10th Anniversary Pictures

My Uncle and Aunt are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary this month and while we were at the lake I took some pictures for them. I love how they turned out even though it was a bit sunny.

So what do you think? Our lake is so gorgeous; we are blessed!

This is Life

People can actually say that this is not a baby. 

That this is not life.

That this is a growth.

Is that what this looks like to you??!!

I am heartbroken when I think of all the babies who die everyday.

These babies are real.

These babies have hearts.

These babies have souls.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I didn't think our town was very big in the way of abortion.

I knew it happened at that dark, dismal place.

But I didn't know how bad it was.

In our own town.

Until one day,

My Mom came home from a dinner hosted by our local pregnancy care group.

And she told me.

Between 25 and 30 babies are killed every week.

In our own town.

Really??

Should this be happening??

NO!!!

But it is.

And it is something we need to fight.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Every few months, I give money to the previously mentioned pregnancy group.

Could I use this money in other ways?

Yes.

But this is more important.

More important then that new book.

More important then that new cd.

More important then that new outfit.

This is fighting for life.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I pray on Thursdays and Fridays,

when my town does abortions.

I am praying for life.

~~~~~~~~~~~

My family does the lifeWALK.

It's only two miles long.

Yet...

We are walking for life.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Life...

Life...

Life...

This is Life.

Will you help me battle?

Baby-sitting: A Blessing?

*Written in March 2010* 

Knock, knock. Running feet. A four-year-old opening the door. "Hi, Lindsey" The three-year-old running up with a hug ready. "Hi Lindsey" Then the sound of the little just-turned-one feet coming around the corner with his arms held high. This is what greeted me yesterday, around 3 months after my first baby-sitting job. When I'm with these three, I see life through their eyes. The fun of the sandbox. The delicate balance between swinging high and being too far off the ground. And with this happiness, I firmly believe that every girl should baby-sit.

    Some girls say the don't have enough time. Some say they don't know how to watch a little kid but three? Forget it! A sad fact is that some girls even consider children a pain. What kind of Mothers will these girls be when they grow up? Will they know how to take care of a house or will they know how to cook? Babysitting is a good start.

    When baby-sitting, it prepares you to watch children. You might be a teacher someday, or a nurse, and you need to know how to take care of little children and know how to respond to their feelings. You also learn how to take care of a house with a baby on your hip and how to engage a toddler in a pick-up game. And then there's nap-time. You learn to prioritize during nap-time (or rest-time) and you will be amazed by how much you can get done!

    My favorite part of baby-sitting is bonding with the children you watch. It's so fun to walk into a room and see a little round face grinning at you through the bars of his crib. Just having the little ones hug you is cute. I love it when they're talking and then they glance up to make sure you're still listening. Yup. I'm still here. I love being accepted by children; they have such an innocent trust.

    The blessings are so great when you baby-sit. You bless the mothers by giving them a bit of quiet in their otherwise-hectic days. You bless the children by giving them a new friend and by showing them you care. And you yourself are blessed, through blessing others. "It is more blessed to give then to receive"

    Mothers love to discover good Christian baby-sitters that they can trust and whom their precious children love. I adore my little 'children' and love being able to see them a lot. Don't you think you should give baby-sitting a try?