Elena 
Join Jen and the other Quicktakers over at the Conversion Diary.
1. A very interesting discussion (albeit one sided) of the Tim Tebow ad that has been bought and paid for and will appear during the Super Bowl. Apparently Focus on the Family has sponsored the add that will present a very pro-life message. Mr. Tebow’s mother was advised to abort him for medical reasons, but chose to continue her pregnancy. Tim Tebow today refers to his mom as a brave woman.
I found one comment so interesting in the discussion. It was made by a mom who had suffered a stillbirth, and didn’t think she could to through delivering another dead baby, and so she chose to abort. I followed the link to her blog and she is of course still grieving for her loss. Abortion didn’t ease that sting. She still advocates for it though.
Having lived through a stillbirth myself I remember how heartbreaking it was, but I received much solace from having my baby’s remains and being able to give him a burial and to have a place to visit him. I just can’t wrap my mind around how abortion would be more comforting than that.
2. Sam has been picking up some extra cash by helping a neighbor out with her pooper scooper business. They go to homes and clean up the pet droppings in the back yard. Sometimes they are even paid to give an animal a walk and Sam said one of their clients pays them to come in and play with the dog for a while after they feed it while the owner is at school. Sure it’s not a glamorous job, but it is a much appreciated service that people pay for and Sam has made enough in the past two weeks to pay for his own guitar lessons and cover the costs of the soccer class he is taking again today.
3. Speaking of soccer reffing – Sam took one whole day course last week and is now qualified to ref U14 soccer games. He is taking the bridge course today that will allow him to ref older games as he gets more confidence and experience. I’m hoping he can get a lot of games and make his own money this spring so that we can really start socking it away in his savings account!
The thing about these reffing classes it that they are few and far between! When I saw this course offered I jumped on it and instantly paid the $65 for the course. It was offered in a little town about 40 minutes from here. Then last week, after he had already taken the first class, the powers that be offered another one – about 15 minutes from home! sigh… I just can’t catch a break I guess. But at least he will be done this weekend.
4. This week has shown me however that I really, really, really need Sam to get his driver’s license. Mr. Pete has been gone since Wednesday and the responsibility for everything has fallen to me. Lessons, activities, church, trips to the grocery store – all of it. Mr. Pete wants to hold off for insurance reasons, but as he takes a couple of these trips a year, and as our oldest is no help whatsoever, I think I’m going to take this matter into my own hands and help Sam get his license, even if it means that I cover the insurance by myself for a while.
5. As an example, last night Sam and Gabe were playing for a youth retreat at church. I took them and dropped them off, knowing that I was going to have to pick up Sam later because he had to go to his class in the morning. But Gabe, in all the excitement of getting his drum set packed into the van, forgot his sleeping bag and I was going to have to take it to him. So I asked my soon-to-be 21-year-old oldest child if he would be so kind as to deliver the sleeping bag, and then bring Sam home. Without any hesitation at all he literally told me no, “I have a life mom.” and he left to join his friends for bowling. . I ended up having to leave my three youngest kids at 10 to pick up Sam. So many things went spinning through my head by first and foremost was that next year, Sam was going to be able to drive to this thing by himself!
6. The second thing was – I am really ready for my oldest to leave. I thought I would be sad about it and maybe even cry a little bit – and I still might, but I think for the most part I’m over it. Somehow, some way, this kid got it into his head that life is about him. It’s his world, and we’re just a part of it. I mentioned to him a few weeks ago that it seems to me that he sees himself as the center of the universe and his family as the satellites in his orbit.
“That’s right mom. Except for Sarah (his girlfriend), she is in the innermost circle of that orbit,” he said.
“That just means she has to move faster, and work harder. Been there, done that.” I replied.
Anyway he has a move out date for next month and his siblings are excited about it. That says something.
7. Heard Dawn Stefanowicz, the author of Out From Under: The Impact of Homosexual Parenting
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