From the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Pediatrics, put together by Michael F. Wagnitz, chemist.
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• 0.5 parts per billion (ppb) mercury = Kills human neuroblastoma cells (Parran et al., Toxicol Sci 2005; 86: 132-140).
• 2 ppb mercury = U.S. EPA limit for drinking water http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html#mcls
• 20 ppb mercury = Neurite membrane structure destroyed (Leong et al., Neuroreport 2001; 12: 733-37).
• 200 ppb mercury = level in liquid the EPA classifies as hazardous waste. http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/regs.htm#hazwaste
• 25,000 ppb mercury = Concentration of mercury in the Hepatitis B vaccine, administered at birth in the U.S., from 1990-2001.
• 50,000 ppb Mercury = Concentration of mercury in multi-dose DTaP and Haemophilus B vaccine vials, administered 4 times each in the 1990’s to children at 2, 4, 6, 12 and 18 months of age. Current “preservative” level mercury in multi-dose flu (94% of supply), meningococcal and tetanus (7 and older) vaccines. This can be confirmed by simply analyzing the multi- dose vials.

Conflict of Interest:
Father of a child labeled as autistic

Originally published March 2008

Tags: idiocy, vaccines

• Spence discovered a set of wooden crafts (airplane, train and truck) in the basement.  He and Chase have been quiet for hours putting them together and painting.
• Spence was in the basement because we were down there hurriedly moving boxes and bins away from the water showering from the ceiling.
• There was water showing from the ceiling because we ran the washing machine for the first time this morning before realizing the drain hose hadn’t been connected.
• It was the first time we ran the washing machine because we got a new one.  And a new dryer.
• We got a new washer and dryer because the ‘wonderful’ and ’so cool’ front-loader washer we had made everything smell like mold.  Note: if you have a front loader, be sure to leave the door open between loads to allow it to dry out.  Running an empty load of hot bleach water every so often doesn’t hurt either.
• I know this because I Googled the mold problem… AFTER I had the mold problem.
• I also learned that everyone LOVES their front loader… at least for the first year.  Until they have a mold issue.
• So now we have an old school top loading washer, and I am so happy.
• And a clean laundry, kitchen and hall floor, since 2 inches of water were mopped up.  
• School was postponed due to severe flooding.

• Church on Sunday was moved to 4:30 pm.
• This is really neat for several reasons.  One, we can enjoy a leisurely morning if we want.  Getting 6 children out the door (clothed, fed, and hair combed) by 9 am was manageable, but certainly not restful.
• Two, we can visit other churches if we want.  We did yesterday and it was wonderful to be in fellowship with those around us.  It was another church in Flint, just down the road from where we meet.  Some familiar faces, mostly new faces.
• Three, most people don’t have much going on Sunday evenings, so there is a possibility they can come now.

• I lost my arm.
• Well, I actually lost my laptop, but it’s technically the same thing.
• Well, I actually didn’t ‘lose’ it.  I forgot it somewhere.  I know where I forgot it, so I will get it back.  But it feels lost.
• So I can’t get email.  I can still get online (obviously) but to do so I am tied to the desktop computer.  Kind of like going back to those phones with the cord… Remember those???

• While digging around in some unpacked boxes looking for something else, I found Carmen’s old push toy/walking aid.
• We cleaned it up for Callahan and he is now unstoppable.
• He trots full speed around the house, turning and backing up like a pro.
• If his wheel does happen to get hung up on something or something blocks his way, he will screech at top volume to notify all within 5 miles that he needs assistance.
• If you are the one to come running to help him, you will be rewarded by a huge grin and happy shriek.

Tags: children, homelife

Sometimes I get easily bogged down by what I wish would’ve happened, instead of what actually happened, even if the reality of it wasn’t that bad.

Sometimes I spend too much time dreaming of what would be really cool, instead of appreciating what already is really cool.

Sometimes I remain awake at night for far too long due to a mind full of shoulda woulda couldas.

Sometimes I regret what I shouldn’t and don’t regret what I should.

Sometimes I float along too far on the side of grace.

Sometimes I flail around too far on the side of responsibility.

Sometimes I confuse sanctification with salvation.

Sometimes I focus too much on what I should say, how I should look, or who I should be instead of simply being in the moment.

Sometimes I am too wrapped up in myself to be looking for ways to bless others.

Sometimes I realize these things, but all too often… I don’t.

Tags: presuppositions, spirituality

One of the local radio stations we listen to while driving has a daily “Better Marriage Minute” by Mark Gungor.  He travels and gives seminars focusing on (you guessed it) marriage, with a lot of humor thrown in.  I’ve always enjoyed these 60 second clips of his seminars, as they are usually funny.  Some are quite thought provoking.

One I heard last week has stayed on my mind.  He was talking about the general trend towards our society has for putting off marriage until their very late twenties and into their thirties.  He didn’t go into the reasons for this.  His concern was the drastic effect this has had, and will continue to have, on the extended family relationships.

As couples wait longer to marry, they therefore have children later.  What this means is that by the time they do have children, the grandparents are past the age where they can fully enjoy them and be a part of their lives.

I can agree wholeheartedly with him in saying that grandparents are one of the biggest blessings of family.   They offer a special relationship that children thrive in.  But within only two generations, that aspect of family can be effectively wiped out.

Robb and I married very young, and began having children young.  Our own children dearly love their grandparents and value their time with them in an irreplaceable way.  I cannot imagine not having them be an active part of our family.

Yes, I know not everyone can marry young, is meant to marry young, or even should marry young.  But I have to agree with Mark Gungor that the overall trend towards marrying later is not necessarily a healthy trend.  

The reasons may be many and varied, but most are not free from selfishness or even based on a consistent trust in a sovereign God.

The loss of active, involved grandparents is just one modern day tragedy, but perhaps one of the greatest.

Originally published March 2008

Tags: family, marriage

“Mom, Carmen says she is the Boss of everyone and everything in this house.  Is that true?”

Oh, brother.

Cruiz, Skylar and Carmen were at the kitchen table all awaiting for my answer.  They know how I just love to be a part of these conversations.  Especially before my first cup of coffee.

“Oh, yes!” I answered.  “Daddy and I have to run everything by her first before we make any decisions.”

Skylar grinned.  Carmen and Cruiz gaped at me with huge eyes.

There was a long silence.  Then…

“See?!” said Carmen smugly.

……………………………………………………………..

We were in the van the other day.  Callahan was loudly protesting the inhumane practice known as infant car seats.

Cruiz leaned over and patted him, saying in a sweet sing-song voice,
“Shut up sugar-boy Callahan”.

*Originally published May 2008

Tags: children

Chase took hunter’s safety last weekend with his Grandpa. His cousin and uncle also were there. They spent Friday evening and all day Saturday in the classes, and all seemed to enjoy their time.

Skylar is enjoying her parakeet. He spends most of the day perched on her shoulder, and I have to remind her to allow him time in his cage so he can eat!

Cruiz is turning seven in just over a week. She amuses us with her imaginary conversations on her (broken) mobile phone, and already spends way too much time in front of the mirror in the mornings.

Carmen woke up one morning as a slender young lady full of conversation. Where did the dimply little imp go? You catch a glimpse of her now and then in her mischievous eyes.

Spence still turns everything into some sort of vehicle with a loud motor. He gallops around the house, making engine noises, completely in his own little world. He made the mistake last week of hiding on his mother and not answering her increasingly worried calls. The last I had seen him was outside, when I called everyone in for nap time. I began to imagine the worst when he was nowhere to be found after several minutes. You can imagine my relief and extreme irritation when I found him hunkered down behind his bedroom door.

Callahan will be one year old in a couple of weeks! He is eating us out of house and home. He shows absolutely no interest in walking, and expresses great outrage when I attempt to “walk” with him by holding his hands (although he will push around a chair himself). We sure did name him appropriately, as he is definitely our little Irishman - either a jolly leprechaun or fighting mad. There is no in between for this little guy.

Tags: children

Callahan looked older somehow this morning. How do children DO that??? It’s kind of unsettling.

Had a conversation with a mom of teens and young twenties this morning, about how the worrying and work doesn’t end as your children grow, it just changes. I mentioned that maybe it seems somehow worse because when they’re little, you have some sort of control (or at least the semblance of some control). But when they are becoming adults you are under no illusion that you’re in control - you just have to watch them make mistakes and figure stuff out. She said I couldn’t have said it any better. I said it’s just crazy how they have the gall to actually believe they can think for themselves. Ha.

I am thankful for other Godly parents to look to. Maybe by the time our kids are getting to those ages, they’ll share some words of wisdom with us.

Last weekend as Robb and I were getting gas, we watched with interest another couple at the pump next to us. She was driving, and he was slouched down in the passenger seat. Judging by his ugly expression, he spoke to her with quite a bit of irritation and disrespect as she dug around for money. He then proceeded to text someone on his phone in the warmth of the car, as she went in to pay and then pump gas.

Robb wanted to punch the guy, as we began to assume he was some kind of lazy bum without a job taking advantage of a sweetheart with a good paycheck and car. I wanted to hug her and tell her she didn’t need to give her life to such an undeserving idiot.

So, yeah, we were assuming quite a bit. Jumping to a lot of conclusions. But the obvious distaste they held for each other was so heartbreaking.

I did suggest that perhaps they were brother and sister. To which Robb replied he still needed to be taken down a peg or two. Agreed.

Skylar has named the bird Blue Bell. He rides on her shoulder most of the day, and eats happily from the hands of all the children. He really is a happy little thing, if one can judge those things on an expressionless parakeet.

Every week I go on a date with one of the children.  A little one-on-one time!  I had talked about doing that for ages, but one thing or another just made it difficult.  So.

Last week Chase chose to eat at Sonic and catch a movie at the theater.  We had some time before the movie started, so we went to Old Navy and found some shirts in the clearance section for him.

This week was Skylar’s turn.  She chose to eat at Red Robin, and was thrilled to be able to get the bottomless Raspberry Limeade instead of the usual mandatory water.  Afterwards, we made a stop at Hobby Lobby’s bead section, then ended the date at PetSmart to purchase a parakeet.

See, we had bought her a beautiful birdcage for her birthday, back in February.  So she has been waiting patiently since then for a little pet to make it a home.

She chose a beautiful blue parakeet, who already hops on her finger and rides around on her shoulder.  He’s a friendly little fella, and we are hoping the naysayer at the uppity bird store we first visited is wrong and he sticks around for a long time!

Tags: family, homelife

Posting about Family Nights has slipped through the cracks, I guess.  We have been enjoying them though!

This Monday we had an Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage with an old Irish bread recipe.  Barm breck, or something like that.  We watched a movie afterwards.

The week before that, Family Night was somewhat of a slumber party theme.  We all wore our pajamas while eating dinner.  We played games afterward, one of them being a silly one called Pillow Toss.  I wrote a variety of random things on small slips of paper (things like dance a jig, pretend you’re a horse, sing a song) and stuffed them inside a pillow.  We passed around the pillow and whoever had it when the rhyme ended had to pull out a paper and do whatever it said on it.

The week before that we had a normal supper, and then did a craft afterwards.  In honor of the upcoming holiday, we decorated small wooden shamrocks with glitter and various little plastic Irish doodads.

I think that brings us up-to-date!

Tags: Family Night