Pages

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Young, Single & Sterilized


A friend recently pointed out an interesting article published in a popular British women's magazine. In it, several women in their 20s discuss their reasons for getting sterilized at such a young age. The most popular? They didn't want to be bothered with the responsibility of children.


The most popular place to get sterilized in Britain is the Marie Stopes International clinic, named for a Nazi eugenicist who believed in forced abortions and sterilization for non-whites and those of "bad character."


Read the full article here: http://freespeech.vo.llnwd.net/o25/pub/pp/images/september2008/sterilise.pdf

Anyways, this article stirred up a lot of feelings in me. The women interviewed said they never wanted to be a mom, even when they were little.Neither did I. I always played secretary, or outside, or anything to do with a job and career. I hated playing house when forced, and even when I grew older, I never had an overwhelming desire to have children. I can understand a little of what these girls are thinking.

But the similarities end there. The girls talk of children as if they were parasites or a disease. What cracks me up is how they thought they knew at 18 exactly what they were going to want for the rest of their lives.

I know not everyone wants children, and I think that is perfectly okay. I don't think every woman was made to be a mother. What bothers me is the general disdain this article has for life, as if hooking up with good-looking strangers (prevalent in modern British culture) is all there is to it, and how dare any innocent baby stand in the way of wild and strings-free sex.

I had huge plans before I had Jack, and I still do. He has definitely changed them, but I have GROWN so much since becoming a mother. My focus has shifted away from me and onto someone else. Motherhood is the most selfless adventure I've ever undertaken.

How sad that a few British women can influence other young girls around them to view that selflessness as a weakening, a thing to be avoided at all costs, and put the idol of self-love in its place.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Help me understand



All right, people. I need some help from you. In this election, I've heard from Christians who are voting for McCain. I know Christians who are voting for Obama. And I need genuine help understanding something.


Here's my conundrum: I have a professor from Northwest whom I love dearly. She is a fit, petite, Jazzercise-loving southerner who really changed my life when I was in Seattle. She is a liberal Democrat and she loves Jesus, and she's not afraid to boldy proclaim her radically different beliefs to anyone who will listen. She is a die-hard feminist and Bush-hater. She is single and likes it that way. She has a huge heart and challenged me and my writing, and I think I am a better person for knowing her.

The problem? I don't understand how she can rail against Sarah Palin and John McCain like she does. She says that if God triumphs, Obama will win. She says that Republicans don't practice what they preach, and Jesus reigns when Obama is up in the polls.

And it's not just her. I know women -- Christian women -- who love Obama. But I truly, genuinely want to know, how can they vote for someone who voted against a law giving aborted babies medical care when they're born alive? I'm not being sarcastic at all. I want to know, how can they vote for a man who questions the validity of certain books of the Bible, and mocks certain verses as not having relevance for today? How can they justify putting someone in office who sees no problem with meeting with terrorists? I don't get it.

Since only family reads this blog, does anyone have any ideas? I don't love McCain, but I truly want to hear from Christians who are voting for Obama and why. Do you guys have any input?

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Jets and Me


Today was the big bi-annual air show at the base. It was fun seeing all the jets up close, especially the ones Nick works on. It's always been a life goal of mine to get my private pilot's license, and now I am so freshly motivated! I totally want to do it. I even went in an F-15 simulator. Bring on the MIGs, baby! Ok, maybe not...
Jack and I went with my friends Kasey and Josh and their twins Chloe and Isabelle and 4-week-old Tyce. Don't worry, all parties involved had plenty of ear protection.
Here we are in the general's private jet. Izzy said to smile big, so we obliged.

Jack's thinking, "I could get used to this."

Izzy and Jack. The twins are quite the baby commandeers.

Kasey is a lot of fun. Her husband Josh served as my bellhop all day, pushing not one but TWO strollers and carrying whatever baby happened to be closest. Thanks, Josh. :-)

Jack climbed his first cargo net inside a C-130 named Christine. The crew chief was eyeing me warily the whole time.

For all you civilians out there, F-15s and 22 Raptors and all the other jets are REALLY REALLY LOUD when they fly by. Check out Jack's stylish ear protection.

As you can tell, those balls of wax work really well. Jack was out after the first couple of passes!

Here's a not-the-best video of a simulated battle. They did a couple of strafing runs, which you can see. The whole time, as they were explaining the capabilities of the jets, I kept thinking how glad I would be if I were Army or Marine and looked up in the sky to see these guys. It's incredible what these planes and pilots can do -- they are SO well trained, and I know how complicated the parts that Nick works on are.

I felt so proud to be an Air Force wife, and so proud of what Nick does. Yes, he's in Guam, not Iraq. And I know these piddly 4.5 months are nothing compared to what Army and MC wives go through. But they're HARD. I've given up a lot of wonderful things -- anniversaries, time with Nick and Jack as a family, companionship, physical help and a mechanical brain, etc. -- when Nick deploys. And I know he's just a little cog in the giant AF wheel. But maybe as a wife, I've given up my husband for a little bit so some other wife on the other side of the world can enjoy her husband for a lifetime.

And I feel better, and stronger, and prouder of my life than I've ever been.