
And that brings me to the last item that has been occupying our time and attention. We are going to Disney World on Tuesday! Marianna is pretty much beside herself with excitement, but truth be told, so are Nathan and I. We are going to hit all four parks over five days, and to put it mildly, we are pumped! I welcome any helpful hints you may have to offer as I begin packing for the trip this afternoon. I haven't been in over 10 years, and Nathan can't even remember the one time he went, so I know the park has done some changing. We won't see it all, but we're sure going to try.
Adrienne has been doing quite a bit of the latter over the past few weeks. She hit the 8 month mark yesterday, and she has made it clear that the sedentary lifestyle is no longer for her. In fact, crawling isn't for her either. Instead she would evidently prefer to move straight on to walking, leaving the tedious hands and knees part for some other 8 month old to figure out. I can see the frustration in her eyes when she lays on her stomach, refusing to push those knees up under her, waiting for someone to come close so that she can grasp on to hands or clothing and pull herself up. Once she's got a set of fingers, she's off. I'm totally on board with her plan, but unfortunately, I think the "you can't walk before you crawl" maxim isn't going to leave her exempt. I know she will learn eventually, but I hate having to watch her struggle, when I know exactly what it is she wants: mobility! Here is a picture of her doing what she loves best.
On another front, I got the exciting news this week that I'm now officially Angie Luce. It took only 6 1/2 years for me to make it to the social security office to get my name changed on my social security card, but since we had to go in to get Adrienne's, I finally took the plunge. As it turns out, the hassle was entirely in getting Adrienne's card, while mine was a cinch. We're still waiting to see if Adrienne's will go through, but in the mean time, my card came on Friday and Nathan decided that the most practical (and fun) way of disposing of the old card would be to burn it.
Turns out the paper is actually fire resistant, and it took some real effort on his part to get that thing burning!
Another item of change this past week had to do with the girls' health, which went from good to bad very quickly! I took Adrienne to the doctor Monday morning, and when Marianna woke up looking like this on Friday, I decided it was time to take her as well.
In the past three years, I had only been to one sick visit to the doctor previous to this week, but we're out of town next week and I wanted to try and get rid of the gunk if at all possible before we leave. Both girls had minor ear infections due to the congestion that had built up, and both antibiotics are knocking out each respective infection just as we hoped.
And that brings me to the last item that has been occupying our time and attention. We are going to Disney World on Tuesday! Marianna is pretty much beside herself with excitement, but truth be told, so are Nathan and I. We are going to hit all four parks over five days, and to put it mildly, we are pumped! I welcome any helpful hints you may have to offer as I begin packing for the trip this afternoon. I haven't been in over 10 years, and Nathan can't even remember the one time he went, so I know the park has done some changing. We won't see it all, but we're sure going to try.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Moon Sand Mania...
quickly devolves into "Houston, we have a problem!"
Marianna has been intrigued with the idea of Moon Sand since seeing the glitzy mini-informercial on TV, so she was allowed to earn it by sleeping in her bed all night (as opposed to sneaking down to the floor of ours between the hours of 3-5 as she's been in the habit of doing as of late). Today was the big day she got to bring it out for the first time, but I've got to admit, the contents were more than a little disappointing to us both. The pristine castles and amazing solar systems advertised on the commercial were a far cry from the pile of colored sand we found in front of us.
"Easy clean up" is printed in bold on the packaging.
I guess "easy clean up" is a very subjective idea.
It's my hope that some of you who have only toyed with the thought of bringing some moon sand into your home might read this and reconsider. Buy some playdough instead...same idea with much more productive results!
Marianna has been intrigued with the idea of Moon Sand since seeing the glitzy mini-informercial on TV, so she was allowed to earn it by sleeping in her bed all night (as opposed to sneaking down to the floor of ours between the hours of 3-5 as she's been in the habit of doing as of late). Today was the big day she got to bring it out for the first time, but I've got to admit, the contents were more than a little disappointing to us both. The pristine castles and amazing solar systems advertised on the commercial were a far cry from the pile of colored sand we found in front of us.
"Easy clean up" is printed in bold on the packaging.
I guess "easy clean up" is a very subjective idea.
It's my hope that some of you who have only toyed with the thought of bringing some moon sand into your home might read this and reconsider. Buy some playdough instead...same idea with much more productive results!
New Year, New Things
It's a New Year! So far ours hasn't ushered in anything more exciting that pink eye (me), fluid build up in ears (Adrienne), two top teeth for a total of six (Adrienne), some chocolate fondue (Nathan and me) and lots of family time (all of us); a little excitement, a little fun, and a little yuck. Probably a good indicator of the mixture of things still to come for the rest of 2009.
I love the new beginning each new year brings, and though I have to admit I didn't make one specific resolution, I am excited about what the year will hold. I know last year was BIG, but I don't think that means this one is pre-destined to be boring. I have two sweet, beautiful girls, a husband I am crazy about, and two dogs who at least most of the time add to our lives as much as they take away due to bad behavior. I'd say that's a formula for another pretty incredible year, one I'm excited about living!
One change I'm instituting right away has to do with the blog. I'm not going to change the domain name because I still want people to be able to come and read about Poppy and her life, but for all practical purposes, this will now be my family blog. Not that it hasn't been the case for the past year, but I guess I'm making it official. The big and the trivial, as long as it relates to life in our little family, will be fair game.
So here's to a new year, with possibilities that I can't even begin to guess. I am hoping for some things: a first step, a first word, first time riding alone on a bike, first time as a family to Disney, first time to run a 5k in under 26 minutes, but beyond that, who can say? All I can say is that God knows it all, and that is enough for me.
I wish you all a wonderful new beginning!
Love,
Angie
I love the new beginning each new year brings, and though I have to admit I didn't make one specific resolution, I am excited about what the year will hold. I know last year was BIG, but I don't think that means this one is pre-destined to be boring. I have two sweet, beautiful girls, a husband I am crazy about, and two dogs who at least most of the time add to our lives as much as they take away due to bad behavior. I'd say that's a formula for another pretty incredible year, one I'm excited about living!
One change I'm instituting right away has to do with the blog. I'm not going to change the domain name because I still want people to be able to come and read about Poppy and her life, but for all practical purposes, this will now be my family blog. Not that it hasn't been the case for the past year, but I guess I'm making it official. The big and the trivial, as long as it relates to life in our little family, will be fair game.
So here's to a new year, with possibilities that I can't even begin to guess. I am hoping for some things: a first step, a first word, first time riding alone on a bike, first time as a family to Disney, first time to run a 5k in under 26 minutes, but beyond that, who can say? All I can say is that God knows it all, and that is enough for me.
I wish you all a wonderful new beginning!
Love,
Angie
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