Reading to Junior

Indulge me, please

Last night during the debate, Vice President Biden said something that I feel compelled to write about. It's a stale tidbit, stated in the public square ad nauseum, and aside from personally driving me up a wall, it illustrates the extent to which our culture has become hard-hearted.

Biden said something along the lines of, "I accept the Catholic Church's position on abortion 'de fidei,' but I will not impose my faith on Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. who disagree with my faith."

Aside from the shoddy reasoning (since we "impose" our beliefs on others about all kinds of morality through our laws), the proponents of this line show a stunning lack of mercy. Sure I believe that the fetus is a human being, like my church does, but who am I to tell others that human life in the womb should be protected by law? Can you imagine using this line of reasoning in another way, like, Sure I believe toddlers are human beings, but who am I to tell others they deserve protection by the law?

VP Biden actually conceded that fetuses are human beings. I so wish Paul Ryan had pressed him on this. Wait, you say you believe life begins at conception... we're talking about whether our laws should protect a tiny human life, not whether or not to ban extra large sodas... don't you think you should feel some urgency about this? So you're saying women reserve the right to wipe out the lives that aren't wanted?

I always come back to slavery, because it's a evil that quickly appeals to our modern sense of justice. Don't you think there must have been so many people who loathed the idea of slavery, but because of fear or political gain or cowardice they refused to push their "personal morality" on the public? We naturally recoil at such hypocrisy when it is exposed.  I'm convinced abortion is the slavery of our day, albeit a silent, hidden one. It's all around us, heralded as a woman's hard-won right by the extremists (Nancy Keenan at the DNC, anyone?), and permitted as a necessary evil by the lukewarm, meanwhile keeping the money flowing to powerful lobbies.

So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth (Rev. 3:16). Why not just join the camp of "It's not a person yet; personhood begins at blah blah blah" rather than claiming to stand with the Catholic Church on abortion and then not? Be cold or be hot. Don't pretend to be both. People like Joe Biden, who on weighty issues that have to do with the direct killing of human life (or so he states) fear taking their positions to a logical conclusion, are allowed to be comfortable living out a contradiction as long as no one presses them in public. Opportunity lost, Paul Ryan.

Thanks for indulging my indignation.

Please pray for a dear relative of the Farrs who just got diagnosed with breast cancer, that her path to a cure is as smooth and painless as possible.

And to add a little mirth to your day, watch this.

Introducing...

...the newest member of the Cook family:

Christopher Fish Cook

 Christopher hails from our local Petco. A big shout out to Aunt Natalie for bestowing on us this colorful new member of the family!

School notes

The first day of school seems to have been enjoyable. She must have been a little preoccupied, given that she didn't eat her beloved fruit snacks at lunch! Much was covered in the academics department, and we're slowly working our way through the material, trying not to make kindergarten seem tedious to Frankie in the process. This is an ambitious program, complete with Latin, History, Geography, Catechism, Grammar, Science, Music and Handwriting...I'm probably missing a few subjects. Oh, and I'm reading The Hobbit to her.  She's five years old. But I'm trying not to stress over any of this. There's only so much a 5 year old can absorb, and only so much I can physically go through with her. It's great material, and Frankie's a quick, diligent student, making my job pretty easy.  

Can you take a picture of us all wearing jeans?

Do prints look good on me, Mommy?

David has started putting sentences together of late. Usually imperatives, like, "Ice cream today, Mommy." 

Bye!

Frankie's first day of school

I'm anxious to hear how it goes today. Frankie was ready to go with her handwriting book, pencil case, bright pink recorder, notebook, lunch and snack. Ahh school days. 

She looks so little!

The younger students standing on their nametags during the morning assembly...Frankie is in the far back unfortunately.

And some recent photos of Cook family doings:

The Littles together. 

Pushups during the Notre Dame/Navy game.

Daddy and Rose having some fun.

We'll let you know how school went. Happy fall!

While we're harvesting...

...we might as well show you our stumpy little carrots.
Frankie and Teresa surreptitiously dug them up this morning.

"Surprise Mom!" Hm. I think they could have used a little more time in the dirt. 

Too bad we can't use these bountiful greens!


I guess we'll have a modest salad tonight.

New beginnings

"Surprise Mom!" A basement banquet. Pretty creative decorating if you ask me. 

This fall marks the beginning of a new era in our household. Francesca will begin school officially on Monday, Sept. 17, one full day a week. The rest of the week I'll be working with her on the topics broached during her school day. It's a little like a homeschool co-op, with heavy parental involvement, but taught by "mentors," not parents. It will be an experiment! In any case, our little social butterfly is bursting with enthusiasm at the prospect of a whole day at school with her lunchbox, backpack, pencil case and uniform. 

Leftovers from a fall craft. Not a bad centerpiece though?

The craft: a fall wreath (Teresa's). Check out Enchanted Learning for great craft ideas!

Harvesting the raspberry crop.

Practicing camera techniques on the beauty berries.

The Marigolds are bursting, and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is tomorrow. How appropriate! 

The last two pumpkins in our patch, sigh.

We'll report back on school in the coming weeks. In the meantime, go Irish, beat Boilermakers!