Category Archives: Memes and Link-Ups

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 4, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 4, 2013

Outside my window… dark. It’s only 6:30 but it’s better than it getting dark at 4:30 like it did a few months ago.

I am thinking… about the storms that they claim are coming in. Are they exaggerating or are we due for some catch-up for the rain that has been lacking?

I am thankful… for Daniel napping and for being done with the Proverbs 31 Project so I can get back to doing this meme.

In the kitchen… nothing at the moment. Pasta salad for the midweek Lenten supper come Wednesday.

I am wearing… my shirt from the Run for Courage and black shorts.

I am creating… afghan squares when my hands and wrists allow it. (It’s one of my Lenten disciplines and I’m doing badly at it because my hands have been achy.)

I am going… to hope that Edda decides to stop standing in front of my laptop screen. *looks sternly at Edda*

I am wondering… when this stupid cold will go away.

I am reading… The Alpine Xanadu by Mary Daheim — I’m re-reading it actually.

I am hoping… I sleep tonight.

I am looking forward to… Ladies’ Night Out tomorrow night and I’m hoping that people got the memo about the night being changed.

Around the house… *ignores the question*

I am pondering… various things internally.

One of my favorite things… ginger ale when my stomach is irritated.

A few plans for the rest of the week: working on editing devotions, Ladies’ Night Out, and whatever else comes up.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Fundraising, English Folk Songs, and Political Grumping

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Kaia’s Kindergarten Fund. We have a fundraiser starting today over at Saving Kaia called Kaia’s Kindergarten Fund. Click on the link for more details.

— 2 —

English folk music. Daniel was banging his snack container in a certain rhythm today and the English folk song “Dashing Away With the Smoothing Iron” came to mind so I looked up the words and sang it to him.

He managed to keep banging in almost perfect rhythm.

— 3 —

Dancers. For those of you who know Elizabeth Esther, her daughter Jewel and her ballet team made it to the finals for the Grand Prix in New York City. The team has to raise $15000 for the housing, fees, and transportation. They’ve currently (as I’m typing this) raised $2640 and they have 22 more days to do this. Can you spare a few bucks?

— 4 —

Lent Madness. I have to say that Lent Madness is amusing me greatly. It’s been enjoyable to see who wins each day. Granted, my bracket is screwed up because Ignatius of Antioch beat Ignatius of Loyola; but the parody account that it spawned is amusing. The post answering criticisms of the SEC (Super Executive Committee) is even well-done. Episcopal Church for the win!

— 5 —

The end of a era. I watched Pope (now Pope Emeritus) Benedict XVI leaving the Vatican today, getting on his helicopter, and saying “good night” to the people at Castel Gadolfo. While I wasn’t amused when he was chosen as Pope (he has a history of calling people like me “heretics” in his pre-papal life), I respected him because of his office and I will admit that I was watching all of this happen this morning completely stunned.

Thank you to Good Day Sacramento for showing all of it without making any snarky remarks and getting a *real* Monsignor to do commentary. Next time, however, please refrain from stalking the bishop while he’s celebrating Mass. 🙂 (They did refrain from actually bringing cameras in and interrupting.)

— 6 —

Fantasy Conclave. I did enter in a guess for Fantasy Conclave though I’ll be *incredibly* surprised if I’m right. There’s also an opportunity for people to adopt a cardinal and pray for them throughout the conclave. For my Protestant readers, it would be a nice thing to do, especially as the choosing of the new Pope affects us ecumenically. I got Cardinal Angelo Scola. Truth be told, I’d rather be praying for Jason Motte (closing pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals) but Cardinal Scola looks interesting.

— 7 —

Politics. If anyone needs suggestions for lay-offs for the sequester, I can think of 535 people to lay off first…

Seriously y’all in DC, I don’t give a rat’s behind who comes up with the best plan — pretend you actually meant all those promises you made about being bipartisan when you ran for election and COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T SCREW OVER THE COUNTRY!!!!!!

*steps off the soapbox*

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

6 Quick Takes: Things I Hadn’t Realized I Had Given Up for Lent

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7 Quick Takes

Daniel came home from school grumpy and coughing on Tuesday… and had a febrile seizure in my lap at 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday. I found myself making a 2 a.m. ER run this morning (Thursday) and sobbing all the way up because I was feeling so alone in dealing with Daniel’s illness. (His fever had spiked and gone down by the time we got to the ER thanks to the Tylenol/Ibuprofen combo the on-call doctor told me to give him.) He’s doing fine now but I’m exhausted and having blogger’s block. For this reason, you’re going to get a light-hearted set of Quick Takes this week.

Don’t forget to go love on Brett and Kaia.

— 1 —

Sleep. I’m a night owl by nature but the last week has been harsher than usual in terms of insomnia. I’m having sore joints, headaches, and neck pain because I’m so tired but none of it is helping me sleep better. I need my NP to call in some Trazadone for me or something. Then again, I might sleep well tonight given how long I was up yesterday.

— 2 —

Coffee. OK… so technically I haven’t quite given this one up. I’m having to cut down on it because I can only drink it with milk and I keep forgetting that I’m lactose-intolerant. This doesn’t work well for my stomach. I can also only drink my lattés cold because the hot milk actually does worse things to my stomach that lactase pills don’t even cover.

— 3 —

Having unscratched arms. The house panther likes to lie across my chest and rest her front paws on my left arm. The only problem: it had been a while since her last mani-pedi. She got one on Monday night so all the scratches on my arms are healing and largely scabbed over. (Yeah, I know you love that picture.)

— 4 —

Patience with stupid people. OK… I actually never had this but fasting makes me crankier and less inclined to put up with stupid remarks. No… it would not be good if the next pope is from Africa so you can call their critics “racists”. No, Benedict XVI is not retiring to avoid arrest on child rape charges stemming from the sex abuse scandals all over the world. No, the meteor in Russia was not a result of Americans trying to prove global warming. [sarcasm] Why yes, the supermajority in California was a direct result of vote tampering. How did you know? [/sarcasm]

— 5 —

My ability to come up with Quick Takes. Writing these is like pulling teeth. It might be the extreme sleep deprivation, the lack of a life I’ve had this week, or the current phase of the moon. In any case, it’s irritating.

— 6 —

The show Hart of Dixie. I’m woefully behind (it competes with two other shows I watch) and yet I haven’t made an effort to catch up on episodes since December. It might be that I’m irritated that Zoe is settling for Wade or something else — I’m not entirely sure.

OK… there is no seventh Quick Take. I need sleep.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

7 Quick Takes: Great Big Sea, Ashes, and Baseball

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Another former WBC member. I have so much hope for my generation now that another former Westboro Baptist person is speaking out. Lauren Drain posed for the NOH8 campaign, had an AMA on Reddit, and has a book out next month on her experiences. I’m hoping it will be available for NOOK.

— 2 —

Great Big Sea. I can’t remember if I saw this on Facebook or on someone’s blog or what. It’s a version of “Children, Go Where I Send Thee” called “Come and I Will Sing You”. My husband Jon remembers singing it at Boy Scout camp. I love this YouTube video because it’s the guys of Great Big Sea doing it acoustically with just a bodhran and shakers for instruments… outside in the middle of a snow storm. You can tell they’re having fun and getting into the jamming session.

— 3 —

Ash Wednesday worship. I had to deal with the Social Security Administration down in Lodi so I snuck into a noon Eucharist for ashes because I didn’t know how much of the evening service at Metanoia that I’d get to attend. It turns out I got to attend all of it. Boo yah! We celebrated with a couple other ministries and churches in town and had a blast. I think our Pentecostal lector needs to give the Lutheran lectors some tips because he was quite… passionate about his reading. My ash cross from Metanoia was also pretty decent even after bathing Daniel and taking care of basic stuff before Jon got home.

ashtag

— 4 —

An update on Yong. Do you remember the Chinese orphan I mentioned last week for whom we were hoping to raise $100,000 so he could get to the States and have his massive facial tumor removed. ALL THE MONEY GOT RAISED. I think it only took a week too. God is awesome!

— 5 —

Speaking of orphans… We now know who is adopting Kaia: the Heaton Family! Her adoption will not be cheap so if you can, please go to their site and throw a few bucks their direction.

And then there’s Brett.

Brett

He really needs a mama. Go show him some love.

— 6 —

Baseball. Spring Training is beginning!!! I’m looking forward to the season this year. Obviously, I’m rooting for the Giants (I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area) but I’m also following Jason Motte on the Cardinals. (He’s a great pitcher and a great sport.) Apparently, there was a fan that got all hot and bothered because he (Motte) didn’t stop to sign an autograph for him. Motte’s reply (via Twitter):

Dear fan at gate that boo’ed me for not stopping to sign, My wife has a 103 temp & a screaming 5 wk old n the car. Thanks for understanding.

(I’m sitting here at $tarbux on Thursday morning trying to get these done early because I have a crazy night for the third day in a row and I happened to see the tweet.) Because, you know, all athletes exist to do is sign autographs, right?

— 7 —

Forty to Forever. The Forty Days to Forever fundraiser is underway and they still need people to be sponsoring blogs. The amazing and awesome Elizabeth of Tales from Astoria signed up and I’d like to encourage any/all of you to do the same. You can also follow on Twitter — we’re @fortytoforever.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

7 Quick Takes: Sybil’s Death, Pre-Gaming, and Go Niners!

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Forty Days to Forever. Brett is part of this fundraiser.

Forty Days to Forever

This weekend we’re pre-gaming a bit on behalf of two families who didn’t quite make it onto the list of the forty families being featured during Lent. Go check out the site tomorrow (Friday) to find out more! **UPDATE: Introducing the Fund Bowl!**

Meanwhile, go love up Brett!

Brett

— 2 —

Sybil’s death. Not sure if anyone *hasn’t* seen last Sunday’s episode of Downton Abbey but Sybil dies of eclampsia. Mi amiga Kate sent me this article talking about her death and how realistic/un-realistic it was. I learned that magnesium sulfate has been in use since 1907 for eclamptic seizures which was interesting to me. As a preeclampsia/HELLP Syndrome survivor, I had a few people warn me about the episode because they thought it might be triggering for me. (It’s a distinct possibility.) I do remember the night Daniel was born, they refused to let me be alone in my hospital room at both Marias Medical Center and Benefis East because they were afraid of me seizing. I was blessed to have a doctor who caught it in time and got me transferred to Benefis where I had a capable perinatalogist who did an emergency c-section to save both me and Daniel. I recommend the article — it’s interesting and everyone needs to know the warning signs for preeclampsia.

— 3 —

Kaia. This beautiful little girl needs a mama.

Miss Kaia

Do you know someone who might be her mama? Go check out her profile and show her some love.

— 4 —

Oh. Em. Gee. NCIS!!! Anyone else reduced to tears at the end of this week’s NCIS episode? It was interesting to see what drives Abby to do what she does and I loved the little girl who played Abby as a child. Seeing that Gibbs kept the fortune from the first day he met her was also endearing. I loved the message that the good you do now has ripples for the future. Abby is (of course) my favorite NCIS character and Pauley Perette (the actress who plays her) is an AMAZING person off-screen. I’ve supported her in AIDS Walk Los Angeles for two years now and she writes the names of all her sponsors on her shirt.

— 5 —

Why are we surprised? Apparently, cats are killers. Apparently, they account for 33 of the modern bird, mammal, and reptile extinctions. Wow. I had no idea there were that many species of mice, lizards, and birds that my cats were eating. Well… not my clowder — they’re an indoor bunch.

— 6 —

Proverbs 31 Project. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be featuring guest posts and my own meditations on Proverbs 31:10-31 which talks about “a virtuous woman” or a “woman of valor”. My friend Rebecca made the graphic and we’ll be starting it tomorrow.

— 7 —

Ahem. GO NINERS!!!! I had the blessing of growing up in the Bay Area during the glory years of the 80’s and early 90’s with Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, and Steve Young. So proud of my homeboys regardless of what happens on Sunday.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: January 27, 2013

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY January 27, 2013

Outside my window… dark now but temperate today — maybe high 50’s or low 60’s?

I am thinking… about the calls I need to make tomorrow morning.

I am thankful… Daniel is home.

In the kitchen… dishes to do.

I am wearing… blue shirt and light blue striped pajama bottoms.

I am creating… afghan squares and blog entries.

I am going… to hope Daniel’s pediatrician hasn’t left UC Davis and we can get in with them next week.

I am wondering… about too many things tonight.

I am reading… Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood. It was a freebie on Friday and looked interesting. I also just finished re-reading The Buzzard Table by Margaret Maron and am of the opinion that I’ll be starting to stock my NOOK with her works because she’s so brilliant.

I am hoping… Daniel can go back to school on Tuesday.

I am looking forward to… Morning Prayer on Tuesday and my massage on Friday.

I am learning that self-care is important.

Around the house… vacuuming to do. Gah.

I am pondering… the Salon.Com article that all my pro-life friends were quoting this week. Having read it, I’m not quite sure where my heart and mind are with regard to it. On the one hand, the author *did* make those statements. On the other hand, I think a number of people missed the point.

A favorite quote for today… ??Crying is all right in its own way while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do.?? — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… Coca-Cola. It is sooooo bad for me but I love it.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Morning Prayer on Tuesday, WIC on Tuesday afternoon, work on editing Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, massage on friday afternoon.

A peek into my day… I finally got my giveaway items staged for my day on Forty to Forever. It’s a coffee cup from Peet’s, a pound of their Fair Trade blend, some Pepperidge Farm Lexington cookies, and a copy of Kisses from Katie.

Giveaway for Forty to Forever.

Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook

7 Quick Takes: Bible Students Say, March for Life, and Hospital Adventures

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

March for Life. You’re probably not going to see it featured anywhere on the evening news apparently (I honestly haven’t paid attention because I’ve had other things going on this week like a kid in the hospital) but it’s taking place tomorrow in DC and smaller ones in cities across the nation. Online, there are various bloggers and others who are going dark and using their social media time to pray instead for an end to abortion. #godark4life UPDATE: NBC actually mentioned it and showed footage. I know some of my pro-life friends were shocked by this because it’s kind of hard to ignore 500K people in DC but most networks pretend it didn’t happen.

— 2 —

Really? I saw this on a friend’s Facebook: Do Your Kids Respect You? 9 Ways to Change Their Attitude. I seriously *weep* for my generation if any of these things are surprising parenting techniques. They’re from Janet Lehman who appears on TV pushing her “Total Transformation” program for modifying your child’s behavior, also known as “setting limits and boundaries for your child and other things that should be common sense”.

— 3 —

Update on Daniel. We got a positive diagnosis of RSV yesterday. On one hand, at least we know what it is. On the other hand, he’s down on the regular peds floor so he’s confined to his crib and his half of the room. This is irritating because he would like to go do laps around the peds floor thankyouverymuch. (It’s a gigantic square.) God willing, we’ll be discharged tomorrow and he’ll be back in school on Monday or Tuesday.

— 4 —

The BEST Twitter EVER!!!! Rachel Held Evans introduced me to the awesomeness that is Bible Students Say… in which a Bible professor at an unnamed Christian college shares some of the more *interesting* things his students say in papers. It’s hysterically funny to me as someone with postgrad study in Bible and theology and the user pic of Jesus face-palming is totally fitting.

— 5 —

What freedom looks like. I don’t remember who shared it but this is a Buzzfeed article on what happens when you leave Westboro Baptist Church. Answer: amazing things. Libby Phelps is forbidden to contact her family (probably that whole “shunning” thing) but she has gotten to cut her hair for the first time in 25 years, attend the inauguration, travel, make real friends, and get married.

— 6 —

Kaia. You see this beautiful girl?

Miss Kaia

She needs a mama. Go here to see her profile and please share it with family and friends. Please also consider committing to pray for her.

— 7 —

Brett. This adorable little boy needs a mama.

Brett's profile

Do you know who could be his mama? His profile is here. Go love on him.

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.