Elena 
This is a story that happened over the Christmas season to a family that I am acquainted with. God truly does work in mysterious ways!
Midwife Thinking
has a very thorough article about labor in childbirth and how hospitals just can’t seem to tolerate a naturally long labor, even if all is well with mom and baby. It’s sad to me that 23 years after the birth of my first child and battling these issues then – women are still putting up with this ignorance about how the female body works in childbirth!
If a woman does manage to get admitted whilst in early labour she is considered a burden by staff. She is likely to be put in a room and checked on occasionally and referred to as ‘not doing anything’, ‘niggling’, ‘she should go home’, etc. The midwife who admits her will be questioned and ridiculed at handover. The midwife allocated to her will most likely also be caring for a woman in ‘real labour’, and that woman will take priority. This is not to bag hospital midwives… I’ve been there myself, and it is very frustrating dealing with a woman in early labour whilst also caring for 1 or more women in ‘advanced’ labour. Whilst not condoning the hospital perspective on early labour – I can understand it from a cost/staffing perspective.
Oh and did I mention the blogger over at Midwife Thinking is also practicing in Australia, which has socialized medicine? So much for Obamacare making everything all better…
Soule mama has a little group that photographs lovely little nooks in their homes. They even have a lovely Flickr Group. Maybe I’ll add my new bathroom floor when Mr. Pete gets the sink in this weekend!
Great minds think alike. (I wrote something similar in March, 2012) Colleen Duggan has an article entitled: “Sorry, Catholic Parenting Is Not An Insurance Policy For Well-Adjusted, Faithful Children.” Don’t I know it.
Some of the holiest priests and lay people I know were not homeschooled but, in fact, attended public school. (Gasp!)
I know families who used attachment parenting and who have strained, dysfunctional relationships with their children.
I know families whose parents attended daily Mass, prayed the family rosary, and did everything else “right” according to Catholic standards and guess what? Their children have left the Church, had babies out of wedlock, divorced, co-habitated, or had substance abuse problems (and sometimes all of the above).
On the other hand, I also know parents who didn’t bring their children to Mass for years but somehow, by the grace of God, their children are faithful, practicing Catholics.
I know families who have suffered from serious substance abuse problems but who have, by the grace of God, experienced great healing and developed intimate familial relationships.
I know families who never looked like the poster people for Catholicism–families who didn’t have the children in matching smocked outfits in the front pew at Mass every Sunday or who couldn’t afford premiere Catholic education–but who, by the grace of God, have had several vocations to come from their lot.
A homeschool family wins in court. As Izzy would say, “Shlabamm!”
During the first day of trial, HSLDA defended Ms. Kittinger’s right to homeschool, calling Steven Duvall, Ph.D., as an expert witness to demonstrate that the Kittinger children were receiving an adequate education under the law. The trial day in December was only the first of the scheduled five-day trial. In March, attorney Donnelly returned to Colorado to represent the Kittinger family again.
This time, however, after multiple visits with the family, the social worker agreed that no educational neglect was transpiring and convinced the prosecutor that the case was not worth pursuing just hours before the second day of the trial started. The case was settled, and Ms. Kittinger was able to continue homeschooling her children.
According to attorney Donnelly, the Kittinger case is significant.
“This victory is important for all homeschooling parents, because it strengthens the idea that all children have the right to be homeschooled and the need for HSLDA,” he said. “How would this single mother have defended herself? The resources needed for this were far beyond her own means, and most court-appointed defenders simply do not have the experience or sympathy to aggressively defend a mom homeschooling in this situation. I consider it a privilege to have been allowed to defend this mom who was doing what I believe was indeed best for her children!”
Found some cool decorating ideas on Pinterest:
And a great quote from Facebook!