The Crazy Puffin

Lookie! A video feature on blogspot! Gotta try it out!

Know what?

I realized today that the age of digital cameras has, at least in our house, done away with the traditional lack of picture-taking of younger children. I think this boy has been photographed more than any of our other children at his age - maybe more than 2 or 3 of them combined!

But isn't he adorable?!?

By the way, the scale hit 15 pounds when I weighed him today. Wowsers!

He's found them!

The little man doesn't know what to do with his hands yet, but they keep popping up...

Freebie - A neat piece of history

Mountain of a midwife

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future, as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay
From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise
On earth, believing, to Thy Lord on high;
Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,
So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.
Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine
Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

Words: Katharina A. von Schlegel, in Neue Sammlung Geistlicher Lieder, 1752 (Stille, meine Wille, dein Jesus hilft siegen); translated from German to English by Jane L. Borthwick in Hymns from the Land of Luther, 1855.

Music: Fin­land­ia, Jean Si­bel­i­us, 1899

Be Still My Soul on Cyberhymnal

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Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46.10

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Jesus I Am Resting, Resting

Jesus, I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee, And Thy beauty fills my soul,

For by Thy transforming power, Thou hast made me whole.

Jesus, I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

O, how great Thy loving kindness, Vaster, broader than the sea!

O, how marvelous Thy goodness, Lavished all on me!

Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd, Know what wealth of grace is Thine,

Know Thy certainty of promise, And have made it mine.

Jesus, I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, I behold Thee as Thou art,

And Thy love, so pure, so changeless, Satisfies my heart;

Satisfies its deepest longings, Meets, supplies its every need,

Compasseth me round with blessings: Thine is love indeed!

Jesus, I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

Ever lift Thy face upon me As I work and wait for Thee;

Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus, Earth’s dark shadows flee.

Brightness of my Father’s glory, Sunshine of my Father’s face,

Keep me ever trusting, resting, Fill me with Thy grace.

Jesus, I am resting, resting, In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness Of Thy loving heart.

Words: Jean S. Pig­ott, 1876.
Music: Tran­quil­i­ty, James Mount­ain, Hymns of Con­se­cra­tion and Faith, 1876

So hot

Today around 2.45 in Washington MO. Hottest I've seen it since we moved to Missouri in 2000.

So cute

Time with Cousins and Friends

We were blessed to get to spend time yesterday with the Blessings' Cousins from western NC. Not only that, but we got to see my long-time friend Katie from KC, and have our dear friend Georgia along for the day, and, of course, the Cousins sweet Mama Beka!

We spent a couple hours at the zoo in the morning, went to Steak and Shake for lunch, then made our way (slowly, oh so slowly, in the the hot hot heat) to the Science Center. I didn't get pics of the Science Center, as I was nursing most of our time there - it wasn't that long of a visit. ;-)

Here's a picture of the Cousins at the zoo...

Missouri families and midwives lose in court today...

I haven't talked much on this blog about our work here in Missouri to legalize midwives. I find that rather strange, as it is such a big part of our life right now. Anyway... if the following announcement raises questions for you, feel free to ask.

Cole County Judge Patricia Joyce ruled against the midwifery provision contained in HB818 today. Her final judgment in the case says that the midwifery provision is unconstitutional because it does not relate to the underlying purpose and subject of the bill - expanding health insurance coverage.

She doesn't write favorably of the practice of Certified Professional Midwives, saying:"The midwife provision broadly authorizes certain unregulated persons to provide pregnancy services without limitation," Joyce wrote. "Since the midwife provision does not relate to health insurance, and is therefore not encompassed within the title for House Bill 818, the title "relating to health insurance" is underinclusive."

Seeing some of Judge Joyce's descriptions and choices of words, one attorney reading through her judgment today commented, "It looks like she let the plaintiffs write her judgment for her and then she signed her name at the bottom." Not exactly, but her judgment seems to have a smidgen of her personal dislike for the midwifery issue showing through. We had heard some things through the rumor mill about her personal opinions on the matter, but hoped that she would review the constitutional issues in an unbiased manner in spite of her personal opinions and preconceived ideas about midwives. Her decision is disappointing, but not entirely surprising.

HOWEVER, this is not the final verdict! We intend to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court and we feel hopeful for a eventual favorable outcome there. The MO Supreme Court has a strong precedent in recent cases of upholding whatever the legislature passes and saying, "We are not here to make laws. If the legislature passed it, and the Governor signed it, it should probably not be thrown out by us."
We have 30 days before we can file papers to appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court. During that time, we MUST raise money to cover our legal fees to continue fighting this battle as it makes it way through the court system.

If you have not already contributed to our legal expenses fund, I hope that you will consider doing so today. If you have considered it, but are financially challenged right now, I hope you will consider how you can raise some money or solicit donations, whether through a dinner party, a garage sale, a bake sale, or sending letters to your friends. Feel free to forward this email on to your friends.

All contributions should be made online at: FreeTheMidwives
Or mailed to:
Free the Midwives
PO Box 2319
Rolla, MO 65402
Contributions are not tax-deductible.

Lastly, there is a great need for the homebirth families of Missouri to speak up about this and how Judge Joyce's ruling will negatively affect their families and their access to quality, affordable healthcare. Send letters to the editor, talk to the media, blog.... Remind people that this was all about organized medicine, mad that they lost the battle in the legislature, now attempting to regain their turf and reclaim the pregnant women that they consider "their patients" in the court system.

Please go here and here and add some comments to the blog posts above about the midwifery ruling, including the statement issued by Senator Chuck Graham. I hope some of the pro-choice feminists that he claims to represent and who's life and health he claims to care so much about protecting, call him out on his statement!

Thank you, and let's keep up the fight! Never, never, ever give up!
Mary Ueland

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. - Thomas Edison

The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government. - Franklin D Roosevelt

Great Video

From the Kentucky Midwifery Advocacy Taskforce - fellow supporters of midwives.

A wonderful thing just happened!

Ellie helped Kate and Grace get their baths, and even helped them wash their hair. Not the cleanest hair they've ever had, but I'm excited both about her helpfulness and for the growing responsibility she's developing.