tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86040807386784750332024-03-04T23:04:03.660-05:00Messy Wife, Blessed LifeFormerly "Catholic Newlywed". I'm no longer a newlywed, but still madly-in-love with my husband of four years and our sweet two-year-old, Lucia Rose. I may not be the perfect homemaker, but I'm learning to step over the toys and enjoy our blessed life!Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.comBlogger718125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-72654956981327566072014-07-18T21:23:00.000-04:002015-06-07T19:49:58.974-04:00Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.<a href="http://test.skimlinks.com">Skimlinks Test</a>
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Yesterday, I mentioned I might have a fashion post this week showing off my Twice purchases. Well, you 'll never see that post. In fact, you won't see any more posts from me; I've decided to stop blogging.</div>
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When I announced in May that I was taking a blogging break, I had an inkling that it might be more than just the summer. And yet, I found myself missing the blog, starting drafts for the future, and even planning a redesign and transfer to WordPress. All the while, I've been praying about it and it's become more and more clear that God is calling me elsewhere. The blog had a time and a place and I truly believe that I (quite accidentally) fell into doing God's work on the Internet, but like most things in life, its season was relatively short and in order to move on to do what He is calling me to next, I must leave this behind.</div>
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In a week or two, I'll be setting this blog to private and closing down some of my social media accounts. It's a bittersweet thought. On one hand, I'm looking forward to the simplicity it will bring, on the other, I'm a bit heartbroken to leave behind the community I have formed here. Many of you have followed me and my family for years, offered me support and love, prayers and practical advice. I'm so grateful for all that this blog has brought me, including several friends I see "in real life" on a regular basis and my husband's job. What blessings! </div>
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I started this blog as a newlywed and now I'm the mother of a two year old (who is closer to three than two!) and just celebrated my fourth anniversary. I don't know how my life would be different if I didn't have my blog through it all, but I know it would be drastically so, and probably for the worst. More than anything, this blog has helped me connect to women who share my faith and helped me grow in my own. It has challenged me to walk the walk. </div>
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I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that our desire to continue to try to
grow our family in relative anonymity has affected our decision as
well. Our yearning for more children, our losses and grief have all been
very public so far and I look forward to the journey in front of us
being a bit more private, shared only with close friends and family. If you feel called to continue to pray for us, we'd love your prayers.</div>
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I won't completely disappear. I still plan to write for <a href="http://www.faithinalltimes.com/" target="_blank">Faith in All Times</a> and <a href="http://blessedisshe.net/" target="_blank">Blessed Is She</a> and perhaps a guest post for some of my dear blogger friends from time to time. I'm sure I'll still have thoughts to write and share but I'll just have to be more intentional about them in the small opportunities I'll have to share. You'll also be able to find me on Facebook in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/226855787505701/" target="_blank">The Catholic Brew</a>.</div>
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So, this is it, my friends. I'll be praying for you. God bless.</div>
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</center>Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-33400759848800203402014-07-17T15:59:00.000-04:002014-07-17T15:59:03.873-04:00What we're celebrating today, softening my heart of stone, and where you can find me.<div style="text-align: center;">
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Today is my fourth wedding anniversary. It doesn't seem like it's been that long, yet I can't quite remember what life was like before David. This past year has been a tough one for us moving once again away from our families, David starting a new job. and our two miscarriages but, if anything, it has only affirmed how blessed I am to have David as my partner through it all. </div>
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__________ </div>
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Anyway, my blog break is still going on (though I will probably have a fashion post up next week so you can help me decide which items from my <a href="http://liketwice.com/tQc3Z">Twice</a> order I should keep and which I should send back - kind of like a po' folks version of <a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/07/13/stitch-fix-round-3-home-run-and-some-almost-wins-help-me-decide/">Stitch Fix</a>.) but I wanted you to know where you can find me in the meantime: </div>
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I am a contributor for <a href="http://www.faithinalltimes.com/" target="_blank">Faith in All Times</a>, a website dedicated to Catholic women dealing with infertility and pregnancy loss. My newest essay just posted:</div>
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<i>Sometimes I wonder if my own hardheartedness is to blame for my
miscarriages. I've grown so much spiritually since (and through) my
losses. Perhaps God knew that the only way I would truly humble myself
and trust Him was through being utterly in pain, broken, and empty.
It's true that it's easi</i><i>er to reach out to God when we have nothing on
this earth that can comfort us.</i></blockquote>
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<i>If that's the case, then my children are truly my road to salvation;
they are guiding me to the Cross. They have not suffered. No, they have
been redeemed while I have suffered their absence. How blessed are
they to have never had to endure the hardships of this earth! And all
the while, they are helping to bring their mother closer to them in
heaven.</i><br />
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<i>Shouldn't it be the opposite though? Shouldn't I, their mother, be
the one shepherding and guiding them to the Lord? Protecting them?
Sacrificing myself for them? The order seems to be reversed, but the
ways of the world are not the ways of the Lord. "The first shall be
last" and all of that. So here it is, a mother being guided toward
heaven by her children<a href="http://www.faithinalltimes.com/contributors/mandi-r/essays/heart-of-stone" target="_blank">.</a></i><a href="http://www.faithinalltimes.com/contributors/mandi-r/essays/heart-of-stone" target="_blank">..continue reading at Faith in All Times</a><i><br /></i></blockquote>
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<a href="http://blessedisshe.net/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://blessedisshe.net/" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZYyqyJ-7HpBM6fp2i011yzZLqugnnEiIhR4NKwcCejp81pxTxwjWT7_3ZFvql4HBoPU0RWb7pnT6oW8C-lvTIf48uBfPah__7AOGOmnGMLMLJyNbQDFfSvnVa2HYHXUbtm1QkDAEzZ6Mu/s1600/blessedisshe4.png" height="105" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'll also be contributing to <a href="http://blessedisshe.net/" target="_blank">Blessed Is She</a>, a daily Catholic women's devotional starting in September. Until then, you can subscribe to get the daily readings, read the contributor's bios, and follow us on a plethora of social media to get your daily dose of the Word. I'm personally helping head up <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/blessedisshe__/" target="_blank">the Pinterest page</a> and would be pleased as peaches if you'd follow along. I'm very excited about this project and the faithful, committed group of women who are dedicated to it. <br />
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Last but not least, I recently joined <a href="http://instagram.com/mandi_richards" target="_blank">Instagram</a> so you can follow me there. I've been sharing some of my favorite scriptures (and pictures of my sweet pea). Here's my recent absolute favorite:<br />
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-52887238788493064132014-06-25T09:14:00.000-04:002015-05-05T07:24:08.704-04:00Breasts might be sexy, but they're not "sexual".<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Kendra wrote <a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/06/i-want-it-all-nourished-baby-and-my.html" target="_blank">this post about breastfeeding</a>. I appreciated much of what she had to say because I have been attacked in the past by some self-proclaimed "lactivists" who look down on women who cover when breastfeeding (seemingly because by covering I'm somehow "setting the breastfeeding movement back" and bowing to the patriarchy...or something like that). I'm a huge supporter of breastfeeding. But I'm just more comfortable with a nursing cover. Simple as that. Mainly because I'm not very gifted at nursing discreetly and I'm not a fan of the looks I get when it's not discreet. So, with all the articles and posts out there talking about why a woman shouldn't <i>have</i> to cover (which I do agree with, by the way), it's nice for there to be someone saying, "I cover too!" </div>
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Kendra covers. I cover. What I disagreed with Kendra's post is not her what but her <b>why</b>:</div>
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<i>And when people shout, "Breasts aren't sexual!" I get kind of
embarrassed, because, um, are you sure you're doing it right? And if
women really thought breasts weren't sexual, or at least private, then
they wouldn't wear shirts at all. But I do. I always wear a shirt in
public. Every time.</i> </blockquote>
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I disagree because <b>I don't think that breasts are "sexual"</b> and I don't think that they should be presented as such. <a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/06/apologies-retractions-clarifications.html#comment-form" target="_blank">In her follow-up post</a>, Kendra addresses the fact that whether breasts are sexual are not doesn't really have any bearing on whether she covers while nursing:</div>
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<i>The comment section was overwhelmingly a discussion of whether breasts
are rightly considered sexual. I was involved in that discussion. It was
an interesting exercise. But, really, the more I've thought about it,
the more it really doesn't have anything at all to do with what I'm
talking about.</i></div>
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But, because she brought it up, and because I have copious thoughts on the topic, I thought that it was worth writing a post even to the point of breaking my self-imposed blogging break. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Breast are not intrinsically sexual. </span></div>
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Of course, our culture teaches that they are; our culture is wrong. And in this instance (as in most cases where our culture is wrong), this thinking actually
very detrimental, not just to breastfeeding but to the way
women view their bodies as a whole. I don't cover while nursing because I think
breasts are sexual. That's not why I wear a shirt either. After all, I
don't wear belly-baring shirts or bikinis and that's not because I
think that stomachs are sexual. I am a huge proponent of modesty but,
at least to me, modesty does not mean covering up all body parts that
might be considered sexual. And I don't think that breastfeeding is
really a modesty issue. Is something that is inherently pure and good,
like feeding your child, capable of being immodest? I don't think so. (I'll write about what modesty <i>does</i> mean to me another time but for the sake of semi-brevity, we shall move onwards.)</div>
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By "breasts are not sexual", I don't mean that breasts can't be sexy or that they can't cause sexual pleasure; however, "sexual" is not interchangeable with "sexy" or "a body part that can cause sexual pleasure". You see, legs and muscular arms and a smile can all be "sexy" without being "sexual". People can derive sexual pleasure from kisses or a nibble on their earlobes (etc.) but lips and ears are not considered intrinsically "sexual". Breasts, like these other body parts, have a purpose separate from sexual pleasure - to feed a baby - and the sexual pleasure is a bonus. </div>
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So why do breasts get labeled "sexual" when other body parts that can be "sexy" and induce sexual pleasure do not? In part, the drastic decrease in breastfeeding and increase in formula feeding in the 20th century severed breasts from its natural function, to feed a child. (Strikingly similar to how birth control has severed sex from its natural function of procreation, no? But I digress.)<br />
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But there is much more to the sexualization of breasts than just formula. It has a great deal to do with the oversexualization of women and degradation of the female body in general. Breasts are unique to women, so they <i>must</i> be sexual, right? Perhaps part of this confusion comes from the fact that the most obvious body parts unique to men and women are sex organs. But breasts are not sex organs. Erogenous zones, yes. Sex organs, no. I don't often see men's nipples considered "sexual" or hear them asked to cover their nipples in public, yet many men are aroused by nipple stimulation. Women are being singled out as "sexual" beings, with the parts unique to them - regardless of function - being labeled "sexual" as well.</div>
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Why did this happen? How did this happen? Pornography and ye olde "Sexual Revolution" seem to have a lot to do with this:</div>
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<i><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Nursing
mothers were a common sight at this international gathering. What I
found intriguing, however, was that women from “first-world” nations
tended to drape themselves and sit off in a corner, while women from
other nations seemed to have no qualms whatsoever about feeding their
babies in full view of others. I remember one woman unabashedly roaming
the crowd passing all manner of bishops and cardinals with her breast
fully exposed while her child held on to it with both hands happily
feeding. The only people flinching seemed to be those from the northern
hemisphere.</span><br data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$1:0" /><br data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$3:0" /><span data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$4:0">Isn’t
it interesting that the part of the world producing the most
pornography and exporting it to the rest of the globe has seemed to lose
all sense of the true meaning of the human breast? What a commentary on
the sad state of our sexually wounded culture! Breasts have been so
“pornified” that we can fall into thinking that even their proper use is
shameful. In other words, we have been so conditioned to see a woman’s
body through the prism of lust that we find it very difficult to
recognize the purity and innocence of breast-feeding.</span></span></span></i><i><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$8:0"></span></span></span></i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".6k.1:3:1:$comment138362439672231_138363586338783:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$8:0">St.
Paul hit the nail on the head when he said, “To the pure all things are
pure, but to the impure nothing is pure” (Ti 1:15). It is a tragically
impure world that labels the purity of a baby at the breast as “gross.”
For those with the purity to see it, a nursing mother is one of the most
precious, most beautiful, and most holy of all possible images of
woman.</span></span></span></i> </blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
-Christopher West, "Nursing a Sexually Wounded Culture" </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why does it matter if breasts are labelled "sexual" or not?</span><br />
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Because "sexual" often goes hand-in-hand with "shameful". It upsets me when people insist that breasts are sexual because that thinking produces shame and perpetuates a disordered view of the female body that emerged from disordered sexuality. If we had a healthier, balanced view of sex and sexuality in our culture, it probably wouldn't matter if breasts were called sexual. Then again, if we had a healthier view of sexuality, we probably wouldn't think of breasts as sexual. But, in this society of sexual extremes, in which sex is no longer sacred, anything sexual has become tainted. Something as natural, normal, and loving as feeding a child becomes conditional - "Breasts are good <i>only</i> in the context of feeding a child <i>and</i> only if the woman is properly covered <i>and</i> only if the child is under a certain age, etc." The truth is that breasts are inherently <i>good</i> as a rule and the improper uses of breasts (such as pornography) are the exception to the rule.<br />
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This disordered view of sexuality and sex hurts women. It teaches them that their breasts are impure body parts and that, as the person attached to these body parts, they too are something "less than". They have to cover up out of <i>shame</i> (instead of modesty being more an issue of <i>dignity</i> and <i>cultural standards</i>). They have to prove that they can be pure and good <i>in spite</i> of the body they have, instead of treating their bodies with the dignity that is inherent to it.<br />
<br />
When it comes specifically to breastfeeding, the insistence that breasts are sexual does much harm. Many women are unable to breastfeed their children (<i>completely</i> unable to breastfeed them, not just in public) because the belief that breasts are sexual is so ingrained that they cannot feed their child as God intended without feeling like the act is shameful, dirty, and sexual. They cannot not separate society's messages of the sexualized breast from its beautiful, natural purpose. This goes far beyond a stranger telling a woman it's indecent to breastfeed in public. It's society telling a woman that her body parts are themselves indecent, at least in certain contexts. Many women can separate breasts as sexual objects and breasts as functional body parts, but others cannot. And <b>they shouldn't have to</b>. Breastfeeding can be difficult enough without introducing the additional questions of its modesty, appropriateness, or goodness.</div>
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I'm not suggesting that you can't enjoy breasts in a sexual way without it being pornographic or wrong. Of course not! But just like the main purposes of the lips are non-sexual, and therefore they are not innately "sexual" body parts, so too is the breasts' main purpose non-sexual and therefore they are not innately "sexual".<br />
<br />
I also am not trying to encourage women to walk about topless. We have cultural norms in our society relative to dress and modesty, but that is truly a separate issue than that of the function and dignity of the female breast. <span class="_5yl5" data-reactid=".10.$mid=11403544889048=2c59c598033348aad18.2:0.0.0.0.0"><span class="null">Cultural norms can be a good thing, but they change over time (often very swiftly) and aren't necessarily founded in a deeper truth. In our society, cultural norms of modesty have been trending toward revealing <i>more</i> skin while at the same time cultural norms regarding breastfeeding insist we show <i>less</i> skin or nurse only behind closed doors. I find that to be incredibly revealing (no pun intended). The issue is not, "If women can wear string bikinis, why can't I nurse in public?" What we wear in other situations, in fact, has no bearing on breastfeeding. The true issue is that nursing has always been seen as a good, positive,
modest act, yet we have less freedom to nurse in public than we did a century ago. Breastfeeding is always good (and should always be treated as such); cultural norms come and go.</span></span></div>
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What I <i>am</i> trying to do is to call attention to the words we use and the way we talk about our bodies, because they do matter. They inform our subconscious and make lasting impressions on our perceptions of ourselves and others.</div>
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Want to read more of my breast(feeding) thoughts? Here you go: <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/09/nursing-in-church-yay-or-nay.html" target="_blank">Nursing in Church, Yay or Nay?</a> and<a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/12/breastfeeding-guilt-and-letting-go-of.html" target="_blank"> Breastfeeding, Guilt and Letting Go of Control</a></div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-39378459979796623182014-06-18T17:13:00.001-04:002015-05-08T15:05:05.359-04:00To the Mom of Five Children (Close in Age)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span class="null">Hey, you! Yeah, you - the mother of five
young children close in age. I see
families like yours everywhere. In the
pews before us at Mass. At the grocery
store. In the park. I always try to meet your eyes, but when you
see me looking, you usually look away. I
can’t be sure why, but I imagine that it’s because you’ve seen one too many
disapproving looks.</span></i></div>
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</i></div>
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<i><span class="null"><br /></span></i></div>
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</i></div>
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<i><span class="null">Your large family is counter-cultural. You make people uncomfortable because you embrace
the very things that society teaches us to fear: children. Life. People
wonder if you’re crazy. Or you’re
Catholic. Or if you own a
television. I don’t. Your children are beautiful blessings. It seems perfectly sane that you would
welcome more of them. </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="null"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i>
</i><span class="null"><i>Let me tell exactly what I see when I see
your family</i><a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/2014/06/the-judgement-mom-of-one-makes-on-mom.html" target="_blank"><i>.</i>..continue reading at A Knotted Life</a></span></div>
</blockquote>
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<span class="null"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="null">My friend, Bonnie, has been taking a bit of a blogging break while moving and has had a ton of guests posts in the interim. I strongly suggest you poke through the posts over the last few weeks because there are several really great pieces. I also love the posts Bonnie has written about <a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/p/for-petes-sake.html" target="_blank">pregnancy loss</a>. Oh, and if you don't already know about her son's (alleged) miracle through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen, you can get caught up <a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/p/sheen_28.html" target="_blank">here</a> or read the (very) recent exciting news about the case <a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/2014/06/fulton-sheens-cause-progresses-as.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-59733902853859314272014-06-04T14:43:00.000-04:002015-05-05T07:25:12.112-04:00Wedding Vows Dissected: Honor Each Other<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihS62wEp0zqnN8PBMYkPjCXA8Z0QDNdPDrj4PzjNGlnGUWZvP24L4qL06jm5nKb6XL2VZ_SayVHyLciG9EN3Roe3jnAZmx-hQgw7NtGI5a9y2_CmBVyP3k5-IVfjTlD4b2h3yUrKaROy_4/s1600/EC9A8444-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihS62wEp0zqnN8PBMYkPjCXA8Z0QDNdPDrj4PzjNGlnGUWZvP24L4qL06jm5nKb6XL2VZ_SayVHyLciG9EN3Roe3jnAZmx-hQgw7NtGI5a9y2_CmBVyP3k5-IVfjTlD4b2h3yUrKaROy_4/s1600/EC9A8444-2.jpg" width="213" /></a>Amanda, blogger at Worthy of Agape, is currently on her honeymoon (commence that lovey dovey sigh) and got a great group of bloggers together to write a series based on wedding vows. You can find me over there today discussing "honor each other": </div>
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<i>Do you honor your spouse? I assume that the verb “to
honor” is not one you use in daily conversation. Perhaps you’ve never
even used that phrase outside your wedding vows. You’re much more likely
to say, “I love my husband,” or “I respect my wife”. One of the Ten
Commandments tells us to “Honor your father and mother.” Clearly to honor
is something special, something set apart and reserved for those sacred
relationships that hold the most importance in our lives, our society,
and our faith. So what does it mean to honor someone?</i><a href="http://worthyofagape.com/2014/06/04/honor-each-other/" target="_blank">...continue reading at Worthy of Agape</a><i><br /></i></div>
</blockquote>
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<br />
And while we're talking honeymoons, <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2011/10/magical-honeymoon.html" target="_blank">I wrote about my own a while back</a>. I can't believe that was almost four years ago!<br />
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-53912055687005130352014-06-02T10:47:00.000-04:002014-06-02T10:47:04.785-04:00Catholic Pregnancy Loss Ebook: Submissions Wanted<div style="text-align: center;">
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Hi all! I'm interrupting my blogging break to announce a new project I'm taking on. I'm putting together an ebook on pregnancy loss especially for Catholic women. It will include chapters of various women's personal accounts and experiences, as well as topical chapters such as:</div>
<ul style="text-align: justify;">
<li>how to commemorate your baby</li>
<li>pregnancy after loss</li>
<li>physical healing after miscarriage</li>
<li>how to respond to hurtful comments </li>
<li>prayers</li>
<li>profiles of Saints who are special intercessors of pregnancy and loss</li>
<li>reflections on specific scriptures</li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ul>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you would like to contribute, please contact me messywifeblessedlife@gmail.com for more details. Feel free to pass this information on to others who you think may be interested in contributing. The deadline for first drafts is August 1st. </div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-71682875157644044542014-05-21T09:27:00.001-04:002014-05-21T09:27:59.011-04:00When 10,000 Hours is Just the Beginning <div style="text-align: center;">
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I know what you're thinking. "Didn't she say she's on a blogging break until September?" Why, yes. I did. I am. Maybe I should have added a little caveat. You won't see any new content on my blog, but you may see a guest post every now and then elsewhere. Like today.<br />
<br />
I'm over at my friend Sarah's blog, Two Os + More, talking about sewing machines, marriage, and how 10,000 hours just doesn't cut it. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>I have a sewing machine sitting in my bedroom. I got it for Christmas
2012 and I have yet to use it. But if I were to conquer my fear (which I
have every intention of doing this summer), dust off the sewing machine
and sew every day for the next four years, I would expect that I would
be a pretty good seamstress. I’m sure most others would expect that of
me as well.<br />
<br />
Not that I would be an expert. Nay expertise takes 10,000 hours of practice (or so says <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outliers-Story-Success-Malcolm-Gladwell/dp/0316017930" target="_blank">Malcolm Gladwell</a>)
and to get that many hours in would take nearly 7 hours a day for four
years to get to that magic number. I certainly won’t be sewing for 7
hours a day but, surely, by the end of four years, I would be able to
make a passable frock in a decent amount of time.<br />
<br />
In a couple months, my husband and I will celebrate our fourth wedding
anniversary. And marriage, well, despite not sewing a stitch, I have a
feeling that it’s nothing like sewing. You see, by the time we reach
four years, I’ll have spent 35,064 hours as a wife...</i><a href="http://twoosplusmore.blogspot.com/2014/05/when-10000-hours-is-just-beginning.html" target="_blank">continue reading at Two Os + More </a></div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-68606559067390460422014-05-12T10:23:00.001-04:002014-05-12T10:24:24.106-04:00See you in September!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hi all! I've decided to take a blogging break for the summer. I know it's not technically summer yet, but it sure feels like it here so I'll just call it summer anyway. Fall officially starts in September, so let's just set that as a tentative "I shall blog again" date. </div>
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This break hasn't been prompted by anything specific. We're all still doing well here. I've been toying with the idea of distancing myself a bit from blogging and with an upcoming summer filled with traveling, the timing couldn't be better. </div>
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I'll still be present online over on the blog's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CatholicNewlywed" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Messy_Wife" target="_blank">Twitter</a> where I'll be sharing my favorite links from around the web, Lucia's funny quotes, asking for advice, etc. - the same old, same old. </div>
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I hope you have a blessed summer and I'll see in in the fall!</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-77252746631297205912014-05-09T15:12:00.000-04:002015-05-05T07:26:17.814-04:00When to tell a toddler about a pregnancy<div style="text-align: center;">
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I recently had a reader email me with a question about when to share her pregnancy with her toddler. Since this is a question many women may have, I thought I might expand a bit on my answer and make it into a blog post. I'd love to hear other thoughts on the matter as well, so please share yours in the comments below!<br />
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<b>First of all, if you are reading this because you are pregnant, congratulations!</b> Each family may share the joyous news of a pregnancy in different ways and I truly believe that <i>there is no one right answer</i>. This question is, understandably, a little more complicated for women
who have previously had a miscarriage or have reason to suspect they
have a higher than average risk for miscarriage. However, the truth is
that every woman and every pregnancy may end with the death instead of
the birth of a baby, so it's a valid concern for any pregnant woman.<br />
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<b>In the past, David and I have told Lucia about our pregnancies as soon as I got the positive test. </b>
We strongly believe this was the right decision for our family and will continue to do the same for future pregnancies. We liked that she was able to talk to and kiss my tummy and this bond
with her siblings from the beginning, something that meant even more
after we lost the babies.</div>
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Young children are generally very resilient when it
comes to loss. They often cope better than adults. (In part, I think, because they have such a strong connection to the divine.) It's valuable for children to
learn about death as a part of life. <b>My role as a parent is not to shield Lucia from
tough realities but to help her work through them
in age appropriate ways.</b> Because of the incredible advances and medicine, death is not as much a part of daily life as it once was. Obviously, that's a good thing, but it also means that we as a society are often ill-prepared to face death when it does occur. Learning about death at a young age, in a way that is guided by loving parents, will lay a foundation for our children to deal with death in healthy ways later in life. </div>
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We keep the memories of our lost children
alive in our family by <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2014/02/baby-naming.html" target="_blank">naming them</a> and talking about them regularly. <b>It didn't make
sense to us to hide the existence of our unborn children from Lucia
until we were past the first trimester since we didn't plan to hide their existence even if they had passed.</b> They are
members if our family from the beginning and we treat them as such.</div>
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I also cannot imagine how I would have explained to Lucia why mommy was so sick and so sad for so long if I couldn't explain about my miscarriages. Most likely, after you lose a child, you're other children will notice something and I liked being able to be honest with Lucia about what was going on. </div>
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<b>All this is not to say that I don't see some benefits of
waiting to tell.</b> Because of our history we plan to wait as long as possible
before telling others (outside our immediate family) about our next pregnancy - something a loudmouth
toddler might spoil.</div>
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If you do miscarry, having to break the news to a little one can be extremely painful for <i>you</i>. After both my miscarriages, Lucia continued to kiss and talk to my tummy, something that always brought me to tears. It took a while for her to understand that the baby was no longer there and that she would not, in fact, be able to hold and play with and grow up with the baby like we had told her. That second part was mostly an issue after the first miscarriage. After my first loss, we talked about pregnancy much differently with Lucia, focusing on the present (the baby in mommy's tummy) instead of the potential future (what life will be like after the baby is born). When the baby died, Lucia only had to grieve the fact that the baby was no longer in mommy's tummy and not the lost future with a sibling. I suggest that no matter when you decide to tell your child(ren), you think about how you'll talk about the pregnancy and the baby in a way that fits for your family and your situation. </div>
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Whatever you decide to do, be assured that your family is in my prayers. I pray for families who are expecting and families who have experienced pregnancy loss every night. May God bless you as you make this and other decisions for your family.</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-33708026540874620902014-05-07T10:00:00.000-04:002015-05-05T07:26:33.442-04:00What the internet gave me; And a few tips on how to make the internet work for good.<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Friendships. </b></div>
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<b>Advice.</b></div>
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<b>Money in my pocket. </b></div>
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<b>My husband.</b></div>
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<b>Knowledge. </b></div>
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<b>Sanity. </b></div>
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Just a few things the internet has given me over the past ten years. </div>
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<b>I'm of a generation that hardly remembers what it's like to write a paper without the internet.</b> I do vaguely remember making copies of Very Heavy Books in the public library for my report on tortoises. And I do know how to work my way through archives of bound government documents, but only because I was a history major (and I think that's <i>fun</i>). But I truly cannot fathom a life without the internet. Sometimes I get a little down about that and daydream about the good ol' days when children spent all day in the backyard as I chatted with our next door neighbor while both of us hung our laundry on the line. I decry my love of the internet and admonish myself because I just can't seem to go a day without it. </div>
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<b>But let's be honest here: We live in a society that <i>assumes </i>internet access.</b> It's also quite different from that of my grandparents. </div>
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<b>Instead of sitting around sipping coffee and playing card games</b> with the neighborhood ladies, my days as a stay-at-home mom are fairly isolated. I can go to play groups, but guess where I find about about those? Facebook. And they are often far away (which means I would need to google some directions). </div>
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<b>I didn't learn how to sew or cook or keep house</b> from my mother as my grandmother did from hers. So I watch YouTube tutorials and follow blogs with housekeeping tips, google "how to remove a ____ stain" (you would not believe how many options there are for that blank until you have a toddler!) and search for local sewing classes. </div>
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<b>In a modern society where babies aren't nearly as abundant,</b> I entered motherhood <i>without a clue</i> and still frequently can be found asking, "Is it normal that my toddler _______?" in a myriad of Facebook groups. </div>
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<b>I don't have time to leisurely read the newspaper </b>with a toddler afoot (and no neighborhood kids to keep her entertained). I keep up on current events by reading news stories online and discussing them through social media in the small pieces of time I have throughout the day.<br />
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<b>The internet kept me sane after my miscarriages. </b>I googled and before my eyes appeared other women with their stories and their advice. There were other women who had experienced miscarriages! And many of them had some of the same thoughts and feelings I had! So I wasn't crazy after all! I researched and ordered the most helpful books to read. I found a Catholic counselor online. And a local pregnancy loss support group. And Facebook groups about loss and infertility.</div>
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<b>My life has been immeasurably enriched by the internet. </b> Of course, meeting my husband online was the greatest of these internet blessings. Four of my deepest friendships (including three local friends that I see regularly) were women I first met through social media. I also have made innumerable friends through the blogging world and social media, women who I may or may not ever meet, but who have been a lifeline for me particularly through my miscarriages. My husband even found his current job (after an unfruitful <i>yearlong </i>job search) through one of my blog readers!<br />
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Instead of longing for a life without internet, I'm learning to accept it for what it is and it's role in our current society. <i> The internet is not inherently bad. Living an "unplugged" life is not inherently good.</i> The internet is a <i>tool</i>, and you can choose how you use it. Here are a few tips for maximizing the potential for good while limiting the bad:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Record your time. </b>For a day/week, record how much time you spend online and <i>what you're doing</i> with that time. This is fairly easy for me to do because we don't have wireless internet and I don't have a smart phone, so I have to actually sit down at a computer to use it, but if you do have more mobile methods, make sure you include those! Once you have a list of the basic internet activities you do and how much time you spend on each, divide the lists into two categories: online activities that enrich your life, and those that don't. You might realize that you're spending less "wasted" and more "productive" time than you thought or...the opposite. Work on cutting out the waste, but acknowledge that not all your internet time is bad. </li>
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<li><b>Log out.</b> After you're done on Facebook, Twitter, your blog reader, even your email, log out. If I force yourself to log in each time you go online, it an extra barrier up and forces me to reconsider, "Am I only going on because I'm bored? Do I really need to check Facebook right now? Will this I'm-just-going-to-check-real-quick turn into 20 minutes wasted? What can I be doing instead?" </li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Schedule specific internet time.</b> I'm awful at this, but when I stick to it, it really cuts out the internet crap. In the morning, I'll set aside a specific time of my day to go online - maybe nap time or after Lucia goes to bed or a set our like 2-3. Before that time, I'll jot down the various things I "need" to do online. When the time comes, I usually have to prioritize my list because I won't have time to work on a blog post, pay a couple bills, research blood clotting disorders, manage my blog and business social media, and read all the new posts in my blog reader. Focusing on specific tasks keeps me focused. And if I do have extra time left after I get everything done that I wanted to, I don't feel guilty wasting the rest of my time on mindless internetting.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Fast.</b> Consider fasting from the internet or from a specific site - be it one day, three days, a week or a month. Take note of what you really miss while you're gone. When I've taken Facebook breaks, I've realized that I didn't missed as much as I thought I would. </li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Be choosy. </b>That's the beauty if the internet, right? You get to decide what you see. So if someone's posts or comments tend to bother you, unfollow or unfriend. If you find yourself often just pressing "mark as read" on a particular blog in your reader, just unfollow. If you find spending time in a particular FB group makes you depressed, grouchy, or frustrated, leave! If you spend too much time in another group but the benefits don't outweigh the wasted time, leave! Since I've left a few facebook groups (and unfollowed others so the posts don't pop up in my news feed to suck me in), I've just naturally found myself with not a lot to do when I get on Facebook. So I log off. </li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Make a "one tab" rule. </b> If you are like me and have the attention span of a squirrel, it's easy to go down the rabbit hole of the internet, opening tabs here and there like a madwoman and never quite doing what you meant to do. Make a rule to never have more than one or two tabs/windows open at a time. This will force you to complete the task at hand before you move on.</li>
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For more thoughts on the internet and social media visit my friends (who I met through social media):<br />
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Kendra (Catholic All Year): </span></span></span><a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/05/if-my-social-media-friends-had-to-do.html" target="_blank"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">If My Social Media Friends Had to Do This in Real Life, a screenplay in five acts</span></span></span></a><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"> (in which I have a small part!) </span></span></span><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135737189934756:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Molly (Molly Makes Do): </span></span></span><a href="http://mollymakesdo.blogspot.com/2014/05/one-is-silver-and-other-is-gold.html" target="_blank">One is Silver and the Other is Gold</a><br />
Haley (Carrots for Michaelmas): <a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/05/07/dear-moms-dont-hate-yourself/" target="_blank"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Dear Moms, Don't Hate Yourself for Liking Social Media</span></span></span></a><br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".jn.1:3:1:$comment135718876603254_135721869936288:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Christy (Fountains of Home): <a href="http://fountainsofhome.blogspot.com/2014/05/life-online-is-part-of-your-life-too.html" target="_blank">Life Online is Part of Your Life Too </a></span></span></span></div>
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Bonnie (A Knotted Life): <a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/2014/05/the-shortcut-to-friendship.html" target="_blank">A Shortcut to Friendship</a><br />
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-73108414414752150642014-05-03T11:34:00.002-04:002014-06-02T10:58:06.072-04:00Mess<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>This started out as a <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/" target="_blank">Five Minute Friday</a>. But then I didn't have five whole minutes free on Friday. Seriously. Not five minutes. So it was written in a minute here and a minute there over the course of two days, probably equaling probably ten times five minutes, but I wrote on the prompt, so can I still get a cookie?</i><br />
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I noticed recently that the cleaner my home is, the better I handle messes. If Lucia strews the contents of her toy box about our otherwise tidy townhouse, I know that it's only a matter of 10 or 20 minutes keeping me from order. And if I need a break from the mess, I only have to walk into another room to get a reprieve. But when my entire home is out of sorts, any one mess seems like it might be the one that sends me over the edge. It's just one more thing on my already overwhelming to-do list.<br />
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That realization didn't stop there though. My interior life is much the same. If I face a hardship during a time where I am otherwise in a place of peace, it seems manageable. I can let it wreak a bit of havoc knowing that calm is just a little while away. But when the same suffering arrives into a life already burdened by sorrows, it knocks me off my feet.<br />
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So it was with my miscarriages. We were just coming out of a year of unemployment/underemployment for my husband, our fourth out of state move in four years, and several stressful months of trying to conceive. It looked like the sun was just starting to come out and we were anxious for some time to heal from the pain of the previous year. And then we lost a child. Three months later, we found out we were pregnant again, but the outcome of that pregnancy looked grim from the start. We lost that child a month later.<br />
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Looking back, I don't feel like I dealt with either of those miscarriages particularly well. I know that there is not any one way one <i>should </i>grieve, but I can see that so much of my struggles with the grieving process were caused by <i>everything else</i> compounded with the losses. I just wasn't in a very good place to weather any tough blows and two miscarriages in four month really shook an already rocky foundation.<br />
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Over the past few months, I've made a lot of efforts to take care of the <i>everything elses</i> of my life - eating healthy, exercising, sleeping more, deepening my prayer life, spending quality time with my husband, reading literature and spiritual works, nurturing friendships, and focusing on being present to my Lucia. In addition, several of the factors out of our control just seemed to fix themselves - we recently got an answer to our financial stress, David's job has turned out to be a perfect fit for him, and we've settled into our new home. <br />
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We're coming up on the due date of the first child we lost, who we named Francis Michael. I would be 39 weeks (and two days, but who's counting?) right now. If things has been different, I might have a baby in my arms right now. I fully expected this to be a difficult time, but the past week I've felt nothing but joy. <br />
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I have done some specific things to heal from our losses - reading books on pregnancy loss, attending counseling and a support group, etc - but I truly feel like it's the cleaning up of all the other messes in my life and putting my health and soul in order that has made this healing possible. Making the best of life as it is laid a foundation in which I have the freedom to focus on grief.<br />
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At the same time it's made me realize how good my life is now - today - and stop pining for the life it could have been with another child. Truly, I can't imagine what it would be like to have a baby or me anticipating labor right now. That life seems so far away, so distant. Although I'll always wish to have those two children we lost in our family instead of just in our hearts, I know that the today of reality is not any worse than the today that might of been. <i>Just different. </i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the good life, my friends.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyx6eUXcwXyyCVHVxcWc-LBBm5s42vPrXVhoK2T-yB-6VWdeZT2y2L106ss4OpUS8a63fnzVJtEMWSfLrvqRorew2O8VEHxDoqMNntfZwlgCEhKlqM4anP0ZFHE6iVlmT2UjEDJ8_yEAM/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnyx6eUXcwXyyCVHVxcWc-LBBm5s42vPrXVhoK2T-yB-6VWdeZT2y2L106ss4OpUS8a63fnzVJtEMWSfLrvqRorew2O8VEHxDoqMNntfZwlgCEhKlqM4anP0ZFHE6iVlmT2UjEDJ8_yEAM/s1600/004.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This post could have taken a very different twist, in which I wrote about the mess that a trip to the beach causes. We're still finding sand everywhere.</td></tr>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-90912362650151446782014-04-24T11:11:00.001-04:002014-04-24T11:11:23.308-04:00An Un-Bookish Reader's Guide to Falling in Love with Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfRm4-kiQKbHK-MdDUWNX4rtNhVXOfVyFda-RvdcEIf26EhThUdkUU5ii5t3pQFPiHhFcSh0pa9lyleshwD8LXgyl8wJGhNTJ4n4pLyYe0NmJpiIhzxWHzPePGenv_Lo7Q6XcW2JTAu3h/s1600/The-Un-Bookish-Readers-Guide-to-Falling-in-Love-with-Fiction.jpg-1024x1024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfRm4-kiQKbHK-MdDUWNX4rtNhVXOfVyFda-RvdcEIf26EhThUdkUU5ii5t3pQFPiHhFcSh0pa9lyleshwD8LXgyl8wJGhNTJ4n4pLyYe0NmJpiIhzxWHzPePGenv_Lo7Q6XcW2JTAu3h/s1600/The-Un-Bookish-Readers-Guide-to-Falling-in-Love-with-Fiction.jpg-1024x1024.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.messywife.com/p/prdisclosure-policy.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFg2dQvcUbwv37-2GMnA-BzUuC7TcM6hIAG3lLMdA9NH-dtIysEV8qPstAW1aEgdOKSrGsFu7h7FMl55YyUiOhHHYXF7b6QxUx8L2zdGzY-wb1tvuQTCb7GcODKSj3sJ_QSqh6PvkI-jh/s1600/Picture+12-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's always a pleasure to guest post over at my friend Haley's blog, Carrots for Michaelmas. She describes herself as "bookish" and as much as I'd love to have that describe me, it just doesn't. If it doesn't describe you either, then maybe my post today will inspire you to read anyway. Here's a little excerpt:</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Imagine the quintessential “bookish woman.” In your image, is she sitting next to the fire or in a comfy armchair with a cup of tea in hand? Is she reading Austen? Shakespeare? Fitzgerald?</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></i></div>
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I am not that woman.<i> I’m ambivalent toward tea at best. I love to read, but I’m much more likely to lose myself in war history than a classic. Not only do I struggle to enjoy literature, but I regard myself as a fairly lousy fiction reader. I struggle to find underlying themes or analyze literary devices. </i><span style="font-style: italic; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<i>We’re often told, “Follow your passions,” and “pursue your strengths.” But what about the things that we aren’t particularly passionate or skilled? Is it worth the effort to find ways to enjoy and pursue endeavors to which we are not innately drawn? While I don’t get excited by exercising or eating healthy, I actively look for ways to make these them more enjoyable because I see their value. I’ve also done the same about exercising and feeding my mind through literature. Literature is not something that is a natural passion of mine but because I see the value of incorporating literature into my life, I’ve found ways to enjoy it and to become a better literature reader.</i>..<a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/04/24/a-un-bookish-readers-guide-to-falling-in-love-with-fiction/" target="_blank">continue reading at Carrots for Michaelmas</a></div>
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If you're looking for a little non-fiction to break up your fiction reading, don't forget about the <a href="https://us154.infusionsoft.com/go/bundle/a908" target="_blank">Ultimate Homemaking Bundle</a>. Save 95% off 80+ resources! And please, please, please save yourself some money by buying the PDF version and <a href="http://www.messywife.com/2014/04/how-to-send-ebooks-or-other-docs-to.html" target="_blank">sending the files to your Kindle/Kindle app yourself</a>. You can see <a href="http://www.messywife.com/2014/04/how-to-send-ebooks-or-other-docs-to.html" target="_blank">my how-to post her</a>e. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYLAbT7gks3DZENFclPu5hzOr1LbZ5YtOunGhDmRJ1atcPAtV7CR3rHISY1DvVTy4Pg3chyYKjFnNdvMR9sDPS0nbsfAr7yBrrtmhyjJmJD7FqxlFw1upqUTu0ok4opxXQb-vbnp2W3nU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-04-22+at+10.38.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYLAbT7gks3DZENFclPu5hzOr1LbZ5YtOunGhDmRJ1atcPAtV7CR3rHISY1DvVTy4Pg3chyYKjFnNdvMR9sDPS0nbsfAr7yBrrtmhyjJmJD7FqxlFw1upqUTu0ok4opxXQb-vbnp2W3nU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-04-22+at+10.38.39+PM.png" height="144" width="320" /></a></div>
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As a little thank you for buying through <a href="https://us154.infusionsoft.com/go/bundle/a908" target="_blank">my affiliate link</a>, I'm giving away a Lilla Rose Flexi clip to one randomly chosen person who does. After you make your purchase, email a copy of your receipt to messywifeblessedlife@gmail.com to be entered.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpePogqFsn0_7dyo_Ofo5SYeLPLxNF2FWTonA5OG_DjMUabzceP2sc0kaJp_d4qfRCZJbnAL0jFQmcsLf8jnQe7nAaV0WAnZBEZZ0BzmuP2WugrpDd6E16Q76BQdy2gnhjXqDpdBG9Yhe3/s1600/mwblsig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpePogqFsn0_7dyo_Ofo5SYeLPLxNF2FWTonA5OG_DjMUabzceP2sc0kaJp_d4qfRCZJbnAL0jFQmcsLf8jnQe7nAaV0WAnZBEZZ0BzmuP2WugrpDd6E16Q76BQdy2gnhjXqDpdBG9Yhe3/s1600/mwblsig.jpg" /></a></center>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-67357883495769695952014-04-23T08:00:00.000-04:002015-05-27T06:54:38.237-04:00How to Send Ebooks (or Other Docs) to Your Kindle/Kindle App<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2q1UAsRauYrZZk7caxlN3j24HPnpUwLF5OFihfV01auKXJ6GzKBMse-8C99pjvgCSdx9RGyVQuUSLakY5tisCbTOVs4Ki1FF-6W0Vr_5Thy8wMa2HgrfcQVvlv5MMQRAZ3NBiVZ8e-ex/s1600/ebookskindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2q1UAsRauYrZZk7caxlN3j24HPnpUwLF5OFihfV01auKXJ6GzKBMse-8C99pjvgCSdx9RGyVQuUSLakY5tisCbTOVs4Ki1FF-6W0Vr_5Thy8wMa2HgrfcQVvlv5MMQRAZ3NBiVZ8e-ex/s1600/ebookskindle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>If you are at all involved with the blogging world, you've heard of ebooks. </b> Instead of purchasing print versions of books, you can often buy it as an ebook for a little cheaper. Bloggers also offer ebooks as incentives to sign up for newsletters, as a bonus to those who pre-order their books, or to share their expertise without having to go through the formal publication process.</div>
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<b>I will admit that I've largely not seen the purpose of ebooks until just recently. </b> The main reason? I've downloaded most of them as PDFs and then they've just sat there on my desktop. I spend too many hours on the computer already that the idea of being chained to my computer to read is unappealing. My first choice is still to read a physically real paper book, but I am perfectly happy reading an ebook on my Kindle Fire or, most often, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/associates/AppDownload/?ref_=assoc_tag_ph_1402131685749&_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=pf4&program=1&tag=abloabomis-20&linkId=ENXNHFOBTZFMA4TK" target="_blank">Kindle app</a> on my husband's iPad - especially if the book is free, much cheaper, or only available in digital form. </div>
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<b>So, when I found out there was a way to email a PDF ebook to my Kindle app (and that the process took only <i>seconds</i>), all my problems were solved!</b> In case you would find this as useful as I do, here are the quick and easy steps for emailing a document to your Kindle reader.<br />
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The following directions will work with the following document types: <span class="a-list-item">Microsoft Word (.DOC, .DOCX)</span><span class="a-list-item">, HTML (.HTML, .HTM)</span><span class="a-list-item">, RTF (.RTF)</span><span class="a-list-item">, Text (.TXT)</span><span class="a-list-item">, JPEG (.JPEG, .JPG)</span><span class="a-list-item">, Kindle Format (.MOBI, .AZW)</span><span class="a-list-item">, GIF (.GIF)</span><span class="a-list-item">, PNG (.PNG)</span><span class="a-list-item">, BMP (.BMP)</span><span class="a-list-item">, and PDF (.PDF) </span>
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1. Go to <a href="http://amazon.com/">Amazon.com</a>. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Under "Let Us Help You" at the right click on "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle" target="_blank">Manage Your Kindle</a>". (You may have to log in at this point if you haven't already.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RCxNq85ofpjjWYGqu29wvIlO9qzJrbsejUZc3bq2tTGMea1kzjQ9xyTPh2YjZxDAm38inmM7FpEEK-MdlP2_vRxGWQffR9k7QbbnQBQCuD3qsfv17Fmt5geJ56lblM8iA3O9zm-iCyWm/s1600/ebooks1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RCxNq85ofpjjWYGqu29wvIlO9qzJrbsejUZc3bq2tTGMea1kzjQ9xyTPh2YjZxDAm38inmM7FpEEK-MdlP2_vRxGWQffR9k7QbbnQBQCuD3qsfv17Fmt5geJ56lblM8iA3O9zm-iCyWm/s1600/ebooks1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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2. From there, click on "Personal Document Settings" located in the options along the left under "Your Device and Settings".</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktIQDUPY0D_g5cPjgWnqmvygb4jejp9PyDiCqn7OC1ar_UUSNIFkee9-XfHjc8T4vcNEZKm91tDB2W-ZA2Ti8SF6hyphenhyphenre1PF9SVbT61LqBWRvI5ftRr0-JLM_BZOyEZW3DU44SG0HtXSOe/s1600/ebooks2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktIQDUPY0D_g5cPjgWnqmvygb4jejp9PyDiCqn7OC1ar_UUSNIFkee9-XfHjc8T4vcNEZKm91tDB2W-ZA2Ti8SF6hyphenhyphenre1PF9SVbT61LqBWRvI5ftRr0-JLM_BZOyEZW3DU44SG0HtXSOe/s1600/ebooks2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice I have some ebooks that I sent to my library recently. The "author" comes up as the email address I sent it from.</td></tr>
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3. Check that your email address is on the "Approved Document E-mail List". Only emails on this list are able to send documents to your Kindle/the Kindle app on a device. If yours in so there, you can add it by clicking on "Add a new approved e-mail address" at the bottom.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DeLn9tIRNZ3jUKB6DnjpQ6JPpgY9YgYOzSjJ-jBtqY-mesyGIhfyHLlKYKp38nKjbH1AEpbxh91nT704b6dH2eDZhpTLw5DgeQeaHR1RB0gRKUT6VE-MWzzjohemmv3ICcsUGV_qoOxX/s1600/ebooks4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8DeLn9tIRNZ3jUKB6DnjpQ6JPpgY9YgYOzSjJ-jBtqY-mesyGIhfyHLlKYKp38nKjbH1AEpbxh91nT704b6dH2eDZhpTLw5DgeQeaHR1RB0gRKUT6VE-MWzzjohemmv3ICcsUGV_qoOxX/s1600/ebooks4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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4. Now, take note of the email address* for your device. If you have multiple devices (for example, I have a Kindle Fire and an iPad with the Kindle app), you may have a different e-mail address for each one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgU1m-LX219aoCHHQrerQha6fLu9nX7Cu3wdZB7VCT-fSMS3EmNvc097xGHvsJmKZ3sGB8b_PtBvZJnzD4eO7xISlSWWqjzqx5K3DqgcJpwOpmfDtjK-9abSWzeGPCHbH-Gnc1CLgiVNgC/s1600/ebooks3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgU1m-LX219aoCHHQrerQha6fLu9nX7Cu3wdZB7VCT-fSMS3EmNvc097xGHvsJmKZ3sGB8b_PtBvZJnzD4eO7xISlSWWqjzqx5K3DqgcJpwOpmfDtjK-9abSWzeGPCHbH-Gnc1CLgiVNgC/s1600/ebooks3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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5. Go to your email and send your ebook/document to the Kindle email address* associated with the device you want it on. The subject line can either be left blank or you can type "convert" in the subject box if you would like to convert to document to Kindle format. Then just attach your document and press send. You can have up to 25 attachments in one email so if you have many ebooks sitting on your computer, you can transfer them together in one email. (You can also send to up to 15 separate emails to get them to all your various devices at once.) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX6tfHl8NU8cQCeWxU8Acb2Y2kd3IJu0ABkZaBnMBhLIZelmDkg9DDabNdOpUduR9qDQ-YZ6h_QsnA0v6KOC6GbvzIMWZIVHNSMDlrdfyXXCqJ7qhG1OmsokrURywNR50CEBO4WFiEbUU/s1600/ebooks5.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXX6tfHl8NU8cQCeWxU8Acb2Y2kd3IJu0ABkZaBnMBhLIZelmDkg9DDabNdOpUduR9qDQ-YZ6h_QsnA0v6KOC6GbvzIMWZIVHNSMDlrdfyXXCqJ7qhG1OmsokrURywNR50CEBO4WFiEbUU/s1600/ebooks5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once you know the email addresses for your devices, you can send
documents anytime starting with the last step! There are also several
other ways to get documents onto your Kindle/Kindle app, including USB and an app on your computer that would allow you to right click on a document and choose "Send to Kindle". For more information on your other options, see <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375630" target="_blank">this info on Amazon.com</a> or <a href="http://www.howtogeek.com/104943/how-to-send-ebooks-other-documents-to-your-kindle/" target="_blank">this helpful blog post</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://us154.infusionsoft.com/go/bundle/a908" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://ubhome2014graphics.s3.amazonaws.com/UHomB/HomemakingWebsiteLogo.png" width="400" /></a></div>
If you are looking for some books to fill up your Kindle, there is a HUGE Ultimate Homemaking Bundle that goes on sale today. (Affiliate links below.) My sweet friend Haley's ebook, <a href="http://www.e-junkie.com/ecom/gb.php?ii=1299543&c=ib&aff=263402&cl=212494" target="_blank"><i>Feast</i></a>, is one of the ebooks in the sale and if it is any indication of the quality of books involved, it's well worth the $29.97 (for over 80 ebooks!).<br />
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To see a list of the books included and to purchase your copy, <a href="https://us154.infusionsoft.com/go/bundle/a908/" target="_blank">click here or on the button below</a>. There is a Kindle option for a little bit more but now that you know how to send the PDFs yourself, save the difference and use it toward putting some of the ideas in these ebooks into action. This sale is only six days, so be sure to purchase your copy by April 28th. <br />
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-62794697777909171562014-04-21T15:35:00.000-04:002015-05-06T19:01:02.623-04:00Pregnancy Loss Resources: A book about the science behind miscarriage<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813540534/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0813540534&linkCode=as2&tag=abloabomis-20&linkId=HAVRWXSRUQTIHATB" target="_blank"><i>Coming to Term: Uncovering the Truth about Miscarriage</i></a> by Jon Cohen<br />
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<i>Coming to Term</i> is a different type of miscarriage book - it's purpose is not to comfort women or share personal narratives and coping strategies; instead it explores the scientific research behind miscarriage which, in it's own way, can be a comfort to those who have experienced pregnancy loss. The author, Jon Cohen, is a journalist who, after having gone through his wife's multiple losses, noticed that doctors seemed to have very few concrete facts about miscarriage and set out to discover the scientific truth behind miscarriage himself by piecing together the scant medical research on the topic.</div>
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I read <i>Coming to Term</i> after my first miscarriage and was a bit ambivalent about it; after having a second miscarriage soon after, I'm grateful to have read it. Knowing some concrete facts about the causes of miscarriage and some of the potential treatments kept me from losing hope after my second loss. I still often repeat to myself the statistic that Cohen shares: a woman who has a history of repeat miscarriages - three or more - still has a <b>70% chance</b> of carrying a pregnancy to term <i>without medical intervention</i>.<br />
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Perhaps the biggest lessons to be learned from this book is that miscarriage is more common than it was once thought, is largely still a mystery, and most miscarriages cannot be prevented. Those are some tough facts to face for women that want answers and treatments, but can also be a comfort to know the truth, especially for the many men and women who are told conflicting, outdated, and non-evidence-based information from various medical professionals.<br />
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In additional to the hopeful statistics for future pregnancies, the two additional pieces of information that I have felt most useful to me are: 1) Research shows that approximately 50% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities, which couples have no control over. These losses are, essentially, just "bad luck" and do not raise the risk for future miscarriages. 2) Blood clotting disorders cause a significant number of miscarriages and the use of heparin and aspirin during pregnancy has been shown to raise the chances of successfully carrying a baby to term. Because I read this book, I was able to ask my doctor about testing for blood clotting disorders.</div>
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I would caution women from reading this book right after a miscarriage. Give yourself a few months to heal and read some of the more compassionate experience-sharing books first. (I recommend <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/12/pregnancy-loss-resources-after.html" target="_blank"><i>After Miscarriage</i></a> and <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2014/01/pregnancy-loss-resources-angels-in-my.html" target="_blank"><i>Angels in my Heart</i></a>.) I found <i>Coming to Term</i> at times to be very difficult to read because it approached miscarriage in a clinical way. In addition, there is frequent reference to abortion (there are some very strong links between abortion and miscarriage research), fertility treatments that do not respect the dignity of life, and surrogacy, all of which bring up ethical/moral issues and may be difficult to handle soon after a loss.<br />
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A consumer-focused view of parenthood runs throughout the book, though it certainly isn't the author's focus or even his intention; he simply includes stories of real couples, many which unfortunately include elements of this. It is worth reading this book for the valuable medical information it contains; however, make sure you have healed enough and are prepared to be confronted by these issues.</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-2287269871149631482014-04-16T00:00:00.000-04:002014-04-16T00:00:03.973-04:00I bought into the Frozen hype. Now I want a refund.<div style="text-align: center;">
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I feel like I am the last person to see <i>Frozen</i>, however, if that person is actually you: Warning! Spoilers abound!</div>
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<b>I'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but I bought into the <i>Frozen </i>hype.</b> David and I have been wanting to get our hands on a copy since it came out on DVD, but it's been all but impossible to find at a Redbox until this past weekend. We were just as excited to watch it ourselves as we were to show it to Lucia. </div>
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<b>Big mistake.</b> If I had watched it expecting a Disney movie, I probably would have enjoyed it tolerably well, but I was expecting <i>the Disney movie</i> of the <strike>year</strike> <strike>decade</strike> century and I was sorely, sorely disappointed. So much so that as I stayed awake the last few nights with a sick toddler, I couldn't help wondering exactly what I found lacking in the movie. </div>
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<b>1) The "You Can't Marry a Man You Just Met" storyline seemed contrived and a bit too obvious.</b> I heard so many people saying, "Finally! A realistic Disney movie!" Realistic? Might I remind you of the anthropomorphic snowman? Or the character that controls wintery weather? Who watches a Disney movie for realism? Isn't the whole point of fairy tales (and Disney movies are the fairy tales of modernity) to teach morals through the use of a fantastic story? They are supposed to get kids thinking and analyzing in order to find the moral. But, apparently, it's much easier these days to just have the sister of the main character say the moral pointblank. Unless the moral of the story is actually "your older sister knows best". In addition to feeling like this "fairy tale rewrite" was a little forced in order to please the modern woman, it's also not a consistent message throughout the film (see #2 and #6).</div>
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<b>2) Hans must be evil because Kristoff is good.</b> If we're talking about realism, let's talk about this love triangle. In real life, it's not unusual that a woman might be interested in two men, but rarely is one all good and the other pure evil. But I guess that's where people stop praising Frozen for being realistic. As soon as I saw the love match-up between Anna and Kristoff, I knew that Hans would turn out to be the bad guy. Not because anything in the movie suggested that, but because I knew Disney just wouldn't make a female character choose between two good guys. You can't marry a man you just met, but you still have to marry your one true love. I was hoping that Anna would actually have to make a choice and that there would indeed be a new and exciting departure from the classic Disney princess model. But apparently the only thing that has changed in princess relationships is a longer dating period.</div>
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<b>3) "She's my sister. She'd never hurt me."</b> I saw a meme of this going around facebook a while back with friends tagging their sisters as a sign of the sisterly bond. Did they see the movie? Elsa does in fact hurt Anna, which would be somewhat understandable if it were done on accident (the ice in the heart was an accident after all) but <i>she sent a snow monster after her</i>. And then later Elsa was so upset to find out that Anna was dead. Well, it very well could have been that snow monster! Anyway, this movie is touted as so new and unique because it's sisterly love and not true love's kiss that saved Anna, but that ending was pretty obvious from early on in the movie though, wasn't it?</div>
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<b>4) The bipolar snow queen was too much for me. </b>One minute, Elsa is running away from her kingdom in tears because she revealed her powers, scared her subjects, and <i>could have killed them</i>. A moment later, she "let[s] it go" and changes herself from a modestly dressed princess to a sexy snow goddess complete with a slit up the leg. She spends her childhood hiding from her kingdom and the sister she loves in order to protect them, then quickly changes into an angry, bitter witch. Then at the end the movie, she is back in her kingdom frolicking with others - even though she was just enjoying herself living free in isolation. The mood swings are a bit too drastic. Even if I don't care that Disney movies are realistic, the emotions of the characters should still make sense for the fantastic situations they are in.</div>
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<b>5) The trolls seemed unnecessary. </b>The role of comic relief was already taken by Olaf. And Kristoff. And Sven. And they seemed to undermine the whole "You Can't Marry a Man You Just Met" moral as "love experts" who wanted Kristoff and Anna to marry right away. I did agree with their advice that you can't change a person and that no one is perfect, but that was just another romantic love lesson that was being shoved into this movie that was primarily about sororal love. </div>
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<b>6) We rented <i>Turbo </i>last week and it got more play in our house than Frozen. </b>Lucia just didn't like it. She didn't ask to rewatch it once, whereas we kept <i>Turbo </i>for days because she was thrilled to watch it over and over. They are different types of movies, but Lucia enjoys the traditional Disney princess movies - one of her current favorites is <i>Sleeping Beauty</i> - and some more story driven cartoon movies like <i>The Prince of Egypt</i>. <i>Frozen </i>just did not keep her interest. </div>
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That said, I appreciate that Disney has seemed to revive an interest in making music-filled movies based on classic fairy tales. I just think they would do a bit better if they kept closer to the original story lines like they did in the past. I couldn't see any resemblance of <i>Frozen </i>to it's supposed influence, Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen". Other than the snow, of course.</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-18910544962211883692014-04-14T00:18:00.001-04:002014-04-14T09:07:03.804-04:00Please excuse me while I kiss the sky throw everything into one post. <div style="text-align: justify;">
Is anyone else looking to Easter with great anticipation? This Lent has left me exhausted and I'm somewhat nervous to find out what the intensification of Lent through Holy Week will bring. So will you forgive my lack of blogging prowess and accept this meager recap of some Holy Week resources, favorite links, recent going-ons, answers to Kendra's questions, all set to some lovely photos of our Saturday at the park? This post might be a bit too busy, just like me.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Holy Week resources:</span></div>
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<a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/04/02/liturgical-living-at-a-glance-april/" target="_blank">From Haley (Carrots for Michaelmas)</a></div>
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<a href="http://mollymakesdo.blogspot.com/2014/04/holy-week-plans.html" target="_blank">From Molly (Molly Makes Do)</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/04/the-you-can-still-do-this-guide-to-all.html" target="_blank">From Kendra (Catholic All Year)</a></div>
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<a href="http://welcometomydomesticmonastery.blogspot.com/2014/04/holy-week-inspiration.html" target="_blank">From Michele (My Domestic Monastery)</a><br />
<a href="http://asliceofsmithlife.blogspot.com/2013/03/our-familys-holy-week-and-easter_25.html" target="_blank">From Tracy (A Slice of Smith Life)</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Favorite Links:</span></div>
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<a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/03/23/in-defense-of-fanny-price-why-you-dont-like-mansfield-park-as-much-as-you-should/" target="_blank">In Defense of Fanny Price: Why You Don't Like Mansfield Park as Much as You Should</a> (Carrots for Michaelmas) - I read Mansfield Park as part of a book group both Haley and I are a part of and after reading this post, found myself liking Fanny (and MP).</div>
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<a href="http://www.ahaparenting.com/_blog/Parenting_Blog/post/What_To_Say_Instead_of_Praising/" target="_blank">What to Say Instead of Praising</a> (Aha! Parenting) - I made a chart out of the "instead of"/"try" phrases and it resides on our fridge. I am so ready to quit with the "Good job!" ad nauseum.</div>
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<a href="http://www.flandersfamily.info/web/age-appropriate-chores-for-children/" target="_blank">Age-Appropriate Chores for Children</a> (Flanders Family) - I'm quite tickled that "bake cookies" is listed as a chore and that Lucia is old enough to carry firewood.</div>
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<a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2014/04/for-when-youre-having-an-im-not-enough-week/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thegypsymama+%28thegypsymama%29" target="_blank">For when you're having an "I'm not enough" week (Lisa-Jo Baker)</a> - Encouragement for moms in the trenches.</div>
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<a href="http://fountainsofhome.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-bookish-mum-reading-to-feed-your.html" target="_blank">The Bookish Mum: Reading to Feed Your Soul and Intellect</a> (Fountains of Home) - The first post in an exciting new series by Christy. </div>
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<a href="http://misselainious.com/uncategorized/stop-saying-god-good-day-450/" target="_blank">Stop Saying God is Good</a> (Miss Elainious) - God's goodness is not conditional. Period.</div>
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<a href="https://thejesuitpost.org/2014/04/11881/" target="_blank">A Man of Peace: Fr. Fans van der Lugt, S</a><a href="https://thejesuitpost.org/2014/04/11881/" target="_blank">J</a> (The Jesuit Post) - Lessons from the life of a Jesuit killed while caring for the people of Homs, Syria.</div>
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<a href="http://theuglyvolvo.com/2014/04/01/why-you-should-never-ever-ever-get-a-tattoo-but-having-a-baby-is-fine/" target="_blank">Why You Should Never, Ever, Ever Get a Tattoo (but Having a Baby is Fine)</a> (the ugly volvo) - Your laugh for the week. You're welcome. (In case your wondering, my formal stance is both pro-tattoo and pro-baby though resoundingly anti-baby tattoos.)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Recent Going-Ons:</span></div>
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Lucia threw a pair of panties into the pew in front of us at Mass yesterday. So, that happened. </div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Lucia
always says, "What's this guy?" when asking what anything is. A shoe on
the floor: "What's this guy?" Daddy gets home: "What's this guy?" </span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">She also calls inanimate objects "little guy". As in, "Don't worry, little guy. I protect you." (said to a wooden spoon)</span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">She calls the one year old I watch twice a week, Mary
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Her favorite new lovey is "sugar bear". Nope, not a cute nickname, it's an actual clay <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pack-Original-Brown-Sugar-Bear/dp/B00BLR8HA6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397444338&sr=8-1&keywords=brown+sugar+bear" target="_blank">brown sugar bear</a> pilfered from my kitchen. The success of the enormous toy industry is amazing considering that children rarely play with actual toys.</span></div>
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My parents will be here on Good Friday! They helped us move out here (the first time we moved here in July 2012) and my mom came out here for a week to help me after Lucia was born, so this is the first time they'll be here without being put to work.</div>
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We started learning Creighton (a method of NFP) in an attempt to find and fix the causes of our miscarriages a few weeks ago. It's gone pretty well so far. I had my first follow-up this week and my instructor thought I seemed to know what I was doing. There was a little part of me that was afraid of flunking out. Not like that a possibility but I'm the queen of weird irrational phobias.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/04/answer-me-this-of-boggarts-and-barbies.html" target="_blank">Answer Me This</a>:</span></div>
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<b>1. What time do you prefer to go to Mass?</b> 10:45 on Sunday morning. We get to sleep in late, David usually makes a big breakfast (early enough for us to still have an hour fast before Mass), and Lucia does much better than the Sunday evening Mass. (Panty toss was at the Sunday 5:30pm Mass.) A fun bonus is that this seems to be the Mass where all the parishioners we know attend.</div>
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<b>2. Would you rather be too hot or too cold?</b> I may be one of the only people who thinks living in Phoenix sounds like a good idea. I love hot hot hot weather. I HATE being cold.</div>
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<b>3. How many brothers and/or sister do you have?</b> I have one brother five years younger than me. Fun fact: I remember people <i>always </i>telling my parents how cute it was that we called each other "brother" and "sis". We still do.</div>
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<b>4. If you were faced with a boggart, what would it turn into?</b> Nancy Pelosi? I'm totally not saying that to get political; the pictures of her with her "crazy eyes" that make the rounds on the web give me nightmares.</div>
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<b>5. Barbie: thumbs up or thumbs down?</b> Big thumbs up! I had tons as a kid. I'm not opposed to Lucia playng with them if she wants, but the poor girl is going to have to get by hand-me-downs with the misshapen heads. (When your brother pulls the head off and you try to put them back on, they never look the same. They're always a bit more smooshed and round.) To make up for the weird heads, I do have some neat clothes sewn by one of my grandmothers. She passed away when I was in high school, so she never got to meet Lucia and I think it will be neat to watch Lucia play with the Barbie clothes she made.</div>
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<b>6. If someone asked you to give them a random piece of advice, what would you say?</b> Don't talk badly about your spouse to anyone. Just don't.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a birthday party photo bombed us</td></tr>
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Finish out Lent strong, my friends. Don't get<a href="http://www.aknottedlife.com/2014/03/you-were-caught-lent-handed.html?spref=fb" target="_blank"> caught Lent-handed</a>!</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-82437946185082187492014-04-10T10:20:00.000-04:002014-04-13T14:49:21.499-04:00Our Song<div style="color: #351c75; text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: black;">Originally posted 3/20/12 as part of <a href="http://nfpandme.blogspot.com/2012/03/tell-me-about-your-song.html" target="_blank">the link up at NFP and Me</a>. Revived today to link up with <a href="http://www.camppatton.com/2014/04/wedding-song-dance-along.html#.U0amAVcvmtt" target="_blank">Camp Patton's Wedding Song Dance Along</a> (and because the blog's been pretty silent this week). </span></div>
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<b><i>What's your song? Share a video if there is one.</i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">My husband and I have two songs. Neither one is a traditional "love song" if you really listen to the words. Early on in our dating relationship, our song was "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (from the movie "Once"). </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">Our first dance song at our wedding reception</span><span style="color: black;">, "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon,</span><span style="color: black;"> has since replaced it as "our song". </span><b><i><br />
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<b><i>Did you always have a song or did you have to find one?</i></b> </div>
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<span style="color: black;">"Falling Slowly" became our song naturally because we watched "Once" together early in our relationship when it was shown one Friday night as part of my university's independent/foreign film series. Because the lyrics are more about a breakup than about enduring love (the song ends with "I paid the cost too late, Now you're gone"), we didn't feel it was appropriate for a first dance song. So we had to find a new one.</span><b><i> </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Why did you pick this song?</i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">In short, because it was a little different and a song we both agreed on. When I realized we needed to find a first dance song, I put together a short list of about five songs I was thinking of using. Some of the songs I found online in lists of "good first dance songs", like "Fools Rush In". Others were my personal favorites ("La Pared" acoustic version by Shakira). "Use Somebody" was playing a lot on the radio at the time and I was very drawn to it every time I heard it. David ruled some out right away (he didn't want to dance to a song in Spanish because most of our guests wouldn't understand it) and we were left with only a few. In the end, we picked "Use Somebody" because it wasn't a typical first dance song but still had a beautiful meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">It plays on the radio once in a while and it always melts my heart to hear it. We took a few private dance lessons before the wedding and practiced over and over to that song, so it represents us learning to dance together which was really fun and exciting as we prepared for our big day. It reminds me of being held tight in my husband arms and having him learn to lead me. Dancing is a really great metaphor for marriage, really. </span></div>
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<b><i style="color: #351c75;">How has the meaning changed since you first chose it?</i></b><span style="color: black;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">I think we realize now more than when we first got married how much we need one another in our lives. Especially now that we have a daughter, there are many moments when the lyrics "I could use somebody right now" rings true. Somebody to share my life with. Somebody to share in the happy moments, the difficult time, to split the household chores with. And David is that perfect somebody for me. Marriage isn't all about love and romance (although it's about that too), it's often about support and just having someone there next to you. </span></div>
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<b><i style="color: #351c75;">Won't you share a picture of you two dancing? (Doesn't have to be a wedding picture!)</i></b><br />
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<span style="color: black;">I tried to explain the song to our dance instructor before we met her, but she hadn't heard it before. She seemed a little nervous when we brought it along and she first heard it since it was rather upbeat, but she was able to choreograph a little entrance to it and teach us some basic steps and turns to use. We really shocked our friends and family that we were doing "fancy" dancing. I love this picture because you can see the look on David's cousin's face in the background. Explains it all!</span></div>
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</center>Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-48709122363538362312014-04-07T14:31:00.000-04:002015-05-05T10:55:33.348-04:00And Jesus wept. (+ Answer Me This!)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've
found a lot of comfort in yesterday's Gospel, <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/040614.cfm" target="_blank">the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45)</a>, especially the simple phrase, "And Jesus wept."
Christ's friend Lazarus died and He wept in mourning, even though He
knew that He would soon raise Lazarus, even though there was an
afterlife. After all, death was never part of God's original plan for
mankind, but a result of sin. Like all things, God can still bring
great good out of the consequence of sin, but there is still a sadness
in it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After my miscarriages, I often heard something along the lines of, "You shouldn't be sad that your children died. You should be happy because your child is in heaven." I've heard that other moms who have experienced pregnancy loss have been told the same. I understand that those who say that are doing so out of love, but for those of us who are already struggling to find space to grieve in a society that generally doesn't acknowledge our loss, it's hard to be told that we shouldn't be in mourning. I
don't speak for all women who have had a loss and I'm sure there are
women who take comfort in those words, I'm just not one of them. Even if
my children are in heaven, a thought that I do find comfort in, I still feel their absence profoundly. Sadness and happiness are not mutually exclusive emotions. If Jesus, who is God, wept at the death of a friend, surely I can weep at the death of my child without reproach.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've found much consolation from the Gospel readings this Lent. The <a href="http://usccb.org/bible/readings/033014.cfm" target="_blank">previous Sunday's reading</a><a href="http://usccb.org/bible/readings/033014.cfm" target="_blank"> (John 91-41)</a> was very powerful as well:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him."</i></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This part was so powerful that I cried! During the Gospel and during the homily. I cry often during movies but very, very rarely during Mass. But this was exactly what my heart needed to hear. Our losses are not punishment for something we had done. I've never really believed that they were, but I guess, somewhere, deep down, I still had that doubt. This Lent has truly been exactly what I've needed for healing. It makes me wonder if Lent has the ability to become what I need every year and I just haven't paid enough attention to let it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I'm here....Kendra started a new weekly link up called "Answer Me This". She started it last week without knowing it but it now has a name and and an image. I'm answering <a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/04/it-happened-again.html" target="_blank">last week's questions</a>. You can find this week's for <a href="http://www.catholicallyear.com/2014/04/answer-me-this.html" target="_blank">the upcoming Sunday link up here</a>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">1. Where do you live? And why do you live there?</span> I live in Raleigh, NC. The short answer of why we live here is because my husband got a job here after a year-long job search. We probably would have moved anywhere just for him to have a job, but we lived here previously and loved it. The more drawn out answer is that a blog reader saw me write a post on how David was possibly interested in teaching high school. She previously worked at the school, is friends with the Dean and told him about David. How cool is that? A blog reader helped my husband get a job! </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">2. What are you currently watching and/or reading?</span> Currently reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mansfield-Park-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp/B0083Z4RNU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396892373&sr=1-1&keywords=mansfield+park" target="_blank"><i>Mansfield Park</i></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Story-Soul-LHistoire-dune-Autobiography-ebook/dp/B004TQJZGQ/ref=sr_1_10?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1396892334&sr=1-10&keywords=story+of+a+soul" target="_blank"><i>Story of a Soul</i></a>, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Deepest-Longing-Ronald-Rolheiser/dp/1616366575/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1396845800&sr=8-8&keywords=prayer" target="_blank">Prayer: Our Deepest Longing</a></i>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Does-Make-Any-Difference/dp/0310328888/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1396845800&sr=8-5&keywords=prayer" target="_blank"><i>Prayer: Does it Make any Difference</i></a>, and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Silent-Planet-Space-Trilogy/dp/0743234901/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396845886&sr=8-1&keywords=out+of+the+silent+planet" target="_blank">Out of the Silent Planet</a></i>.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">3. What kind of Catholic are you: cradle, or convert? (Or considering?)</span>cradle</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">4. Can you point to one moment or experience that made you a practicing Catholic? (Or want to be?)</span>I don't know that there was a specific moment though I credit my strong faith to the Catholic school I attended K-3. The point when I took my faith on as my own decision was sophomore year of high school when I pushed to be put in the Confirmation class with my peers even though I was starting a month late because my family didn't know about the classes since we weren't attending Mass regularly at the time. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">5. How many pairs of shoes do you own?</span> I'll have to count but probably around 20.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">6. Are you a good dancer?</span> I'd say I'm decent. I don't think I'm particularly embarrassing but also not super talented. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">7. Who usually drives, you or your husband?</span> Husband. Always. I can't remember the last time I drove when he was in the car. It's happened maybe a handful of times in our almost four years of marriage.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">8. What's your favorite holiday and how do you celebrate it?</span> I've always loves St. Patrick's Day, probably because it's always been lumped in with my birthday (which is the day before). I also loved that it is a holiday of obvious Catholic origin that is now a part of our American culture. And I love corned beef and cabbage. We don't do a ton to celebrate and are still figuring out how we'll celebrate it as a family, but corned beef and cabbage will always be a staple.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">9. Which is correct? Left or right?</span> I'm not one who really cares about this debate, but I prefer left.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">10. Do you have any scars?</span> Yes, I have a scar from chicken pox on my forehead that gets pointed out a lot. It gets edited out by most professional photographers which annoys me because it's been part of what I look like since I was nine. It doesn't bother me anymore. I should just tell them not to edit it out, but I always forget because I don't even notice it now.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">old picture of me on my honeymoon rocking the scar</td></tr>
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I also have a faint scar on my cheek from a saber tooth tiger attack. (My dad climbed a tree with me on his back when I was a baby and a branch got me bad. So, logically, when my mom got home, my dad told her that it was the result of a saber tooth tiger attack and he saved me. I has become a family legend.) I probably have a ton of other small ones because I'm accident prone and find myself with bruises and scabs all the time with no idea where they came from.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">11. What's the most famous thing you've ever done?</span> I was on the front page of the city newspaper when I was in ninth grade for <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-nerd-is-showing-or-you-dont-know.html" target="_blank">winning a trophy at the state chess championship</a>. I was the top female player in the tournament and the trophy was appropriately very pretty.</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-75683270057876230892014-04-04T14:29:00.002-04:002014-04-04T14:47:58.643-04:00Seven Ways to Support Kate<div style="text-align: center;">
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Kate Lawhon, blogger at <a href="http://realcatholicloveandsex.com/">Real Catholic Love and Sex</a>, is raising funds for Creighton FertilityCare training. Creighton is a method of fertility awareness/natural family planning that can be used to prevent and achieve pregnancy, as well as detect underlying causes of a woman's health issues, including infertility, miscarriage, ovarian cysts, and hormonal imbalances. It's particularly close to my heart because David and I started working with a Creighton instructor just last week to try to find and treat the causes of my miscarriages. Kate lives in the Portland/Vancouver area where there is a woeful lack of NFP instructors of any method. By supporting Kate, you will in turn be providing women in her area with access to complete reproductive healthcare. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOdlvAQg-SmcRFA6L-kmRnVG6CsJjRnv8THIRIr3SuX5zFtuvvX9cG1NCy1sTvWOAxCFXIOHLKcwwXKlsRTG4Ec3MjI1qYzoH-BkBHRZ2JpFk1oV3Jm-LMjilHjrxDWwbtU_MUNfccmoC/s1600/k1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmOdlvAQg-SmcRFA6L-kmRnVG6CsJjRnv8THIRIr3SuX5zFtuvvX9cG1NCy1sTvWOAxCFXIOHLKcwwXKlsRTG4Ec3MjI1qYzoH-BkBHRZ2JpFk1oV3Jm-LMjilHjrxDWwbtU_MUNfccmoC/s1600/k1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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How can you help Kate? I'm so glad you asked. Aside from <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/6zy654">donating directly to Kate through her gofundme page</a>, you can shop from any of the following direct sales/small businesses through April 10th and a portion of your purchase will go to Kate. To sweeten the pot, you'll also have a chance to win a giveaway with prizes from most of these sponsors - you'll get one entry for each $10 you spend at any of these venders and one winner takes all. If you'd like to learn more about Kate, Creighton, or any of the products below, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/717846421570240/">join us for a live online party on Facebook</a> tomorrow (Saturday) night at 9pm EST. </div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt1"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt1" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 1 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">I don't want to harp on this because I talk about being a Lilla Rose independent consultant and the hair accessories often enough, but they truly are beautiful, comfortable, and very easy to use. There are some really darling styles for girls if you need some more items for the Easter basket, First Communion or Confirmation gifts. </span></span></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Shop through the party I've set up for Kate and 30% of all sales will benefit her. If you are a new Lilla Rose customer, you'll get a free item ($16 and under) if you buy any three items. Purchase your three (or more) items, then email me at messywifeblessedlife@gmail.com with your free item choice. You do need to sign up as my customer (I'll send you details on how to do so) to get this deal. I will also be
giving one Flexi clip of the winner's choice ($16 and under) and a
pair of bobby pins to the giveaway winner. Shop here: <a href="https://www.lillarose.biz/parties/4295" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.lillarose.biz/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>parties/4295</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt2"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt2" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 2 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Usborne Book &
More consultant Molly Walter will be donating all commission after the
first $20. I recently did an Usborne party with her and nothing I say can do justice to the books they have. Super, super high quality, huge selection, tons of activity books (sticker books, wipe-clean books, etc.). This picture shows some of my favorites for a baby/toddler Easter basket, but there are tons of book for older kids too. She will be giving away a paperback copy of <a href="http://z3088.myubam.com/p/1176/first-encyclopedia-of-the-human-body-il">First Encyclopedia of the Human Body</a>. Shop here: <a href="https://z3088.myubam.com/40696" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://z3088.myubam.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>40696</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt3"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt3" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 3 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> Mary Kay Beauty
Consultant, Michaela Wagner, has skin care, body care, fragrances for
men and women! Not to mention an amazing line of color cosmetics. 30% of
all sales will be donated to Kate. She will also be giving away one
Satin Hands Pampering Set. Shop here: <a href="https://www.marykay.com/michaelawagner" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.marykay.com/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>michaelawagner</a></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt4"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt4" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 4 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">There will be several styles of rosary bracelets offered by Allicia Faber of <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/ladybugsncarrotjuice" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.etsy.com/shop/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>ladybugsncarrotjuice</a>. Allicia is a sweet friend of mine and sent me the rosary bracelet above and I wear it every day. It is beyond lovely. $5 from each sale will go directly to Kate's fund. You can see the items available (including the one I have - we can be twinnies!) on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/717846421570240/722377754450440/">the event Facebook page here</a>. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt5"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt5" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 5 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Thirty-One Gifts
Independent Consultant, Kristan, is donating 15% of the proceeds from
this party to help Kate. Thirty-One has a little bit of everything -
purses, thermals, home organization, and more! I'm especially loving the gym bags that are on special this month. Yes, that above is a gym bag! (Did I tell you we joined a gym? No? Well, we did.) Shop here: <a href="http://www.mythirtyone.com/shop/catalog.aspx?eventId=E4387878&from=DIRECTLINK" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>www.mythirtyone.com/shop/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>catalog.aspx?eventId=E43878<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>78&from=DIRECTLINK</a><br /> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt6"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt6" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 6 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Pampered Chef consultant, Kim Valdez is donating 15% to Kate. I can browse the Pampered Chef catalog for hours. I especially love all the garlic tools. Shop here: <a href="http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/kimgvaldez/guest-landing/8867540450459" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>new.pamperedchef.com/pws/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>kimgvaldez/guest-landing/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>8867540450459</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt7"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt7" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 7 ---</a></b></div>
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<span class="fsl"><span class="text_exposed_show">Rosaries by Allison
will be donating 10% of all sales in the Etsy shop. Allison's rosary are wonderful - I custom ordered matching ones for David and me as a surprise and he loved it. She's so great to work with too. One lucky person
will win a pocket rosary with 'Storm' Swarovski bicone crystal beads.
Shop here: <a href="http://allisonkinyon.etsy.com/" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>allisonkinyon.etsy.com/</a></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="134" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="200" /></a></div>
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For more Quick Takes, visit <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/">Jen.</a> Then order her book. It's totally worth it just for the free ebook for preorders. I'm reading it right now and really enjoying.</div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-44672101945770903972014-04-03T21:54:00.000-04:002015-05-05T10:56:31.247-04:0050 Easter Basket Ideas for Two Year Olds <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXM0QmigbdO-1pB_2xQaF8HGmWyTZNyJ_8oP4dqeJRHbx6BnwcwhP4FzewyUO1dYN90xe4cV7wXgKwN7MvaCUMCvxZn3L4w49EOV9RmcnqzPVvrzopW4x__OEhvP1ngxjNVPvr4c4oEgR/s1600/easterbasket.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXM0QmigbdO-1pB_2xQaF8HGmWyTZNyJ_8oP4dqeJRHbx6BnwcwhP4FzewyUO1dYN90xe4cV7wXgKwN7MvaCUMCvxZn3L4w49EOV9RmcnqzPVvrzopW4x__OEhvP1ngxjNVPvr4c4oEgR/s1600/easterbasket.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last year, I wrote a post with <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/03/easter-basket-ideas-for-one-year-olds.html" target="_blank">50 Easter basket ideas for one-year-olds</a>. Lucia is now two and while most of the ideas from last year would still work for her, I thought it would be fun to come up with 50 completely different ideas for her age group. (And then I need to get shopping because I only have a few items so far!) If these aren't enough for you, <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/03/easter-basket-ideas-for-one-year-olds.html" target="_blank">check out last year's post too</a>!</div>
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1. summer pajamas</div>
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2.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Didax-DD-225-Unifix-Cubes-count/dp/B0007PC9CK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396535342&sr=8-1&keywords=unifix+cubes" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://z3088.myubam.com/p/1374/first-sticker-book-easter" target="_blank">sticker books</a></div>
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3. play food (felt, wooden, plastic)</div>
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4. flashcards (numbers, letters, animals, etc.) </div>
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5. dancing ribbon rings (<a href="http://buggyandbuddy.com/make-dancing-ribbon-rings/" target="_blank">DIY here</a>)</div>
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6. Little People (I love these<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Little-People-Friends-Exclusive/dp/B008ZUGOAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396535530&sr=8-1&keywords=little+people+superheroes" target="_blank"> superheroes</a>) or other figurines</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWK7wOs37epX7LxTzdzNTJg6J5XSxaS7L7SfezMuIFKm58R-2mo-KBc8zA34sx1PJNi2j82HS-Xtdq3PJFtZamHHRvIkURDcRcYS_C0jsYPjMltm6bV9BZjPI-_x8yA1CPqcyDZwdtG-V/s1600/unifix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWK7wOs37epX7LxTzdzNTJg6J5XSxaS7L7SfezMuIFKm58R-2mo-KBc8zA34sx1PJNi2j82HS-Xtdq3PJFtZamHHRvIkURDcRcYS_C0jsYPjMltm6bV9BZjPI-_x8yA1CPqcyDZwdtG-V/s1600/unifix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Didax-DD-225-Unifix-Cubes-count/dp/B0007PC9CK/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1396566250&sr=1-1&keywords=unifix+cubes" target="_blank">unifix cubes</a></div>
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8. toddler-sized apron</div>
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9. cookie cutters, measuring cups, mixing bowls<br />
10. cookie/muffin/brownie mix to make with mom and dad </div>
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11. summer pajamas <br />
12. rain boots or sandals</div>
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13. underwear for the newly/soon-to-be potty trained</div>
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14. beach towel</div>
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15. sun hat</div>
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16. swimsuit</div>
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17. bug catching kit (dollar store has had these in the past)</div>
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18. fun band-aids</div>
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19. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Lace-Trace-Farm/dp/B000O7ITZM/ref=sr_1_2?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1396561820&sr=1-2&keywords=wood+kids+sewing" target="_blank">wood lacing toys</a></div>
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20. CD of kid's music (I'm loving <a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-My-Little-Bird/dp/B000GKZN9M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396562382&sr=8-2&keywords=elizabeth+mitchell" target="_blank">Elizabeth Mitchell</a> right now) </div>
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21. large animal or dinosaur toys</div>
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22. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beistle-54427-Bumblebee-Clings-17-Inch/dp/B00FEIE28E/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396562615&sr=8-3&keywords=spring+window+clings" target="_blank">window clings</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFojmz51Qi4EiZfcmT3CJyd7iYmM7yS7rnLklupkxJBaDsjSR2NsMNnwhpjV1LPrqrko4bxSnnPGl9wW-xW2p-87bL0oMYfdm0VL2zAkOIdHzwvXQKO2ODVrjwdfQh0xNQktpOJ26uyB6w/s1600/tweeze+bees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFojmz51Qi4EiZfcmT3CJyd7iYmM7yS7rnLklupkxJBaDsjSR2NsMNnwhpjV1LPrqrko4bxSnnPGl9wW-xW2p-87bL0oMYfdm0VL2zAkOIdHzwvXQKO2ODVrjwdfQh0xNQktpOJ26uyB6w/s1600/tweeze+bees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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23. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Tweeze-Bees-Toy-Kids/dp/B003Y7DL5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396562820&sr=8-1&keywords=tweeze+bees" target="_blank">wooden Tweeze Bees</a></div>
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24. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I0CEAZG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00I0CEAZG&linkCode=as2&tag=befyoupen0a-20" target="_blank">Fine Motor Tools Set </a></div>
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25. package of seeds</div>
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26. small plant</div>
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27. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hohner-Kids-HO378-Puppy-Whistle/dp/B006ZP2MK0/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396562484&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=puppy+sliide+whistle" target="_blank">slide whistle</a> or other musical instruments</div>
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28. <a href="https://z3088.myubam.com/search?q=wipe-clean" target="_blank">wipe-off book</a></div>
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29. travel sized magna doodle/etch a sketch/white board</div>
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30. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playskool-Weebles-Spring-Basket-Chick/dp/B004NAN67M/ref=cm_lmf_tit_19" target="_blank">lamb and chick Weebles</a><br />
31. felt story board set </div>
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<b>ideas for filling plastic eggs:</b></div>
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32. <a href="http://mynearestanddearest.com/buttons-eggs-simple-easter-activity-preschoolers/" target="_blank">buttons</a></div>
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33. temporary tattoos</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RbE-JccNMG6tVnfy-lIKmq_gVGO6DUyg2JEKa02f-eZEq8gZZD6Re4IK7bRWUC-hj9RzcjsUy0NOgesU5mQFKrLVioTt2VKcUNIZ0KSIygGlrvJaX44V4RkHtMtsOUfBWZsCCUYPWg7b/s1600/counting+bears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RbE-JccNMG6tVnfy-lIKmq_gVGO6DUyg2JEKa02f-eZEq8gZZD6Re4IK7bRWUC-hj9RzcjsUy0NOgesU5mQFKrLVioTt2VKcUNIZ0KSIygGlrvJaX44V4RkHtMtsOUfBWZsCCUYPWg7b/s1600/counting+bears.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
34. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/50-Counting-Bears-5-Cups/dp/B0006PKZBI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396535369&sr=8-1&keywords=counting+bears" target="_blank">counting bears</a></div>
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35. large beads (put string in the Easter basket)</div>
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36. nuts</div>
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37. chocolate chips* </div>
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38. small animals, dinosaurs or bugs</div>
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39. bean bags/hacky sacks<br />
40. small bracelets/necklaces<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvOzB8ALlOfrXufmhZTYLVtY08RR6fhjyYHleE9375ZBsoOuW-9GBS_CtLJTXVQse4LVVZrIN2NMlczRuxKAuItWkwA3aPtjVazV28HTczvzoYdEeVoCadioIaYFoCZ-KYfksN7Ex3caS/s1600/littlegirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvOzB8ALlOfrXufmhZTYLVtY08RR6fhjyYHleE9375ZBsoOuW-9GBS_CtLJTXVQse4LVVZrIN2NMlczRuxKAuItWkwA3aPtjVazV28HTczvzoYdEeVoCadioIaYFoCZ-KYfksN7Ex3caS/s1600/littlegirl.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
41. <a href="http://www.lillarose.biz/mandi" target="_blank">mini hair clip or bobby pins</a></div>
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<b>religious ideas: </b></div>
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42. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/sanctusstitches?section_id=8095696&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1" target="_blank">Saint finger puppets</a></div>
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43. Saint statue</div>
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44. crucifix</div>
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45. an Easter lily<br />
46. medals or cross necklace</div>
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<b>food ideas: </b></div>
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47. granola/snack bars</div>
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48. fruit snacks (<a href="http://www.anorganicwife.com/2013/01/recipe-homemade-fruit-snacks.html" target="_blank">recipe to make your own</a>)</div>
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49. popcorn</div>
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50. chocolate coins*</div>
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*Due to child slavery in the chocolate industry, please buy chocolate from ethical sources. To learn more, visit <a href="http://www.slavefreechocolate.org/">Slave Free Chocolate</a>. You can find ethical options by clicking on the "SFC Directory".<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpePogqFsn0_7dyo_Ofo5SYeLPLxNF2FWTonA5OG_DjMUabzceP2sc0kaJp_d4qfRCZJbnAL0jFQmcsLf8jnQe7nAaV0WAnZBEZZ0BzmuP2WugrpDd6E16Q76BQdy2gnhjXqDpdBG9Yhe3/s1600/mwblsig.jpg" /></center>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-48099623026378289072014-03-31T17:35:00.000-04:002015-05-05T10:57:12.646-04:00Lent with a Toddler<div style="text-align: center;">
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Lucia (28 months) and I are sitting down for "school time" this Lent, which has consisted of me reading one Station of the Cross (from the book I share below) and the daily Mass readings while she colors a related coloring book page or two. Then we have a little discussion. It's pretty simple but has resulted in some great conversations and it's helped us focus our days around faith. It has been so fruitful for us that I planning to continue this year round. </div>
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I checked out numerous Easter and springtime books (both religious and not) from the library using <a href="http://twoosplusmore.blogspot.com/2013/03/children-picture-books-for-eastertide.html" target="_blank">this list</a> and <a href="http://www.elizabethfoss.com/reallearning/2013/02/for-the-lenten-books-basket.html" target="_blank">this one</a> as my guides. As we make our way through them, I'll
have to share some of my favorites with you. Those books we've incorporated as "extra" reads before nap and at bedtime, but the heart of our "Lenten curriculum" has come from these few resources we own:</div>
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1. <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magnificat-English-ed/dp/B004WGITBK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396282868&sr=8-2&keywords=magnificat" target="_blank">Magnificat</a></i>
- I've used our Magnificat to read the daily reading to Lucia while she
colors either a general Lent coloring page or a page that relates
closely to the day's Gospel. If you don't have the Magnificat
subscription, you can always find the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/033114.cfm" target="_blank">daily readings at the USCCB website</a>.<br />
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2. <i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coloring-book-about-lent-paul-t-bianca/1030247005?ean=9780899426976" target="_blank">Coloring Book About Lent</a></i> - I love this coloring book! It has pages that talk about some of the basics of Lent (why purple, what is Lent) and pages to correspond with specific Lenten readings, for example, today Lucia colored two pages on "The Man Born Blind" from yesterdays reading. <i>Hint: This is not one to get on Amazon - $1.57 at Barnes and Noble, $13.50 (for a coloring book!) from Amazon. Even with shipping B&N is a much better deal and they have a huge selection of Catholic coloring books around the same price point (we have the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catholic-abc-coloring-book-emma-c-mckean/1002102974?ean=9780899426730" target="_blank">Catholic ABC Coloring Book</a> and <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1-2-3-coloring-book-emma-c-mckean/1002403340?ean=9780899426747" target="_blank">1-2-3 Coloring Book</a>).</i><br />
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3. <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593252455/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1535523722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0883446669&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0DHP3BJ5DNN3AJHFP3NM" target="_blank">Walking with Jesus to Calvary: Stations of the Cross for Children</a></i>
- Perhaps a little too advanced for her age, Lucia couldn't maintain
attention for the entire books, but she can definitely do one Station at
a time (which is what we are doing - one a day). She was very affected
by the pictures which I feel were perfect - not to "cutesy" but
certainly not too gory. The descriptions of each Station are definitely written for children but I don't think they are watered down. There are many other Stations of the Cross books
out there for children so if you have a great experience with another
one, I'd love if you'd share!<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Coloring-Book-The-Passion-of-Jesus-p/hhcb3.htm" target="_blank">Holy Heroes Coloring Book: <i>The Passion of Jesus</i></a> - We got this as part of the <a href="http://www.holyheroes.com/Life-of-Jesus-Complete-Coloring-Pack-p/hh-4cb-set.htm" target="_blank">"Life of Jesus" coloring books set</a>.
I appreciate the detail in which it goes into the Passion - it's not
just the Stations or the Sorrowful Mysteries, but a full narrative that
begins in the Garden of Gethsemane and ends with Christ in the tomb. I look forward to bringing out <i>The Triumph of Jesus</i>
coloring book to continue the story on Easter. <i>(Holy Heroes has a ton of
other resources including a whole <a href="http://www.holyheroes.com/Holy-Heroes-Lenten-Adventure-s/37.htm" target="_blank">"Lenten Adventures" program</a>
that looks really great. I'm really hoping to add some of these
resources to our home library in the next few years, but for now, I
like starting small with only a few resources. I get easily
overwhelmed.)</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magnificat-English-ed/dp/B004WGITBK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396282868&sr=8-2&keywords=magnificat" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/First-Pictures-Easter-Maite-Roche/dp/1586176536/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396282921&sr=8-1&keywords=my+first+pictures+of+Easter" target="_blank">My First Pictures of Easter</a>
- A board book Lucia got last year, it is light on the words and full of
pictures that make for a great jumping off point for conversations
about Lent, the Stations of the Cross, and Easter. I like to ask Lucia
to tell me about certain pictures and it's always so humbling to hear
her talk about Jesus with such love and compassion. (She gets very
upset about Jesus's "owies" and kisses them constantly.)<br />
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6. <i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stations-of-the-cross-coloring-book-paul-t-bianca/1023480055?ean=9780899426891" target="_blank">Stations of the Cross Coloring Book</a></i> - We don't actually have this, but if we were to add one item to what we already have for this year, it would be a coloring book that Lucia could use along with our Stations book. The Holy Heroes book we have works pretty well, but having something with the Stations specifically numbered would be great. </div>
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I photocopy the coloring book pages for Lucia to color so I have access to the "masters" for years to come. I'm actually hoping to someday take the coloring books apart and put the pages in page protectors in a binder along with other resources I print out and find elsewhere to help us celebrate the liturgical year. I am definitely not there yet, though.<br />
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I'd also like to eventually incorporate some projects/activities but I either need to take baby steps or I end up doing nothing at all. We did make <a href="http://twoosplusmore.blogspot.com/2014/02/how-to-make-lenten-sacrifice-jar.html" target="_blank">these Lenten bean jars</a> on Ash Wednesday, but I constantly found the beans dumped on the floor so they are staying out of sight until we can try again next year with a more mature three year old. </div>
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If you are looking for Easter basket ideas for toddlers, you may want to check out my post from last year of <a href="http://www.catholicnewlywed.blogspot.com/2013/03/easter-basket-ideas-for-one-year-olds.html" target="_blank">50 Easter Basket Ideas for One Year Olds</a>. Most ideas would work well for the two year old and preschool crowd as well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpePogqFsn0_7dyo_Ofo5SYeLPLxNF2FWTonA5OG_DjMUabzceP2sc0kaJp_d4qfRCZJbnAL0jFQmcsLf8jnQe7nAaV0WAnZBEZZ0BzmuP2WugrpDd6E16Q76BQdy2gnhjXqDpdBG9Yhe3/s1600/mwblsig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpePogqFsn0_7dyo_Ofo5SYeLPLxNF2FWTonA5OG_DjMUabzceP2sc0kaJp_d4qfRCZJbnAL0jFQmcsLf8jnQe7nAaV0WAnZBEZZ0BzmuP2WugrpDd6E16Q76BQdy2gnhjXqDpdBG9Yhe3/s1600/mwblsig.jpg" /></a></center>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-8265034472764982632014-03-28T00:00:00.000-04:002015-05-05T10:58:01.447-04:00Blog Posts You've Been Dying for Me to Write (Blog Post Idea Generators to Beat Writer's Block) #7QT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9U5NGYLq0-zug9RVtLFGhpfzt2bV5F7mbOhDnlZjtIPEIiIL2TFkVyhxrJvQCtYG2vrPo8TO2_D5cpCr-Ixbm5xu-SABmZB88M8CQfrmp31PpMRZRltzVaXrLnsaPcExFxWBubURknJo/s1600/Blog+Post+Idea+Generators+to+Beat(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc9U5NGYLq0-zug9RVtLFGhpfzt2bV5F7mbOhDnlZjtIPEIiIL2TFkVyhxrJvQCtYG2vrPo8TO2_D5cpCr-Ixbm5xu-SABmZB88M8CQfrmp31PpMRZRltzVaXrLnsaPcExFxWBubURknJo/s1600/Blog+Post+Idea+Generators+to+Beat(1).png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;">I was having a bit of writer's block last night so I decided to get some help from some blog post idea generators. Please take a gander at all the blog posts I could possibly write and if you so choose, you can "vote" for your faves in the comments and I may just have to oblige you in the next few weeks. And if you're feeling a bit a writer's block yourself, you are welcome to steal any of these ideas and/or visit the generators themselves.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: normal;"> </span></span></div>
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<b> </b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt1" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 1 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4rrIZ5CpnYE1c2hwYnmIAan4Q_8NeZaWiVrTg3rdLbH-fIrne1XpNuVnyzs7Jc-r7ZjsxaTQIIo2zylZSarhgMrrAt9O4tkuy4ahTyNNAtXOPIsk57W6gpYRdij2hxtRKBv-7UJCSXgs/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+103426+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm4rrIZ5CpnYE1c2hwYnmIAan4Q_8NeZaWiVrTg3rdLbH-fIrne1XpNuVnyzs7Jc-r7ZjsxaTQIIo2zylZSarhgMrrAt9O4tkuy4ahTyNNAtXOPIsk57W6gpYRdij2hxtRKBv-7UJCSXgs/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+103426+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: normal;">Save Your Marriage Using Only Cooking</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;">An interesting proposition. I can't say that my marriage is in need of saving, but an experiment in how stepping up my efforts in the kitchen affects our marital bliss couldn't hurt. </span></div>
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via <a href="http://www.portent.com/tools/title-maker/" target="_blank">Portent's Content Idea Generator</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt2"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt2" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 2 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MID1IilJPs2u01_NUFOBOQNTu1HwWPXs2TdBBMKGT7WuOdqccMW2m50VqFEb9rpp8_v1UjfUBzjMSedfl9OSpyFsBtgexFKay3SuJ-4804enjqhl9MZGpBKzVVp-bcIhwfS7QTohOjG7/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+103852+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MID1IilJPs2u01_NUFOBOQNTu1HwWPXs2TdBBMKGT7WuOdqccMW2m50VqFEb9rpp8_v1UjfUBzjMSedfl9OSpyFsBtgexFKay3SuJ-4804enjqhl9MZGpBKzVVp-bcIhwfS7QTohOjG7/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+103852+PM.jpg" width="387" /></a></div>
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<b>Lucia's Eating Habits</b></div>
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Well, she basically doesn't eat so this post might be short.</div>
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via <a href="http://www.topmommyblogs.com/info/blog_topic_ideas.php" target="_blank">TopMommyBlogs.com's Blogatron 2000</a></div>
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(This is obviously just for the mommy blogger but an added fun element is that you can submit ideas to be included in the Blogatron 2000.)</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt3"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt3" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 3 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJxJg_gnkJlVSjPaox8EE-dwmud9X-Ina0IOlzfbMNKEpTaCpr8YYpRU_R5pqZLRF1lEPCm6-Zc9JkFhUYJLHdCaOsCtAGS6FAlXJOngn9-qy2PmtPPGN7LdANDM4iZAFCWK0WDsjSE_K/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+104546+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJxJg_gnkJlVSjPaox8EE-dwmud9X-Ina0IOlzfbMNKEpTaCpr8YYpRU_R5pqZLRF1lEPCm6-Zc9JkFhUYJLHdCaOsCtAGS6FAlXJOngn9-qy2PmtPPGN7LdANDM4iZAFCWK0WDsjSE_K/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+104546+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Think You're Cut Out For Doing Books? Take This Quiz</b></div>
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Doing books? Also known as reading. Quick version: </div>
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Are you human? </div>
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Do you know how to read? </div>
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If you answered yes to both, you are cut out for doing books!</div>
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via <a href="http://www.hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator" target="_blank">HubSpot's Blog Topic Generator</a></div>
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(If you're wondering, the three <i>nouns </i>I put in were faith, toddlers, and books.)</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt4"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt4" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 4 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenUeA3TqNrmNMAAIsLEXDIU4fq8Udz6cPW-BMWZP6gmgYxH9o89q-ujhfJo7itCHbERobi9gO-5K9xZ0uhl5lqeWCpwVLZS7hrbUMt76u6pfIFNQ5324u2DgTP5ZY2CleQ66x8-I1i8Ji/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+105008+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphenUeA3TqNrmNMAAIsLEXDIU4fq8Udz6cPW-BMWZP6gmgYxH9o89q-ujhfJo7itCHbERobi9gO-5K9xZ0uhl5lqeWCpwVLZS7hrbUMt76u6pfIFNQ5324u2DgTP5ZY2CleQ66x8-I1i8Ji/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+105008+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>You know what's great about butter?</b></div>
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I think this is the perfect title for introducing my readers to my poetry skills.</div>
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via <a href="http://www.generatorland.com/glgenerator.aspx?id=122" target="_blank">Generator Land's Blog Post Idea Generator </a></div>
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(If you are feeling like something completely random.)</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt5"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt5" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 5 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPhazFu-0P7uH2hs7jR_lej8_K8uLLK34dMe17izQGD40y9xLYlOOIQlXkDDCBwsmejbPMFl2bp-0DQGqwRh4FY1XsfwXxUFsU1xLh-I-qWLmCdV21Ygpyh-oI41rAD6kz7IgigXOCQ8F/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+110014+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKPhazFu-0P7uH2hs7jR_lej8_K8uLLK34dMe17izQGD40y9xLYlOOIQlXkDDCBwsmejbPMFl2bp-0DQGqwRh4FY1XsfwXxUFsU1xLh-I-qWLmCdV21Ygpyh-oI41rAD6kz7IgigXOCQ8F/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+110014+PM.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Shoveling yourself out on a snowy day.</b></div>
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I don't think those of you who have had a horrible winter would appreciate a post like this from someone living in North Carolina. But I can imagine a hilarious vlog "how to" shot on a hot, sunny day. Well, hilarious if you're not currently snowed in somewhere else in the country. Sorry, <a href="http://www.houseunseen.com/" target="_blank">Dwija</a>.</div>
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via <a href="http://www.blogtap.net/blogtopicgenerator/" target="_blank">Blogtap's Random Topic Generator</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt6"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt6" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 6 ---</a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXd6byGlTwfXm_FzljcVfuQrByxXEYHBcwYu0HEBGzzNKsmGX8j1JjT2i8IqktCYZTl1ddxg4T6pPopDP17kKfsC5cXZrgdQISHN9K-sFbB65lA4UUUNgQULxhGDOyr_WKVQasK8WzwHS/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+110950+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXd6byGlTwfXm_FzljcVfuQrByxXEYHBcwYu0HEBGzzNKsmGX8j1JjT2i8IqktCYZTl1ddxg4T6pPopDP17kKfsC5cXZrgdQISHN9K-sFbB65lA4UUUNgQULxhGDOyr_WKVQasK8WzwHS/s1600/Fullscreen+capture+3272014+110950+PM.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Our Shame and Nakedness</b></div>
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Not a generator, but <a href="http://www.internetbusinessmastery.com/blog-content-ideas/" target="_blank">I love this idea from Internet Business Mastery</a> to search a topic on Amazon, choose an interesting book that pops up, and steal the chapter titles as topic ideas. These awesome ideas are from the table of contents of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prayer-Deepest-Longing-Ronald-Rolheiser-ebook/dp/B00EO6KSV2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1395976373&sr=8-7&keywords=prayer" target="_blank">Prayer: Our Deepest Longing</a></i>. (I searched "prayer".) I also happen to have this book on my wish list now so it was totally a win-win - found great content to write and great content to read.</div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="qt7"></a><b><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8604080738678475033#qt7" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;">--- 7 ---</a></b></div>
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<b>While we're talking blogs, <a href="http://carrotsformichaelmas.com/2014/03/26/its-your-blog-you-set-the-tone-for-the-love-of-blogging-series/" target="_blank">check out this post</a> by my friend Haley about setting a tone of charity on your blog. </b> She's so right on and, as always, super inspirational. </div>
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One of my favorite bloggers, Rosie, has a giveaway up for a Lilla Rose hair accessory from yours truly. <a href="http://rosie-ablogformymom.blogspot.com/2014/03/mom-hair-flexi-clip-review-and-giveaway.html" target="_blank">Enter here</a>.</div>
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For more Quick Takes, visit <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/">Conversion Diary!</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1387" src="http://www.conversiondiary.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/7_quick_takes_sm1.jpg" height="134" title="7_quick_takes_sm" width="200" /></a>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-8023912878587090492014-03-26T19:31:00.001-04:002014-06-02T10:53:48.795-04:00Let's Talk About Miscarriage<div style="text-align: center;">
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Recently, I've been setting up quite a few Facebook parties for my <a href="http://www.lillaroze.biz/mandi" target="_blank">Lilla Rose</a> business. I also recently hosted an <a href="https://z3088.myubam.com/" target="_blank">Usborne book</a> party. If you don't know how this works, a Facebook event is set up, the host invites guests, and at an appointed day and time, the consultant, host, and attendees all get on Facebook at the same time. Questions are asked, games are played, information is shared. It's really fun. I enjoy putting on these events for customers and I had a great time hosting for my friends. </div>
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I started thinking about how amazing it was to get people from all over the country (and potentially the world) to discuss one topic. There is a completely different vibe from blogging because it's much more conversational and immediate. I started to think about what else I could do as a Facebook event and the possibilities went much further than selling hair accessories. I could set up an event on any topic and "meet up" with many other women who are interested in discussing it with me. Sounds fun. And enlightening. </div>
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So what would I love to converse with other women about? Books and raising children and marriage and...and...miscarriage. More than anything what makes me feel a bit lonely and isolated right now is miscarriage. I imagine I'm not alone in feeling alone. While I think great strides are being made, it's still very much a taboo topic. So, I'm creating a little space where we can talk about it.</div>
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I'm going to prepare some questions to talk about and some quotes and resources to share, but also I'm going to let the conversation go where it will and if structure isn't necessary, I'll put them aside and we can just talk. You are welcome whether or not you've ever had a miscarriage. If you haven't had one and would like to ask some questions to understand what your friend/family members are going through, all that we ask is that you are respectful.</div>
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In order for the event to be more private (not show up in news feeds), I have created a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/295596033925487/" target="_blank">"Let's Talk About Miscarriage"</a> Facebook group. Please <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/295596033925487/" target="_blank">request to join the group</a> and you will then be able to see and RSVP for the event within that group. Again, you do not have to have had a miscarriage to join the group, you just have to want to join the conversation. Then join me on Monday, March 31 at 9pm EST. </div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-48190925872225671342014-03-25T00:00:00.000-04:002014-03-25T08:13:02.167-04:00Can't I get some advice for parenting an only child without being patted on the back?<div style="text-align: center;">
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I've recently been looking for resources on raising only children. David and I still hope to have a large family, but Lucia is currently and <i>could </i>always be an only child. She'll be around four by the time the next child comes along, at the earliest. Being a part of Catholic circles, both in real life and the blogging world, I'm constantly hearing about all the benefits of siblings. I agree that one of the greatest gifts you can give your child is siblings, but not all parents can give that gift.</div>
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Most of the Catholic families I know have I second child long before the first is four and I've been having a hard time finding advice for raising my little one. Many of the things I have questions about (like how do I get Lucia to play independently and not cling to me 24 hours a day, or how to work on sharing) receive the answer "siblings". Which at best is not helpful and at worst breaks my heart. It's not their fault, I know. That was the answer that worked for them. But for me, it's not a possibility in the near future. </div>
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I really wish there were some resources to give me some pointers for socializing and
teaching compassion and cooperation without siblings. For example, I've been reading quite a bit recently about the drawbacks of <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/03/hey-parents-leave-those-kids-alone/358631/" target="_blank">overprotecting children</a>. Like this one saying <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2582334/Mollycoddled-kids-grow-narcissists-Psychologist-warns-growth-play-dates-supervised-adults-creating-generation-children-empathise.html" target="_blank">mollycoddled kids 'grow up as narcissists</a>' and that free play teaches them empathy. Have you noticed that first time moms tend to overprotect and become more relaxed with each subsequent child? Even if experience doesn't teach her to loosen up over time, necessity does. With more children, there is less of mom to go around; children <i>must </i>become more independent, and they have opportunities for free play to learn patience and empathy and cooperation 24 hours a day. I'm not saying that moms of many don't have to work on teaching those things (believe me, I know siblings fight!) but that the opportunity for continual practice has obvious benefits.<br />
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I know raising only children to be independent and empathetic <i>can </i>be done, but it requires much more intentional parenting to create opportunities for these lessons. I have to seek out those practicing opportunities with Lucia and then need to make the most of them. And because I have the time and ability to do everything for Lucia, I need to force myself to stand back while she learns on her own. <br />
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So I've been looking for advice from parents who have been there. But everything I find about parenting a single child seems to have such a smug attitude or worldly outlook. "Good for you parenting an only child! How responsible you are! You're saving the environment! Ending overpopulation! Kids are expensive and you only have to pay for one! With only one child you can have family without having to sacrifice career!" </div>
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I just don't agree with that mentality. At all. I don't want to be told that having only one child is somehow morally superior. After all, this is not a choice I've made. I'd prefer a van load of raucous children, the anathema of the champions of "one and done". As <a href="http://anneryathome.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Annie </a>said, it's difficult to have<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".dz.1:3:1:$comment727708050607190_87044519:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".dz.1:3:1:$comment727708050607190_87044519:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".dz.1:3:1:$comment727708050607190_87044519:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.0:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"> "society patting you on the back [while] you're mourning." Indeed.</span></span></span></div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8604080738678475033.post-3319792165428733222014-03-24T00:00:00.000-04:002014-06-02T10:53:48.588-04:00Comfort for the Grieving Mother from Another Place and Time<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>I am deeply saddened by the sorrow which has just come to you; it is indeed a real trial for you...May Our Lord grant you resignation to His holy Will! Your dear little child is with God; he is looking down on you and loving you; and one day, you will posses him again. This is a great consolation that I have experienced myself, and which I still feel. </i></div>
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<i>When I had to close the eyes of my dear children and bury them, I felt deep sorrow, but I was always resigned to it. I did not regret the pains and the sorrows which I had endured for them. Many persons said to me: "It would have been better for you if you had never had them." I could not bear that kind of talk. I do not think that the sorrows and the troubles endured could possibly be compared with the eternal happiness of my children with God. Besides, they are not lost to me forever; life is short and filled with crosses, and we shall find them again in Heaven.</i></div>
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France, 1870. From a letter written by Bl. Zelie Martin, mother of St. Therese of Lisieux, to comfort her sister-in-law after she experienced the loss of a child at birth. Bl. Zelie Martin, and her husband Bl. Louis Martin, lost three children in the first year of life and another at age five. </div>
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Mandi Richardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14641577291206420549noreply@blogger.com4