7 Quick Takes Friday

1. This morning was the procedure to remove the remaining part of the pregnancy. It was not nearly as traumatic as I thought it would be, due in large part to the drugs they administered beforehand, and the excellent quality of care I received at the hospital. The pain and bleeding has been minimal, which is an absolute blessing. 

The hospital chaplain brought us the remains of our baby, which we got to hold (in a container wrapped in a baby blanket) and to pray over and then she said a prayer. The whole thing was very beautiful and dignified. We brought the blanket home with us, and will keep it as a reminder of Michael John’s short life. 

2. Husband and I have decided for the remainder of Lent to fast on Wednesday and Friday, as an extra sacrifice, to pray for respect for all the dead, proper burial of the dead, and a greater respect for human life. 

I will be posting later this evening some recipes that are favorites of ours for easy Lenten soups and meatless meals. 

3. So, I’m sure everyone has already heard by now that President Obama will be giving the commencement address at Notre Dame this spring. As the spouse of a ND alum, and as a Catholic, I definitely have an opinion about this. I personally think it’s a pretty bad idea, regardless of a person’s stance on life issues, to honor a non-Catholic President with a degree, and implicit approval of his legislative agenda. I would have similar reservations about John McCain (had he won) being chosen as the commencement speaker at ND. It seems quite strange to me that a university which prides itself on it’s “Catholic” identity, would choose not to honor the words and actions of someone who is working for the common good from a position of authentic Catholicism. There are certainly many, many competent, compassionate, brilliant Catholics who would much better serve the mission and values of the university by giving commencement remarks. 

My husband will be sending a letter to Fr. Jenkins, the president of ND, and I will post the text of which sometime this week. 

4. Best snack of the week: 

Cottage Cheese with pears, frozen blueberries, and frozen peaches.

5. Has anyone out there miscarried their first pregnancy? I need some encouragement. My major fear right now is that I won’t be able to have a normal pregnancy in the future. Prayers please for trust in God’s grace. 

6. We are a March Madness home. Since my husband is a die-hard Purdue fan, our weekend schedule will be formed around game times. 🙂 

I feel mostly o.k. with this, but, am more excited to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo tomorrow, which will hopefully help to take my mind off of this past week’s disaster. When we move to Indianapolis in June, I will be very sad to no longer live within walking distance of a FREE zoo. 🙁

7. I recently acquired this book, which has wonderful ideas for Lent and Easter, as well as for the entire liturgical year.

The Catholic Home: Celebrations and Traditions for Holidays, Feast Days, and Everyday.

By Meredith Gould ( a Jewish convert to Catholicism, who definitely gets the importance of ritual in home life).

Head over to www.conversiondiary.com to see the creator of 7 quick takes; thanks, Jen!