"Low Quality of Life" = Not Deserving of Life Itself?

As I predicted, my learning experience from DC is not over with the conclusion of the Academy! 
On our way home, we spent the night with a long-time friend of the family: a man by the name of Devin who my parents met in college. I remember seeing pictures of Devin and I when I was a baby, but I was too young to really remember him, and now I was finally getting to really meet this special man who I had heard so much about.

During the last week of the Academy, we learned about how the medical field is starting to try and classify people who have a "low quality of life" as not worth living. People who are thus classified are now considered to merit the denial of lifesaving medical treatment, food and fluids, in order to hasten death and "get rid of the hassle and cost." Doctors should determine what level of care is necessary, not whether or not to provide basic care at all. We heard story after story of doctors deciding independently of families (and usually against patient's wishes) to "pull the plug" when the life was deemed no longer worth living. These stories did not just include "old people" - they ranged from infants with disabilities to teenagers who had experienced trauma.These determinations are not based on scientific medical fact about the estimated life expectancy: these are completely subjective standards that are simply value judgments, completely degrading the sanctity of human life. Who are is a doctor to decide whose life is worth living? What is scary is that 4/5 of the US do not have laws that protect patients from doctors who will hasten death in order to reduce cost if one's life is deemed no longer worth living.

To the casual observer, my friend Devin is man who would be considered to have a "low quality of life". He was born with 2 club feet, none of his four joints (elbows or knees) will bend, and his hands and fingers are twisted severely inward. He has never been able to walk without the assistance of crutches and never will. He wears special shoes with braces that allowed him to use crutches to throw his weight forward, until a few months ago when blood clots forced him to stop using the crutches to walk long distances (he's not supposed to be using them at all, but he cheats and uses them anyway to get to and from the car). He has been waiting for nine months a very special motorized wheelchair in order to even get around his house. Hopefully it will arrive soon and give it an enormous improvement in access and mobility. He can't use a regular wheelchair because he can't bend his arms in order to spin the wheels. Devin's life is FAR from worthless. 

When he was born in 1965, the doctor shook his head in disgust.. He suggested that his parents throw him in a garbage can and just forget about him. But even though his parents didn't understand why their son had so many physical deformities, and even though they knew that Devin's physical condition would make life challenging for the entire family - hey firmly believed that he was their responsibility and they would do everything to the best of their ability to provide for their 7th son. Dealing with Devin's problems was no small feat - he was born into rural Pennsylvania farming family with few resources or medical assistance close by - but his parents made sacrifices to get Devin the proper treatment. (even though it included 4 years in a hospital as a baby that was several hours away. They visited as often as possible - once a month). Devin's life is FAR from worthless.

Extremely smart, a tutor recognized his talent in 6th grade and urged him to continue in his education. Devin eventually entered college, attending Colorado State and majoring in Wildlife Biology. And that's where he met my parents, and through the campus ministry there became a Christian. For the last 20 years, he has faithfully worked for the US Forestry Service. He loves his job and they love him. Devin's life is FAR from worthless.

There's something you have to know about my friend Devin. He never, ever gives up. He finds a solution to any challenge. Since he can't use his hands to feet himself, he asks for his plate to be placed on a tower of boxes on the table so that it is mouth level. He has attaches his toothbrush and his cellphone on sticks so that he can hold it in his arm as he talks on the phone or brushes his teeth. He actually bought a truck 10 years ago that was customized just for him so that he could drive it with a joy stick for the right hand and a control box that is mounted on the door for the AC/turn signals/windshield wipers, etc. Going on road trips and exploring is his favorite hobby, because he is finally not bound by his limited mobility: he has traveled to over 40 of the states. He loves to read, and has now discovered the Facebook so that he can easily reconnect with his friends all over the country without ever having to leave his chair. Devin's life is FAR from worthless.

We laughed together, shared memories, stories and jokes, got a spin up and down West Virginia's hilly roads in Devyn's truck and just enjoyed being together. Spending time with Devyn for just evening deepened my understanding of the verse that says "Nothing is impossible with God." Devyn, by the world's standards, should have every right to be depressed and stay inside wasting away because of his very severe challenges. Instead he faces each day head on, accepts the challenges as they come without complaining, and then adapts - finding a new way to accomplish tasks that seem ordinary and simple to us - eating, walking, typing on the computer, brushing one's teeth, getting into the car, buckling one's seat belt.... Ready with a laugh, a smile, or a hug (where you lean over and hug him while he leans into you with his head), Devin's life is FAR from worthless. 

My friend Devin is a perfect flesh and blood example to me that ALL life is sacred - even if the body itself is not perfect... If he ever has to go to the hospital, should he be put to death with the denial of life-saving medical treatment and food and water, because his "quality of life" is low? NO! What does quality of life even mean? By some standards, Devin could probably have a higher quality of life than most people - he appreciates the little things of life and is grateful for the gift to live another day. Every human, no matter the condition or the age or the stage of the development deserves our respect and honor.

Thank you Devin for reminding me of this important truth ... and for being an incredible man of courage and integrity who isn't afraid to try again and again AND again. I want to be like you when I grow up and never lose sight of what is truly important in life.

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life, you will have been all of these. ~GWCarver

I'm home, safe and sound... and so is Emma!

I finally got to meet my lovely cousin Emma... she is such a joy to our family! She is settling in pretty well already, even though she's only been home 3 days. She is always ready with a smile and we look forward to getting to know her in the days and months to come. A wonderful way to come home after a summer about LIFE : to get to experience the blessing of a new member to the family myself!

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Commence[ment]: "Begin: set in motion, cause to start"

tThis evening the Academy class of 2010 had its commencement ceremony.... It literally was a sending out - a beginning, a setting into motion, causing to start.

All through out the day, we to each other kept commenting that we couldn’t believe that our time at NRLC was almost over. But really, it is NOT over. My friendship with the Academy kids that have been such a blessing are not over... the incredible relationships that have grown with the different ‘experts’ in the pro-life movement that I now consider my dear friends whom I feel privileged to work shoulder to shoulder with... these will not end tomorrow either.

But one of the most important aspects of the Academy that will not end is the gift that has been given to the six of us:  the gift of truth and wisdom and knowledge about Life, bought literally with sweat and tears through the labor of the last 37 years. All the tools, resources and skills needed to pick up the baton on this Relay for Life and carry it farther than ever before, building upon the accomplishments, successes and failures of the previous generation.

 I was telling my good friend a few nights ago on the phone that this last week a specific verse had been rolling around in my head: 'to whom much is given, much is required' (Luke 12:48)... Much has been given to me, and through God's faithfulness and mercy, I am trusting and believing that he will open doors and guide me and each of the other Academy students. Natalie actually has already been offered a job with a state RTL office, starting January! We’re all so excited for her, and we know that God will continue show each of us exactly how/where we are supposed to make a difference, our specific role in this Big Story.

Tonight, our incredible professor Burke eloquently "pontificated" (as he would say!) straight from his heart , reminding us of the incredible difficult task at hand, our important, irreplaceable role, and our commitment to Never, Ever Give Up.... he quoted Thomas Paine, whose words are as true for our crisis at hand as they were in 1776 : THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. 

What freedom are WE defending today? The FREEDOM of LIFE- at any age or stage of development. What could be more "highly rated" than that?

We still have one more full day of classes tomorrow, trying to pack in as much information as possible before the time finally runs out ... then I head back home with my lovely family on Saturday (after we rent bikes and ride around DC!). My family got to be here for the commencement, and I was so grateful that they got to my meet my new extended NRLC family.

I will continue to update this blog with more insights that I learned from the Academy and other pro-life news alerts/action points, so I hope that you will continue to check back often to see if there are any new posts. (ps: I WILL post about Obamacare, part 2 very soon, I promise). Additionally - if you know any college students - your children, your grandchildren, your friends who would like more information about the Academy so that they too can be trained up and sent out, please let me know... We want this invaluable messages of truth to be spread out as far as possible!

I thank my faithful readers and supporters from the bottom of my heart - I’m so glad that you got to journey alongside me and the other Academy students in the story that God was, is, and will continue to write upon our hearts this summer. We will never be the same - and our goal is that the world won't ever be the same either.

OBAMACARE - is it really that scary?

Short answer. YES. It is very scary. okay, my post is finished. Goodnight!

just joking. The last two days of the Academy have been about health care - Obamacare and then positive alternatives to Obamacare. I am highly motivated to try and understand this issue to the best of my ability because I know that whatever happens to this federal law will directly effect me in my future career.
Warning - this post is going to be long, but hopefully it will be well worth your time. This issue effects EVERYONE and therefore must be understood. (I have condensed the information due to the nature of this format, but if you have any questions about anything that you read, please comment and I will get you answers).

Pro-Obamacare advocates point to the fact that millions of Americans are uninsured in this country - "we need to adopt this plan, this is the solution to providing care for everyone." I admit - this is a very valid problem in America, and we should work towards solving the problem (see future posting about this topic). BUT Obamacare is not the solution: This federal law limits what private citizens can choose to spend of their own funds to spend on medical treatment to saves their own lives and the lives of their own family.


This law is based on Obama's ideology that there should not be a Two Tier health care system - "rich" and poor receiving different levels of care.
I have a very basic question for you... a) Do you want to even things out by helping those who can't afford adequate health care? OR b) Do you want to limit health care available to those who CAN afford it? Obama's health law does some of A and a LOT of B. I have another question for you: should it be illegal for people to not save more than a certain limited amount for retirement, because some people didn't save at all for retirement? Should all people be required by law to live in the same square footage house, so that all is equitable? No, of course not... because in America, people are allowed to enjoy the rewards of their hard owned money to have a comfortable retirement and a house of their choice. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, right? There is a fundamental difference between finding solutions to provide adequate care to the poor and not allowing anyone to spend more money that what is deemed  "necessary and efficient". If one is concerned about making everything equal, then this bill does exactly that. It doesn't really raise the level of the poor as much as it pushes the middle class and the wealthy down, so that all receive equal levels of below current medical standard care.

I completely understand if you don't currently believe that the law is a result of this ideology or that this law is truly as scary as it is characterized, so allow me to show you how will the law plans on accomplishing this equalization of society.

INDEPENDENT PAYMENT ADVISORY BOARDS

This 18-person board's entire goal is to push spending DOWN, below medical inflation. It will accomplish this goal through its complete and absolute authority to create rigid guidelines that HHS (Health & Human Services) will impose as "quality and efficiency standards" upon doctors. Doctors will be forced to comply with these standards (no exceptions) or they will lose their insurance contracts. These guidelines will lay out specific instructions about when an MRI is an appropriate medical procedure and when it is inefficient and wasteful, for example. It creates a "Cookbook Medical Care" phenomenon since doctors no longer have the right to determine what is the best decision for his/her patient - it will be decided by 'the Book'. These arbitrary, national standards of care will not be based on medical best practice, but on how to limit care so that the cost does not exceed the target budget, so that the total health care costs will be below medical inflation.

It is claimed that keeping costs below the rate of medical inflation will 'not reduce quality of care, just cut wasteful and excessive treatments.' But what is important to understand is that although the rate of medical inflation is approximately 3% higher the the CPI, or average inflation rate, the CPI is an AVERAGE. It is not economically savvy to expect all products and services to inflate at the same rate from hamburgers to automobiles... Health care has a higher inflation rate because it is a labor intensive service field where productivity levels cannot increase as much as other more technologically dependent fields such as manufacturing (which can continually increase productivity and therefore keep the cost/inflation rate lower). Reducing the cost of health care BELOW the medical inflation rate would be artificially capping essential life saving treatments, plus funding for future innovations and technological advances. Additionally, the cost of healthcare is not skyrocketing as it is purported - YES, the cost of healthcare has increased and it has become a larger portion of the family budget since 1940 - but the more accurate story is this: Productivity in other areas such as food, clothing and housing has increased dramatically (~20%) and we can get more for less money, and therefore have more disposable income to spend on healthcare and medical/technological advances. The healthcare industry has expanded widely in the last 70 years. For example in 1940, nitroglycerin was the only option for people with heart problems... then bypass surgeries were discovered (this saved lives!!!) ... and then stents were invented, making the process easier, cheaper and with more results and saved lives!!! Should we really reduce funding for stents in heart surgeries to keep down costs and instead revert back to giving nitroglycerin tablets (cheaper!!!)? The vast majority of Americans would say "NO!", because the advancements have unquestioningly increased quality of life and extended the average life span by 11 years in 70 years (from 66 to 77).

EXCHANGE LIMITS on what people can pay for insurance

I'm sure that you've heard of the state insurance exchanges that come with the Plan.... the exchange idea is not inherently bad (more choices for insurance is a good thing!) but the problem lies in the fact that the exchange will not be governed by the free market but by the government's heavy hand.  HHS will exclude insurers whose plans inside or outside the exchange allow private citizens to spend whatever they decide is "excessive or unjustified" on their own health insurance with their OWN money. It essentially imposes premium price controls to ALL plans, period. Exclusion from the exchange basically ensures that the insurer will soon be out of business. The phrase, "IF YOU LIKE YOUR PLAN, YOU CAN KEEP IT" has been touted everywhere, but the catch with that is that you can keep your plan unless it undergoes a significant change (key point: significant is not defined and therefore is open for interpretation... is a $20 premium increase significant? Is the addition of one more medical test to the plan significant?) Once a plan has changed "significantly" then it must now become a qualified HHS insurance company, subject to limits like every other insurance company. 

SHARED DECISION MAKING/Regional Decision Making Resource Centers

With this new law, "decision making aids will be implemented so that America can make better, rational decisions regarding treatment." Although this sounds wonderful, these centers could be known as the Propaganda Boards. The main goal will be to discourage excess (key: discourage excess = limit/ration care, even if the patient wants to pay for it). How? With phrases like, "you don't really need it, right?" This is not an exaggeration because the organizations serving as the advisors already have such things posted on their websites:
"In many people with a stable heart condition, medications are just as good as stents or bypass surgery."  (Do we really want to revert back to 1940's medical practice?)        
"Whether or not they receive treatment, men diagnosed with early prostate cancer will die of something else."  (Basically - so we are not going to treat prostate cancer - its not worth it)           
"At the end of life, too many people receive inexpensive treatment." (This statement only looks at the amount of money spent on people who have died but doesn't take into account how many more people were saved in the medical emergency because of the expensive, life saving treatments)       
"Women who wait 4 weeks on a treatment plan who have been diagnosed with breast cancer do not have more negative results." (Oh really? I should feel good that it is taking so long to get a treatment plan even while the cancer is spreading?)
ETC, ETC, ETC.... see for yourself at sites like http://www.informedmedicaldecisions.org/ and look at the DID YOU KNOW box.

MEDICARE LIMITS

I know that not many who are not on Medicare likes spending so much money on the old, but the limits put on Medicare in this law are disastrous! HHS has been given standardless discretion to reject any Medicare Advantage plan - which was the plan that allowed senior citizens to add their own funds to supplement the government subsidy - and therefore avoid rationing of care they wanted to save their own lives But under this new plan, the elderly would NOT be allowed to add their own money period, and would have to be subjected to the medical care standards that are determined by cold, money conscious bureaucrats and not their personal doctor. The result would be that the vast majority of the Baby Boomer generation would be considered as lives not worth living, and life-saving medical treatment in an emergency will be expressly denied. And the person and the family won't be able to do anything at it.

KEY POINTS

This new law limits "excessive health care"... by limiting what insurers can provide ..... by completely restricting what doctors are legally allowed to provide .... by limiting what private citizens can spend on their own healthcare, even if they want to spend the money.

What is "excessive health care" by the way? Donald Berwick, the new Administrator for Obamacare wrote that, "Most metropolitan areas in the United States should reduce the number of centers engaging in cardiac surgery, high-risk obstetrics, neonatal intensive care, organ transplantation, tertiary cancer care, high-level trauma care, and high-technology imaging." This is excessive care?
If I someday need a heart surgery at the age of 64, I won't be allowed to spend my own money to buy insurance to have the surgery and prolong my life 20 years? Exactly. If I someday have a high-risk pregnancy with my second child, I will be denied treatment - possibly endangering my life and the life of my baby? Exactly. If my baby is born prematurely, I will not be allowed to spend my own money to do everything I can to try to allow my child the chance to grow up and live a happy life? Exactly. If my kidney fails at the age of 51, I cannot spend my own money on insurance to put my name on the list for a transplant? Exactly. If my mom gets cancer and there is a revolutionary cancer treatment available that will extend her life 5 years, I am not allowed to use my money to purchase that treatment? Exactly. If I get into a car accident tomorrow and suffer head trauma, under the new law my parents wouldn't be allowed to use their resources to try and save my life? Exactly. I won't be able to access CAT or a PET scan to detect early cancer growth at the age of 72? Exactly. Please tell me what is so excessive about this healthcare?

One of the problems with Obamacare is a misunderstanding of what health care actually is for. The importance of healthcare is not the ability to run to the doctor with a sore throat or joint pain (though that has its place.) Healthcare and healthcare insurance is there to provide care for MEDICAL EMERGENCIES. This is when the majority of people need care... when they are really sick. If we eliminate all costly and expensive medical procedures, we are eliminating the foundation of why we even practice medicine and why we continually invent and research cures for debilitating diseases. Let's just let everyone die when they are sick, okay? What?

The emphasis in Obamacare has shifted from Curing to Caring... This has also happened in England with their government run health care system (among other European countries). England's focus is on taking care of and appeasing the masses (the voters!) by caring services, like ambulance rides to and from the hospital - it will even pick up your prescription at the pharmacy. Doctors will perform house calls - isn't that so very convenient? But this means that their care is limited to 1940 technology contained in a little black bag, instead of a doctor's office full of supplies (a cheaper visit though). But the patients who really need care are not allowed to receive it. When many patients need dialysis or a kidney transplant for example, instead of telling them that they are not allowed to receive life saving treatments (because it is "excessive"...) they are told, "We're sorry, there's nothing we can do for you", accompanied by a number for hospice.

The numbers speak for themselves. The cancer survival rate compared to the United States versus the UK is astounding. According to BBC, "The study showed the US had the highest five-year survival rates for breast cancer at 83.9% and prostate cancer at 91.9%.... The UK had 69.7% survival for breast cancer, just above 40% for colon and rectal cancer and 51% for prostate cancer... Spending on health care was a major factor, the study of 31 countries said. Researchers said that higher spending often meant quicker access to tests and treatment. Access to diagnostic equipment is key, say experts." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7510121.stm


Obamacare reduces specialists, increases primary care/basic level of care physicians, decreases (even regresses) the release of new drugs and new technology, and reduces the life expectancy by completely limiting what individuals can spend on healthcare even if they want to spend the money.

I hope that this attempt at explaining the convoluted, complex 2000+ page law helped clarify at least one thing: We must repeal Obamacare before the majority comes into effect 2014. Our lives, and the lives of those we love the most, literally hang in the balance.

For more information about Obamacare see: http://www.nrlc.org/HealthCareRationing/Index.html


(Next post topic: "America can Afford Non-Rationed Healthcare For ALL!)

Not just a listener

Some excerpts from church on Sunday that really spoke to me ... especially in regards to learning how to defend the rights of the unborn... 
As I clearly was reminded at the Holocaust Museum on Saturday, inaction and apathy is action. Most of Europe did nothing as the Jews were marched away to the death camps - I do not wanted to be counted in that number when history looks back at America and its fight for the unborn. I want to be counted as a Righteous Gentile, who risked everything for what was right. 
Not merely a listener of the word, but a doer. 

"Speak, O Lord"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your Holy Word.
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us;
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness,
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith.
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory.

Teach us, Lord, full obedience,
Holy reverence, true humility;
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity.
Cause our faith to rise; cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority.
Words of pow'r that can never fail—
Let their truth prevail over unbelief.

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds;
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us—
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity.
And by grace we'll stand on Your promises,
And by faith we'll walk as You walk with us.
Speak, O Lord, till Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory.


James 1:19-27 Listening and Doing                                                                                 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans (I think this includes the unborn!) and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Our Emma

GOTCHA DAY 7/26/2010

Welcome to our family Emma!!!

Emma, Dayton, Joyce, Esther

The Blakes have been together with Emma for a week now - its been a really hard week since Emma was in foster care and seems to miss her foster mom. Joyce writes, "We've now been with Emma for almost a week and still trying to see what personality immerges . . .she's 17mo, but developmentally she is 10-12.  While she has the walking mechanics down, she has no motivation to do so.  She cries alot more than I remember Esther crying, and Dayton can not be too far out of sight or she cries - we just weather thru it and we play together alot, sing alot (which she sings back and is really cute.)  Esther and I asker her if she was just a mello kid and she shook her head a definite YES.  We laughed and laughed - she was trying to figure out what was so funny." 

Please pray for them as they board the plane for the US next week - they will need all the prayers they can get traveling with two little munchkins! 

Can't wait to meet this adorable girl - she arrives home only a few days before I arrive back from DC. I will post pictures so that you can see the reunion of Richardsons & Blakes! 

Reality Set In

Facebook status today: nauseated and teary today... the realities and horrors of the abortifacient RU486 and late term abortions of babies who intensely feel pain is hitting close to home. 

Today something clicked. I don't exactly know what. I've known about the violence of abortion for years, I've seen the graphic images. But today was different. 

As we were discussing chemical abortions today, the pill RU486, I had a running movie in my brain of this 17 year old girl ... scared, feeling alone, overwhelmed, in crisis. Thinking she has no other choice, she flips through the yellow pages to find an abortion clinic number. She didn't want to get pregnant - she never thought it would happen to her, that only happened to other people. She saw an ad that offered a safe alternative to the surgical abortions - those seemed scary and dangerous. This seemed like a good way to "get rid of it" easily and quickly. She drives herself to the clinic and is given an ultrasound by a tech - "the pregnancy is 8 weeks along". Then she has an appointment with the doctor over a video conference. After the short exchange, a locked box opens and several pills lie inside. RU486 and Prostaglandin. I saw in my mind the girl reassuring herself that everything will soon be okay as she grabs the pills and leaves. 

Next, as I heard the lecture, I saw the girl's face - filled with fear and with grimacing with pain from cramps as she is laying on the bathroom floor groaning. She has been bleeding. Severely bleeding ... all alone, as the pill starves her baby to death and wrecks havoc on her body. No doctor or nurse or parent is close by to help her. She doesn't know that there's been a complication, that there's an infection and that she is dangerously ill, and could die if she doesn't go to the hospital. She takes the Prostaglandin to initiate contractions, and eventually she sees her tiny, bloody baby..... in the toilet. It is now that she begins to realize the consequence of her actions. She wishes she could turn back time, but there is no going back.

At this point my movie turned off. I felt nauseous. 

Nauseous as I couldn't stop imagining what is advertised as an "easy, do it yourself, safe abortion" that is truly a nightmare and a horror for mother and baby. A baby, at 8 weeks, and an inch long with all fingers and toes present, and all major body parts including the heart, brain, spinal cord, organs. The violence. The lies. The veiling of the truth - the truth that the the "pregnancy" is a tiny human being - the truth that this pill could endanger her health or take her life - the truth that this pill  ends the life of her baby. 

The next hour in our morning was devoted to talking about unborn pain - I learned that a baby at 20 weeks has the highest density of pain receptors that he will ever have in his entire life. The basic nervous system is developed - nervous tracts, spinal cord, brain, thalamus, cortex. The capacity to feel pain in astounding because the inhibitors to block pain have not developed. And yet, babies at 20 weeks are ripped limb from limb in the abortion procedure. Arms and legs torn off, then the skull crushed. I was couldn't help but replay the image in my mind of what it must look like, and then trying to imagine the pain that I would experience is someone cut off my arm ...except only worse, MUCH worse. How degrading is it upon our society that we think of abortion as a solution to society's problems? Surely we can come up with other, more life affirming solutions in our advanced day and age to things like poverty besides offering to kill our children? 

Even though we have talked about aspects of abortion for two weeks now, today as we were finishing practicum, I started crying. 

Even though I fully know all the history that led up to the enactment of Roe v Wade and subsequent court decisions, I still couldn't help but ask, How did this happen? How did abortion become normal? Safe? "Good for women"? A "Choice"? 

Today reaffirmed what I already knew: I will NEVER be content to live a simply normal, happy-go-lucky life. Although I knew about the realities before, the movies that played over and over in my mind today, the movies that elicited nausea and tears, brought the importance of fighting for life to a new urgency more than ever before.

I know that all is not lost. I am not hopelessness or full of despair. No, on the contrary. God is on the move. There has been SO much progress made in our country to protect babies lives than 30 years ago. But, as everyone who has been already been working day in and day out for so long has told us this last month - we still have a ways to go. And I and so many of my peers, are apart of advancing the cause for life into the new wave of defending life. 

Today has not brought only sadness and grief... As I was talking to my friend on the phone this evening, I realized how excited that I was too. New doors are and will continue opening up for me (and for the other Academy kids too) to start making even more of a difference. 

You and I are here for 'Such A Time As This'. It cannot be denied or ignored. There are too many babies dying every day. Each of us has an integral role to play. 

Back Alley Butchers?

This is the speech that I gave about the question of whether legalizing abortion would increase maternal deaths from back alley butchers - a very important question as pro-lifers because we do care about baby AND the mother. 

I don’t know where you stand on the issue of abortion, but regardless I’m guessing that you’ve all heard the following arguments:

“If anti-abortion extremists successfully prohibit abortion, it will usher back to the back alley butcher era. Before the legalization of abortion there were 1 million unsafe abortion and 5,000-10,000 maternal deaths due to these unsanitary ‘coat-hanger’ abortions. There are 1.2 millions abortions a year now, and 1 million before Roe - the only difference the legalization of abortion made was to make them safer. If Roe v Wade is overturned, mothers will die - you don’t want that, do you?”

This seems pretty convincing, I must admit that these stats sound pretty convincing as a good reason to keep abortion legal. But do you know where these stats came from?

“ONE MILLION illegal abortions every year before 1973”

 The source is from a study by Bates and Zawadzki in 1984. But where did they get their number? Original research? No, they got the number 1 million from a researcher named Taussig in 1936, and that researcher got his number from the researcher Kopp’s original study in 1934. Kopp published a study that found that at the New York City Sanger Birth Control Clinic, the ratio for abortions was 1 for every 2.5 pregnancies. Taussig then took this statistic and applied to the entire urban population of the United States. Next, Taussig used another study done by a researcher named Plass in order to "find out the rural population ratio of America". Plass’ study was a  questionaire sent to doctors in Iowa that asked the doctors to roughly estimated how many abortions they guessed women had per pregnancy. The guesstimation came out to be 1 for every 5 pregnancies. Taussig used this ratio of 1 to 5 and applied to the entire rural population of the United States, added this number to his urban ratio of 1 to 2.5. This totaled that 631,600 illegal abortions were being performed every year. All the Bates and Zawadski study did was to take the number 631,600 and project it onto the current day population of 1964. Ta da: 1 million!

It doesn’t take one long to see the errors that occurred in coming up with the number 1 million illegal abortions every year. It was derived from 30 year old statistics that were flawed studies in the first place. The New York clinic was one of the most radical clinics in the whole country and their ratios did not accurately reflect the current national average. Additionally the Iowa study was based on GUESSES - no scientific data was actually compiled to back up the doctors’ claims.

In 1981 a man by the name of Syska created a more reliable study that looked pregnancy maternal mortality rates and credible estimates of greater risk illegal abortions. He calculated that there was an average of 98,000 illegal abortions per year with 210,000 as the high in 1961.

Legalization did increase the numbers of abortions, no questions asked. There were about 100,000 illegal per year before 1973 and now tragically that number has skyrocketed to 1.2 million a year.

Further evidence that there were not millions of upon millions of women clamoring for abortions before the legalization is that in 1973 there were only 781,000 abortions. It wasn’t until 1977 that the number hit 1 million. This piece of information is the last nail in the coffin for the magic number ONE MILLION. It is a number that was constructed to purposefully mislead the public into thinking that abortion was an already accepted and desired practice and that legalization would only make it safer.

“5,000 to 10,000 women died every year from illegal abortions"

This number originated from the same researcher: Taussig. He discovered from stats from the 1920’s and from Germany that old studies showed that there was a  .6% chance of death from illegal abortions. He didn’t think that the number was high enough -surely there was a higher chance than that - the numbers were just hidden, so he doubled the chance of death. When he applied 1.2% to the 631,600 illegal abortions that he estimated, he got the number 8,000 to 10,000 maternal deaths annually. In 1942, Taussig himself revised the number to 5,000 because he admitted it was too high.  But the pro-abortion advocates used this faulty number to further the debate in 1973 and still use the number to today. Abortion advocate Dr. Hall, president of the Association for the Study of Abortion said in 1967, “[Taussig’s estimate] is certainly not valid now. There are in fact fewer than 1500 total pregnancy deaths in this country per annum...and of these 1500, probably no fewer than a third are the result of abortion.”

Abortion advocates love to point out that legalizing abortion reduced maternal death rates, but in fact the rates starting falling LONG before ‘73. Why, you might be asking? Antibiotics were invented! In the 1940-50 decade, maternal death due to abortions reduced from 1407 to 260. From 1960 to 1972 the death rate still fell further: from 260 to 39 - deaths that were needless, tragic deaths nonetheless. This drastic decline was due to the addition of intensive care units and better surgical techniques.

So would back alley butcher abortions increase if abortions were made illegal again? The short answer is no. If the number of abortions were reduced, even if there is higher risk per illegal abortion, there would be less maternal deaths. Plus, the medical advancements of each decade will not disappear - mothers will not be forced to go to a "dirty back alley butchers" or use a coat hanger and be left to die in the street. Infection was the cause of death for many self-induced abortions before 1940‘s, but the modern day antibiotics will never disappear from the medical practice.

Bottom line, abortionists who were performing abortions illegally just brought their signs from the back door and moved it to the front door in 1973. The same abortionists who performed abortions the day before Roe v Wade, performed the abortions after Roe. The same medical procedures were used before Roe and after Roe (and many are in fact still used TODAY). The legalization did not make it any “safer”. The idea of back alley butchers was a scare mongering tactic, which was very effective in 1973 and still is an effective tactic today.

So what does uncovering these statistics show us? 

If abortion becomes illegal, it would NOT increase the deaths of mothers. That claim was based on fabricated myths. Medical technology would be able to save lives of mothers who had botched abortions, as it has saved lives since the invention of penicillin and ICU's were integrated into the health care system.

The abortion industry propagates that abortion saves lives and prevents deaths. The truth is that the only thing saving women during the abortion process is the secondary doctor who rescues them after the abortionists' invasive dangerous procedure ends the life of their babies and puts their health at risk during every single abortion.

Fact: before Roe, there were not one million abortions per year. This number was falsely created with 30 year old data to justify abortions. “You’re oppressing women by not allowing abortion, it is an option that every woman wants and has always wanted.” But in reality, it took several years for the idea of abortion to become an accepted, prevalent “choice” in our culture through non-stop propaganda of the pro-abortion industry.

If the abortion industry claims to truly care for women, they need to realize that the only solution that really cares for women are the life-affirming alternatives that don’t include killing their children.

If abortion becomes illegal -
it would save the lives of mothers...
it would save the lives of their unborn children....
and it would save mothers from being fed the lie that abortion is a positive option and it would save them experiencing the devastatingly trauma of going through an abortion.

Mothers deserve better answers than the death of their children through the violence of abortion, legal or illegal.

Capturing the moments.....

Life goes by so quickly. I have been in Washington DC for 3 1/2 weeks already and sometimes it seems like I've been here forever and some days it seems like I just arrived.... I am torn between feelings of dying to be back home and sadness that this once in a lifetime experience is going to end. Every morning I wake up and am so utterly grateful to God for blessing me beyond belief this summer.

I was telling my aunt this morning - God has answered so many of my prayers large and small. I had all these little dreams about this summer that seemed pretty unrealistic and really weren't that important. I hope that I get to go swing dancing at least once this summer... Wouldn't it be great to get to go kayaking in DC? ...I would love to just sit underneath a tree and read some day this summer... etc, etc, etc. This past week has been a testament that God cares for each of his children SO much and loves to remind us every day that he is with us every step of the way.

I just have to share about all the fun times that we were surprised with this last week and a half!

The Academy was invited to a swing dance party last week- Andrew's friend from school had a friend from high school who lives in this AMAZING mansion in Virgina, and he invited a wide variety of people to a swing dance party! This house was amazing - and we only got to see the basement! It had a two story library, a fantastic backyard with too many little nooks and crannies to count, a lovely swimming pool a water fountain in the garden, a soccer field, etc. We were going to dance under the terrace on the patio but it was pouring down rain so the family rented a ballroom dance floor to put in their basement! We danced our socks off all evening. All three of our NRLC guys - Devyn, Andrew, and Brandyn (an intern who has become a good friend to us all) were amazing dancers by the end of the evening, and Anna, Natalie and I (who all love to dance) especially had a blast! I love how God answers prayers more than we could ever ask for or imagine.

This weekend was also a nice respite from the classwork. On Saturday, 5 of us went to Eastern Market - a lovely, huge outdoor market a few metro stops from the Capitol. I felt like I was transported back to Europe!!! Little stands everywhere were selling everything imaginable - from antiques to beautiful photography to hats to jewelry to fresh fruit to flowers to old ancient map! The three of us girls wandered through and made it out successfully with only a few purchases: fresh peaches, beautiful cupcakes, fresh squeezed lemonade, AND Anna and I both bought maps! "Map Man" had hundreds of old maps and we dug around in the piles until we found maps that were beautiful and were special to us. I found a map from 1910 of Asia and Europe - Romania and India, my two loves. Did I need it? No, but I justified it by the fact that this opportunity would probably never come again, and it would look great on a wall in my house someday :-)

Then we found a bookstore STUFFED with books. I've never seen a more disorganized book store in my life - but the fact that it was books from floor to ceiling helped my OCD-ness take a break and just enjoy being in the environment :-) I found a Hebrew Primer for children. I was so happy that I could still read it after not being in Hebrew class for several months. It has several of the Sabbath and Passover prayers in the back... and pictures. A treasure! After all this treasure hunting, we spread out our blanket underneath a tree in the nearby park to enjoy our cupcakes and read our homework. What a day!

Sean, one of the interns who has really become a good friend and hangs out with us alot on the weekends suggested that we kayak on the Potomac. He did all the hard work of finding a place to rent kayaks and we just had to walk a couple blocks from GW to Georgetown. For just $20 each, we kayaked all afternoon. It was such a lovely, lazy Sunday afternoon..... There's no place I would have rather been at that moment. We kayaked around Roosevelt Island, and toward Lincoln and Washington Monument... across the river from the monuments, we beached and ate a picnic 'dinner' and then got back in our kayaks to go see the Jefferson Monument. This was definitely a dream come true day!

Andrew and I decided to go to a new church on Sunday - Capitol Hill Baptist. It had been recommended to me by a friend who interned for Mike Pence last year. It took us longer to metro-it than we thought, so we arrived a few minutes late. I didn't expect it to be SO crowded - the church met in a very large old house that had been converted into a beautiful V-shaped sanctuary. We looked in the window and didn't see one open seat anywhere, when an usher told us that there was a balcony and fortunately there were a few seats still open. Packed almost to capacity (a few hundred people), I could sense an excitement/anticipation in the congregation of young and old, families and college students. It was a relatively traditional liturgical service with hymns, responsive readings and several passages of scripture read out loud, but to my surprise not a single element seemed rote or "dead". It seemed as if they were hungry for a fresh revelation of who Jesus was through each part of the service.

The sermon, on Hebrews 12:1-3 was very timely for me:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

This summer has emphasized for me that what I desire most is to fix my eyes on Jesus with everything in me in order to run the race with perseverance. It was convicting to realize how often my eyes stray to focus upon lesser things. When the fight for the Right to Life seems absolutely hopeless, we need to fix our eyes on Jesus. When I am overwhelmed with so many questions of how God is going to put all the pieces together to form my future, I need to fix my eyes on Jesus. When I try to pull away and run this race on my own, the only thing that will help get me to the finish line is to refocus and fix my eyes on Jesus. Then and only then, we will not lose heart and finish the race strong.

Something else that has been re-emphasized this summer for me (with Washington DC and my earlier trip to India in June) is that I am definitely apart of a Larger Story - God's story. He has given me an important role to play, just like he has given you a role to play too. Its an Adventure, its a Battle, its a Romance... And I don't want to miss any second of this Story. After getting a sense of the Larger Story going on the pro-life movement, how can I be content to sit on the sidelines and just be happy to go on and try to live the monotonous American Dream life? After seeing a glimpse of the Larger Story in India and how God is moving so mightily there, how I can be content to only think of myself for the rest of my life and what will make me happy? God is calling each of us to someway, somehow rise up and participate in God's adventure. Now, more than ever, I declare, Yes Lord! Here am I! Send me!

Every man dies.  Not every man really lives.  ~Braveheart

 I want to live, really live.

Unwanted Children?

EVERY CHILD A WANTED CHILD

This slogan sounds like nice rhetoric, but have you ever stopped to think what this really means?

Every unwanted child a dead child. 

Abortion advocates say that Abortion reduces child abuse and crime rates. Is this true? 

Abortion advocates presume that unwanted unborn children are less than, and therefore it is okay to kill them. The concept of unwanted-ness is actually the attitude of others towards you. How scary? If others determine that you are unwanted, that makes you worthy of killing? But this logic doesn't hold true for any other stage of human life than unborn: it would be unthinkable to kill a three year old who was being particularly bratty and the parents decided that they didn't want their toddler. Or perhaps this situation: would a lethal injection be a worthy solution to a teenager who was being rebellious and his parents decided that he was too much effort? Of course not. So what makes abortion a positive alternative? "It will decrease abuse because there will only be wanted children". So killing the child is better than beating it? Abortion is the ultimate form of child abuse. Does this line of logic make sense: I don't want you, I will probably abuse you, I really care about you, so I am going to abort you? The truly compassionate solution if the child is really unwanted is adoption. And for other women who feel like abortion is the only alternative because of their extreme poverty, crisis pregnancy centers and other organizations all over the U.S. are there to help in dire circumstances. A poor mother who aborts her baby is still poor, except now she has a dead baby. Is the best solution our country can come up with to advocate killing her child to solve her problems? 

Additionally, there is no correlation between abortion and a reduction in abuse. There is not a single study that supports this idea, in fact experts agree that child abuse has increased dramatically in 30 years - 330% from 1976 to 1987. Did you know that 85% of abused children are wanted children? Seems very counter-intuitive, but in fact when the parents want the child, many times they imagine a perfect family. They plan for the baby to go to Harvard, decorate the nursery beautifully and wait until Baby Perfect arrives. But when the baby does not fit his parents' perfect image when he cries and is messy, child abuse is likely. Additionally there is a 144% higher risk for women who have had an abortion to abuse their subsequent children, because of all the guilt and shame from their traumatic abortion experiences.

This idea of unwantedness actually stands on shaky ground: 85% of women initially reject their pregnancy, but by the end of their first trimester 85% to 90% have accepted it and are looking forward to their baby. It is so sad to me that many women are encouraged and even pursued to have abortions while their feelings toward the baby are mixed, and then the child is aborted before his mother ever has a chance to change her mind and reach acceptance and excitement about the baby.

Abortion reduces crime - because it reduces unwanted children. A study by Donhue and Levitt supported this idea that the legalization of abortion got the ball rolling. But actually these two researchers used flawed data and didn't separate the age groups of the offenders. Crime right decreased as a whole, but decrease happened in age groups that were too old to be personally affected by the legalization of abortion. Another study by Lott and Whitley challenged the Donhue-Levitt study and found that murder rates skyrocketed in the late 80's to early 90's = the first generation whose peers were aborted. "Essentially, the message is, if you choose death, you get death. With interest." (Randall O'Bannon).

"Unwanted" children: since when did the right to life depend on other people wanting a life? The social problems of poverty, crime and child abuse are real - but the solution for solving them is not by the people to whom the problems happen. 

CHOICE - the C Word

A woman has a right to control her own body....
              RIGHT TO PRIVACY
                              RIGHT TO CHOOSE
Before this Academy, it was when I heard this argument that I got nervous. What do you say in response? How can I argue against the feminist agenda that has indoctrinated our culture and made women feel like killing their children is the only way to complete equally with a man in the workplace? This argument is the most common that pro-lifers face and it basically boils down to: Don't Force Your Morality on Me.

Because of the prevalence, I would that I would share a few talking points that we learned on Friday (but its a complex topic that we spent the whole day on, so I won't share ALL that I learned. If you want to know more, ask me).

It can't be taken for granted that this argument has an effective, emotional pull? You want to force mothers to carry their babies to term? But in our society, freedom of choice is limited to the fact that it doesn't involve or trample upon another person's rights. "She has the right to control the use of her arm by choosing to swing her arm. However, that right stops when her arm approaches the tip of my nose." A woman certainly has rights to her own body, but the baby inside of her is a completely, new human life with rights of its own. An example can be taken from slavery - when slaves were erroneously assumed to be just property, white people were given the freedom to keep slaves. But when the argument was raised that slaves deserved equal rights, slavery was considered an abomination and many fought for those rights for years. No one's right to choice should ethically involve taking away another's right - especially the right to life.

Judith Jarvis Thompson wrote an article in 1971: "Must an unwilling pregnant woman provide her body for the use of the child?" Through her very influential, yet flawed argument she clearly demonstrated that this issue is a conflict of rights - the child's and the mothers. Let's examine these 2 rights.
Right A: the right of the unborn not to be killed.
Right B: the right not to sustain the unborn.
Thompson's conclusion is that the mother's rights prevail because the child is a parasite, invading her privacy and forcing "itself" upon her. But the only way to have Right B is to violate and override A. Let's suppose that these rights were combined into one situation: a pregnant woman must decide between death or having to sustain the child for nine months, what do you suppose she would choose? The right to Life - because this right is more fundamental and necessary for the other right to exist at all. So the priority of rights - between the right to not be killed and the right to not sustain the life of one's baby - definitely falls on the baby's right.

Now let's compare the violation. Taking away to the right to life is irrecoverable - it irreversibly ends life. And although pregnancy can be a severe inconvenience for many women, it is limited to 9 months and that inconvenience does end. The raising of a child is a lifelong journey, with many ups and downs, joys and headaches but many parents say that it is one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. But if a mother absolutely does not want to take care of a child, rather than abort her baby, she should put it up for adoption where it has the possibility of a wonderful, loving home (one of the 1 to 2 million in the US who are waiting for children to be placed in their homes).

Bottom line, the right to life is higher than the right to be inconvenienced. The right to choose should not include the right to end innocent life.

___________________

Additionally, reason and historic experience teaches us that unless we protect the rights of others, our own rights soon diminish as well.

Women should have to stop apologizing for the fact that they bear children. To expect women to kill their children in order to succeed in the world (i.e. to achieve complete equality with men) is to treat women as second class citizens. Abortion proponents pit mother and child against each other - and it is crucial to reveal to women who love the phrase, "My Body, My Choice" that the child is not an enemy but a gift.

Every life matters - including Emma's!

I was going to post my new speech about abortion today and about the lecture that we had about post-abortion stress disorders, BUT I took a 2 hour nap this evening...... and so I will try to post alot tomorrow!!!

Its been a absolutely wonderful week ... I am so happy this week as I watch God work wonders...
And to top it all off, we went swing dancing at a friend of a friend of a friend's mansion last night and all had a blast. I have been wearing a pedometer just for fun to see how far we walk every day (sometimes up to 7 to 8 miles!) and last night I am estimating that we danced 2 to 3 miles! Another dream come true- swing dancing in DC.

I received some AMAZING news today!!!!!!!!!! My aunt and uncle are leaving for China a week from today to go pick up their new daughter, Emma Abiella... They have been waiting for over 2 years to finally meet this beautiful baby girl and we are so excited to have a new member added to the family. Her older sister Esther (also adopted from China) is getting very excited to finally get to go to China as well. Emma will be 18 months old, and every picture that we've ever been sent, she's smiling from ear to ear. She was born with a cleft palate and cleft lip and has already had two surgeries.

Emma Abiella defies what many pro-abortionists claim - a) an unwanted child is better of never having the chance for life and b) those with disabilities have a lower quality of life and would be better off being killed than having to suffer. But Emma is an answer to our whole family's prayers of several years and will bring joy just by her presence and laughter. I can't wait to meet my new cousin (I will arrive in Indy a few days after she does!) and I am so glad that her mom chose life instead of an abortion. No one will ever be able to convince me that Emma, or any other baby, doesn't deserve a chance for life.

If you could keep my aunt and uncle in your prayers as they prepare for traveling. My uncle has had some health problems recently with his inner ear - he had surgery - but the completely incapacitating dizziness has been recently reoccurring (just yesterday). Please pray for their family every day that Jesus would heal him as they prepare to bring a new baby into their family.

This is my cousin Esther - who although only 3.5 years old - has brought SO much joy and laughter into our family and changed it forever.
Life wouldn't be the same without her. . . 

Just as the world will never be the same after the tragic death of even a single unborn child. We will never know who that baby would have grown up to become and the impact he would have made on the world - or in his family most importantly of all. 


I am so grateful that Esther's mother and Emma's mother CHOSE LIFE. 

an update.................

It has been awhile since I posted... I am so sorry! This week has flown by with loads of homework every evening and evening seminars twice this week. A very lllllooooonnnnng week, but very informative and helpful nonetheless. And SO, I back-posted 3 entries tonight, so please check those out. 2 of them are speeches that I wrote during the week for our practicums in the afternoon.

Saturday also ended a 2 1/2 day Robert's Rule of Order Parliamentary training ... The theory is that it is important as future leaders to learn how to run, introduce and stop legislation in a meeting. If/when I pass the test that we took today, I will be officially certified parliamentarian - wahoo. Even though our instructor is actually was one of 3 editors of the illustrious Robert's Rules book and obviously very much an expert, it still was pretty difficult to stay awake just because of the nature of the material. He kept making motions to execute all those who were having trouble staying awake!!! Guilty as charged. But now I can have a credential after my name if I so desire! On Saturday, we divided up into 4 teams and we all had to try to get a motion passed in the meeting and at the same time try to block another team's motion! That was really fun, and very very competitive. No wonder nothing gets done in a democracy - everything can be so easily derailed. What a crazy world we live in!

This week, besides being exhausting, has been wonderful. We're all getting into the swing of things, we have our routines down (like waking Andrew up 3 minutes before Natalie and I are ready to walk to work) (family dinners on Saturdays on the balcony) (getting free dinner at the Catholic Newman center around the corner), and most of all, starting to build great relationships. Most evenings that we happen to have a spare moment free, everyone (besides the one who studies constantly) slowly gathers into Anna and I's room - we hang out on the balcony or lounge on our "living room", talking, talking, talking. I love it. We don't have any mutual friends or any other shared experiences, so mostly we talk about politics, pro-life issues, worldview topics, religion & theology, current events, etc and of course joking around and telling silly stories. We also do crazy things too: a few nights ago, 5 of us ran/jogged/walked to the Lincoln Monument (~1.5 miles away) around dusk. By the time we got there, it was absolutely stunning in the night sky. I loved how the Washington Monument shimmered in the reflecting pool. AND then we walked back and ate ice cream.

I am lovin' DC and all the adventures - large and small. This week promises to be a great week - hey, we get to go swing dancing tomorrow! Natalie and I taught the guys last night. Life's never dull.

I'll post tomorrow on the wonderful lecture that we had today - I learned ALOT.

A Baby's Diary

Wednesday’s assignment was to write a speech over lunch on fetal development which we had learned about that morning from Wanda Franz, the president of NRLC, who has a PhD in Child Development. The instructions said to be creative, so I decided to take them up on the offer!

Many are fascinated with reading other’s diaries... people they admire or people who have an interesting perspective on life, like Anne Frank for example who had a peek into World War II through an attic hideaway. Today people spend a lot of time on Facebook or Twitter or blogs :-) because they can catch a glimpse into someone else’s reality. 

But have you ever wondered what it would be like if we could find out exactly what it was like for each of us to be inside our mothers’ womb for nine months? I wish that we could remember as adults what it must have been like during the earliest days of our lives. 

The good news is that now with advanced modern technology we can know more than ever before how each of us grow during the first months of life - and its an absolutely beautiful and break-taking process.

As a baby, perhaps this is what my diary would have sounded like.. (if I could have actually written a diary of course!)

MY DIARY

Lennart Nilsson

(Sperm entering egg)

DAY ONE

Oh my goodness! I’m alive!!! - a genetically complete, totally unique, single celled organism too small for anyone to see. You might be asking - how did I come to be? My dad’s sperm, a very persistent fast-swimming at that, united with my mom’s egg and ta-da! at the exact moment that these two completely separate cells united - you got me! I have all the DNA genetic information that I will ever need - from the beginning. 

Lennart Nilsson

8 days

WEEK ONE

You can now call me “Embryo”. I’ve traveled down my mom’s fallopian tube and found a safe home on the wall of my mom’s uterus. Snuggling in close, I’ve attached myself permanently for the duration. All my cells have differentiated and know exactly what part of the body they will become - whether it be my digestive system, my nervous system or my muscles. 

WEEK FOUR

I’ve grown so much! I am now 1/6 inch long. My heart is starting to beat with my own blood and my other organs are starting to form too! How exciting! 

WEEK FIVE

More growth - I now have eyes, legs and hands starting to develop. Life is good.

WEEK SIX

You’ll never believe it - I have brain waves now!!! And.... drum roll please, fingers and lips! I am happy to announce that I made my first movement yesterday as my nervous system is developing nicely. Especially around my mouth, I can finally start to feel things!

Lennart Nilsson

8 weeks

WEEK 8

Super exciting news! I have a new name: “Fetus”. I am kicking and swimming around in my little swimming pool and the best part is that I still might be a surprise to my mom. She can’t feel my movements yet, but all my major body parts are present in my one inch long body. I have fingerprints too! 

12 weeks

WEEKS 9-12

So much is happening it is hard to keep up with journaling. I have fingernails! I can’t wait until I can have manicure parties with my mom someday. I starting to feel more and more... I think my brain must be developing more and I have more nerve endings everywhere. The best part is that I can now suck my fingers. Don’t forget - I love kicking and dancing. I think I’ll like swing dancing when I grow up. 

Lennart Nilsson 

18 weeks

WEEKS 16-18

The coolest thing happened: I had a dream last night! I think I saw a tall man with a kind, shining face and he was holding me tight. It made me smile. 

I also have skin and hair now - blonde to be exact. 

20 weeks

WEEK 20

Just recently I realized that I can hear sounds! A very soothing voice is talking to me all the time - it is very sweet and reassuring. It must be my mom. I can’t wait to meet her! Sometimes I can hear a deeper voice. Yesterday the voice came closer and closer, and it sounded like it was talking straight to me. It sounded as if he was saying, “Hey baby, can’t wait till we get to meet you! Only a couple more months... Hang in there.” Well daddy, I can’t wait to meet you either! 

Lennart Nilsson

WEEK 21

Today I felt a pressure right on me - as if my mom was placing her hand right over me. I kicked back to let her know that I can feel her - its such a fun game.

32 weeks

WEEK 32 

Sorry that I haven’t written in awhile, its taken all my energy to gain weight and height. I am so big! Its starting to get cramped in here - any way that I can get out soon? 

WEEK 35

I am starting to have something in my lungs that I think is going to help me breathe better when I’m on the outside. Mom and Dad? I am SO, SO, SO excited to meet you finally! I have heard your voice for so long - you seem very wonderful. But I am going to miss hearing your heart beat, Mom. It helps me go to sleep. 

LAST ENTRY

This is going to be a quick entry because ready-or-not-here-I-come! I’m ready to get outta here! 

I wonder what you’ll name me?

(This is me! Abigail - 'Source of the Father's Joy')