Steaming Hot Vat of Bean Dip

Football season is in full swing. Sunday mornings we are up and at church at 8:30. Now don't get us wrong, we love our church, and really enjoy going. We just have the benefit of a church with four different services. So if we go to the first service, we can make it back just after kickoff of the first game. We head out to San Bernardino to Grandma and Grandpa Iacano's house for a day of food and football. Kris has potatoes and eggs covered in cheese and waiting for us when we arrive. By around eleven, the "vat" of steaming hot bean dip is brought out. As the second games begin, lunch is served. Last week was my favorite, homemade chicken Parmesan sandwiches on homemade cheese bread. I am still learning about football, and each week is better. Last week I learned the off-sides in football is different than off-sides in soccer. I have to admit I am much more knowledgeable than last year. Remember, you all have 20 years on me.


Here are a couple of pictures from the first week. We are making sad faces because the Seahawks lost.

Hugs from D

I love this little girl so much it makes me wonder if I will love my own children as much as her. Twice this week she has welcomed me with open arms and ran toward me. Actually, it's more of an unbalanced toddle. Nothing feels so good as for someone to be so excited that you have walked into a room. I would not classify myself as a hugger, but her little hugs are like nothing else I can describe. I truly feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

God is God, and I am not

Yesterday I was “surfing” around people’s blogs. I usually do this in the evening before bed, but found myself browsing around 4:00. It all started with a blog from my friend Amanda. She was truly asking about why it is that some women have a difficult time getting and staying pregnant and yet a fourteen year old girl gets pregnant the first time she has sex, and aborts the baby because she doesn’t want him. Let me back up, it actually started yesterday with the today show when Megan McCain talked briefly (very, very, briefly) about Sarah Palin’s daughter being seventeen and pregnant and a woman’s right to choose. I thought about it some during the show, but pushed most of it to the back of my mind not knowing it would come to the forefront later.

Back to the blogs.

I thought about Amanda’s posting but again, pushed it to the back of my mind. On Monday night, Bethany and I discussed briefly about the women around us that are struggling so much just to be able to conceive and it was odd that Amanda had the same topic on her mind. A lot of it has to do with the women in our church seeking support as the struggle to have a successful pregnancy.

I then came across a blog of a woman who works here at CBU. She is pregnant with her fourth; an unexpected, but not unwanted pregnancy. She talks about her struggle of the change and this not being a part of her plan. I am so glad she prefaced some of her explanation of her struggle: “For those of you who would give anything to have a child and are not yet able to do so, please do not be offended by the struggle this has been for Jim and I (mostly me) to accept. We do not at all mean to be selfish, but want to be honest that this has been a difficult time for us.”

After Laura’s blog, I came across a woman I attended college with. I honestly was a little surprised to see she had recently given birth to her third child. Three? Can we really be old enough to have three kids? But in reading further, Jessica lost her second child at two months, to what I assume is SIDS. My sister’s son will be two months on Sunday. My heart broke. I spent a lot of time crying last night. Even writing about it now my vision is blurry.

My thoughts suddenly went to another woman I attended college with. Stephanie carried her son to full term only to be forced to deliver still born.

My sister-in-law has struggled for years to get pregnant, and can’t.

My friend and college dorm director adopted a beautiful little boy after years of not being able to conceive.

The list goes on and on.

I cannot even imagine the grief. I do not have children of my own. I have not lost a child. I have not experienced the frustration of going months and years not being able to go pregnant. I cannot relate to the true grieving. I am still very sad.

To answer Amanda’s question about why all of this confusion about some being able to get pregnant, and others can’t; I don’t know. I know that God has designed us to have children for it brings Him glory. Which is why the fourteen year old girl gets pregnant; it’s how our bodies are designed. But the world we live in is not God’s original plan. There is illness and disease and smog and stress and so many other factors that affect our bodies that God did not originally design. I know that cannot ease any pain. It doesn’t make it right or fair. I don’t understand, and quite honestly, I’m scared. I know that these children are with Jesus and the Father. Jessica and Stephanie have amazing faith in God and even in their anger and grief; they still praise Him and thank Him for His blessings. I urge all to read their stories.

Thank you ladies, for your amazing faith and encouragement; my prayers are with you and your families.

My Hubby

Just wanted to say "I have the best husband in the world."

Labor Day

Kevin and I look forward to Labor Day every year, but for very different reasons. I’ll start with my weekend. I, with my sister, head to Bakersfield. Now Bakersfield may not sound like the most exciting place on earth, but it has everything we need; Target, Kohls, Mervyn's, Gottschalks, and J.C. Penny’s. The weekend to Bakersfield actually stems from the opening of dove season on September first. In fact this was the only question my father asked Kevin when he asked permission to marry his eldest daughter; “What is the significance of September first?” So while the guys get together to at the crack of dawn to shoot, as my mother refers to them, “little innocent creatures”, the girls spend the day shopping for back-to-school clothes. My favorite part is that my grandmother and aunt spoil us rotten. I try on all kinds of clothes, and they buy them as my birthday gifts! I am really am so appreciative. It always comes at a good time, when money is tight, and fall is about to start. I love spending time with my family.

This year was a little different. Missy, my cousin, started her second year at Westmont College, and classes started on the September 1. It was different without her there. The other change was little Brendan. Rachel brought the baby for his first Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, I don’t think that Brendan was quite ready for all Dad had planned.

We spent Sunday afternoon at Brendan’s Great-Great Aunt Norma’s house in Old River. For anyone not from Bakersfield, that’s code for “out in the country”. My mom’s cousins came out and passed the baby from person to person.

Kevin’s weekend was a little different. Mostly spent at Steve’s house eating and talking football – fantasy football. This is the weekend where it is hard to determine the actual age of Kevin and his friends. They played wiffle ball on the front lawn, pool basketball, dice games, and board games. In all actuality, the boys didn’t do much . . . and they loved it. They sit around, eat, sleep, and talk. But they call this guy time, and he craves it. So for one weekend a year, I give him a three day weekend to hang out with the guys and pig out. I came back to Kevin bragging about how he won the home run derby and all the wonderful food Kris made. I think he was trying to make me jealous.

However, I was not jealous of "the draft". Labor day weekend is the kickoff of fantasy football season. He has two large drafts this weekend, one of which he is the commissioner for. Have you ever sat through a draft. I thought the NFL draft was long and boring. The guys go in a pre-picked order calling out the player of their choice, whining when their choice is picked by another. They heckle each other, and undoubtedly, one guy can't make it and is picking players by phone. The same jokes are made every year, and favorite commercials quoted repeatedly. They keep telling me that the live auction draft is so exciting, but I don't think it's worth the risk. Granted, the draft was at Landon Donovan's house in Manhattan Beach last year . . . but, I wasn't invited to attend.

I think Kevin and I will stick to our separate weekend.