On Love and Sacrifice

Since it is now February, my thoughts and the thoughts of many people, have turned to Valentine's Day. For my Catholic friends and acquaintances, thoughts have been turning toward Lent, since it begins on the 13th. Recently, though, my own thoughts, while occupied by both of those things, have also turned to something a great deal more ominous: human trafficking and modern-day slavery. I don't recall how my attention was drawn to the matter, but once I'd caught my first glimpse, I buried myself in information about it.

As with anything else about which I have questions, I spent a few days looking up the facts about human trafficking, and surely only scratched the surface of how horrifying the phenomenon truly is. Estimates, though by the very nature of the trade inexact, put the number of people held in slavery worldwide at almost 21 million. These people are men, women, and children of all ages and races, being taken from everywhere to everywhere for both forced labor and forced prostitution. Human trafficking is now the second largest black market in the world, second only to drug trafficking.

The majority of the people enslaved around the world are forced labor in factories, private homes, businesses, and occasionally even traveling around in groups with their captors. Many are recruited through promises of a better life, employment for adults, education or employment for children. The recruiters tell stories of the lives these people will lead, prosperous enough to send money home to take care of their families, and gain the trust of the entire communities in order to take people away with them. Once on the market, the unsuspecting victims are given or sold to their slavemasters. Some are told they have incurred or are incurring (imaginary) debts that they must work off, but as time wears on, they only sink further and further into debt that they can never repay. Most are overworked, starved, and abused, and too scared or practically unable to leave their situation. Money very rarely makes it back to their families, and though a lucky few are rescued, many more die in slavery without anyone to care that they're gone.

A large minority, about 43% of enslaved people, are forced into prostitution. Some are placed in brothels, others in massage parlors, others in strip clubs, and still others on the streets, all kept hostage by pimps, some as young as 8 or 9. Though pimps have been somewhat glorified in western culture, the terrifying reality is so much worse to hear. A real pimp controls every aspect of a prostitute's life, from when or if they can eat on any given day to how many Johns they will see each day to how much they are to charge for sexual acts they are forced to perform. Like other slaveholders, pimps give nothing to prostitutes, and beat and starve them in order to exact obedience, occasionally bringing drugs into the mix to keep them dependent. Like people forced into labor, people forced into prostitution have almost no way out of their situation, save for the very remote possibility of being saved by law enforcement, and many die in slavery without anyone to mourn them.

Even more frightening, as if such a thing is conceivable, is that many of the young girls in slavery in the US are runaways or have passed through the foster care system. These girls are as young as 12 and often did not receive love in their homes, and are exploited by pimps who lavish that love on them, buy them things, and act as their protector and guide before turning them out and forcing them to have sex for money. Many of them attend school simultaneously, and their teachers and peers never notice that they need help, only realizing something is wrong after they leave. If any of these girls are lucky enough to escape, their actions are criminal in 41 states, regardless of whether or not they were brainwashed or coerced, and many go to jail because it is easier to prosecute them than the pimps who control them or the Johns who use them.

All of this is too awful for words to accurately convey, and it can seem like it is too big or too dark or too secret for ordinary people to help solve. But it isn't. Whether you're a student, an educator, or a concerned citizen, there is a way for you to have a positive impact and contribute to ending modern day slavery. The easiest thing to do is to educate yourself about the issue. MTVU has a powerful project on its website called Against Our Will with interactive programs that tell you how people come into slavery and what that life is like. The federal government keeps the best statistics it can on the number of people trapped in slavery today, as do many other countries.

After educating yourself, there are so many things you can do. You can reach out to your high school or college to bring someone in to educate both staff and students about slavery and how to recognize it and report it. You can donate to or volunteer with organizations like the Polaris Project, which actively work to rescue people from slavery. You can make local, state, or federal lawmakers aware of the extent of the problem, especially because it is likely happening in their constituency. If you are unable to do anything else, tell someone you know about the issue. Refuse to stay quiet, because this is literally a life or death issue for people held in slavery.

It doesn't matter if you're religious or not, whether you're gay or straight, where you live, or what you do, slavery is an issue that should matter to everyone, and everyone can be a part of the solution. So during this time when so many of us are given to thinking of love or sacrifice, take a second to think of, pray for, or lend aid to someone who sacrifices so much and is loved so little, except by God.

Hope Full of Immortality

Happy 2013 everyone! I'm glad to be back and writing again. and before I get to saying anything else, please take a second to check out my friend Joe's new blog at Jeremiah 29:11. Joe is a great writer and very well read, and his posts always give you something to think about.

I want to reflect briefly on eternal life, as it has been brought to my attention several times this past year and I have thus had to read and pray and think about it quite a bit. I have experienced the death of a loved like many other people, but my experiences in 2012 have caused me to think differently about death, especially in light of my faith. Not all of the deceased were close to me, or even all people I knew, but there was something about each person that touched me differently and turned my thoughts toward the eternal life preached by the Catholic Church.

First was my friend Quinn, about whom I have previously written, who passed in June of cancer. I won't retell his story because I have nothing to add to what I've already said, but one of the blessings hidden in his death was my realization of why death, though sad, is not the worst thing that can happen to a person in the Christian worldview. As I was driving to his funeral, my thoughts turned to where he was at that moment and I realized that I did not have very much to be sad about in the long run. If Quinn had made it to Purgatory (as I'm assuming he had) then I could hope to see him again one day in Heaven. Our several atheist mutual friends couldn't say the same, and that caused me to feel more sadness for them because this would be the last time they believed they would ever see Quinn. On that day, I discovered what a beautiful gift faith is because it allowed me to believe that I could be reunited with Quinn one day.

That and the next few losses, the parents of friends from middle school and high school and a mentor to several of my friends now, caused me to think much more about judgement, particular and general, and the role of the living in affecting that judgement for themselves and others. The only commonality between these three was that I had been asked to pray for their souls, and in so doing began to think about why I was doing it. Was my prayer important? If so, why? What did I expect to come of praying for these people? I assumed that my prayer might carry some small import, or else I wouldn't have been asked to pray at all, and that it was important because if I really believed what I professed, they would do some good in helping these people get to Heaven (I do my best to assume that most people whose deaths I hear of make it to Purgatory). Following those assertions, I expected my prayers to benefit those souls and help them attain the everlasting joy of union with God.

The final loss of 2012 occurred earlier, but I only learned of it after Christmas. That one was the most painful and caused me to see that some losses wound a person very deeply even without their knowledge and even after many years have passed. When I asked my spiritual director for guidance regarding the situation, he told me to learn as much as I could about Heaven, what it's like and what the Church teaches about it. Shortly thereafter I read everything the Catechism says about eternal life, and I realized that the most I could do was make peace with the situation as best I can and pray. I have to rely on God now to do what He sees fit, and just keep praying for everyone involved.

As ever, Mary and the saints have been an invaluable help, as have the support of numerous friends. I suppose that 2012 was the year I learned how to grieve, but I don't think of that as a bad thing. As my father very bluntly stated about death recently, "It only becomes more familiar the older you get." I think it's good that I've learned what I have about death and eternal life this past year, especially that prayer is probably the best thing you can do when you are about to lose or have lost someone close to you or close to someone you love. I hope not to have a year like that for a long while yet, but I appreciate having had the experiences I did.

My View from the Meat Kitchen

Goooooooooood Shabbos, everyone! Welcome to my first blog post from the kitchen of my university's Hillel! I'm told tonight they're expecting a small crowd (I certainly hope so, for the amount of food they have), so I'll be working alone. I figured since I'm here and I finally got a chance to look around and see the whole place tonight, I would post some of the neat things I love about working here, and what my job has taught me about Judaism, Catholicism, and myself.

I guess the thing I love most about working here at Hillel is how interesting it is. I don't find the food service aspect particularly fascinating, but I love being able to observe the Orthodox sabbath service and listen to the kids who come here talk about their faith. Unlike our Newman Center, Hillel doesn't appear to have a library, but what they do have are a bunch of familiar artifacts having to do with Judaism and plaques to explain their role and importance. There are also short explanations of the holidays with which the items are associated, telling brief stories about how they're celebrated or the Bible stories they commemorate (or Torah stories, in this case). It offers, while not strictly an interactive lesson on the religion, a quick peek inside the world of the Jewish faith.

Being me, of course I love that I'm working in an environment of faith, where young people like myself come to celebrate the supernatural, the goodness of God to His people. My first night here, the president of the Jewish Students' Association explained how amused he is by the fact that most cultural Jews celebrate only the High Holidays, the most anti-secular days on the calendar. While I share his amusement at the phenomenon, I like being in a place where I can see a small group of students coming faithfully each week to acknowledge God and enjoy each other's company. The liveliness of Hillel on Fridays reminds me of the similar liveliness of the Newman Center on Tuesdays, as we're coming together to celebrate similar things, all theological matters aside.

I love learning languages, and even though I haven't picked up any new Yiddish words, I love hearing the Hebrew in the Orthodox prayer service. There is something transcendental about it which reminds me of Latin hymns at Benediction and incense during Mass. It's mysterious, and perhaps because I don't understand it, it automatically lifts my thoughts up to God. It almost seems as though it's a language set apart for worship in the same way that the Jews are a people set apart for God. All of this is to say nothing of the way the blessings of the bread and wine bear resemblance (though not exact) to the Eucharistic prayers at Mass, constantly reminding me that the Eucharist is both feast and Communion, food for the soul and the body.

And finally, I would be severely remiss if I didn't mention that I love the people I encounter here at Hillel. My fellow Shabbos goys are easy to work with and fun to talk to on our down time. I feel like we educate each other almost as much as we're educated by being here. I also love the kids coming to celebrate the sabbath, who are so engaging, friendly, and welcoming. They go out of their way to offer us help if they think we might need it, and occasionally stop us to chat when we're not preoccupied with dinner prep/service/clean-up. They're so joyful when they're here, and always talking about something interesting, whether it's the news of the day, a trip they took to Israel, or just something funny that happened during the course of the week. And hey, it doesn't hurt that they encourage us to take home leftovers.

Growing up, I was always a curious child; I never lost an opportunity to ask what things were, how they worked, or why they were how they were. As I've gotten older and gained knowledge, I have perhaps stopped asking as many questions as I ought to, though I have become no less curious than I ever was. While I love all the things that make me who I am, I've always been fascinated by things that are different and  in taking this job I have enabled myself to learn and ask questions the way I used to, and it's a wonderful experience. I could not have asked for a job that better integrates the things I love most about college: food, faith, friends, and insatiable curiosity.

I'd like to leave you tonight with a prayer from Psalm 118:

You are my God, I give you thanks;
my God, I offer you praise.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
his mercy endures forever.

Enemy of the Good

I'm procrastinating this afternoon, as I have no desire to complete a seemingly impossible assignment for one of my History classes, so here I am to address you all. I love reading other Catholic blogs, and one in particular is the blog of Msgr. Charles Pope, who always seems to have reasonable things to say and writes in a style that is easily accessible to many different kinds of readers. Today's post is about delaying marriage and the perfect as the enemy of the good. This message strikes a chord with me especially since I am a perfectionist, and my mother always used to tell me that I shouldn't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Sometimes good is good enough, and I needed to be told occasionally to let go of my dreams of perfection so that a particular task could be accomplished.

I was reminded of this topic last night during a discussion with two male friends about falling in love. I mentioned to them that I dislike songs with cynical lyrics because they take such a dim and hopeless view of love and life. I told them that I want falling in love to be thrilling and scary and fulfilling, to which one of them replied that I've been watching to many romantic comedies and that I should take my head out of the clouds. I countered with the assertion that I do not suffer from the delusion that some mythical Prince Charming will ride in on his white horse and sweep me off my feet and carry me into the sunset. What I mean when I say that I want falling in love to be those things is that I want to be excited to give myself to another person, that I want to know that in making myself vulnerable to him, I am entering into communion with him, that I'm having the experience as it's meant to happen.

I know that I don't know from experience how these things are "meant to happen", but I think I have a good enough idea to work off of from the examples of the dating/married women I know. However, this idea has been a long time coming, as I have taken the customary way too long period of letting my idea of a perfect man be the enemy of the good men who actually exist. I don't have any romantic prospects now, but that hasn't stopped me in the past from dreaming up the perfect man for myself. It's only recently, as I begin the first stages of vocational discernment that I've started trying to curb my perfectionism in favor of a more realistic idea of how my life could go.

Most of this change is due to a wonderful group of women I was introduced to on facebook this summer, CathSorority. I am (to my knowledge) the second youngest woman in the group, so I've had ample opportunity to learn about the struggles of real life women and men to live their call to marriage (and one woman's call to the religious life). In a way, I've been blessed to see some of what Christian dating and marriage actually look like, made to work by imperfect people the best way they know how. These women have given me a real inside look on the routine and not-so-routine hardships of life, and thus, a better, more realistic idea of what my life could look like in the future.

That's not to say that all they experience is hardship, for certainly they've had their share of joyful moments as well as hard ones. At least three or four women have welcomed new children, a few have gotten new jobs, and some are approaching their weddings with growing excitement. The reason that I look forward to my future and hopefully falling in love, though, is because I've seen these women talk about and live their loves with their husbands and children. I know what they've experienced, good and bad, and I look forward to my future life that much more because it sounds like true happiness, even though there are scares and struggles along the path. They have not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and to me, that looks so much more fulfilling than whatever form perfect takes in my head or heart. It reflects God's plan for them, and as my spiritual director likes to say, whatever God calls you to will be your happiness. I look forward to my happiness, no matter what God determines that will be, or with whom; perfect or not.

Joy and Exaltation

Good Sunday Morning! I hope you're all doing well since last I posted (I'll assume you are, since I probably see most of you lovely readers a few times a week). I find it tough to write very much when I come back after a long time away from here, so this post will be short and sweet, but full of happiness and excitement about Jesus. Sound good? Great! On we go.

So, as a junior in college now, I know I should be looking for jobs that will actually add something to my resume other than words, but I do not have one of those jobs this semester. Instead, I've taken a job at the university's Hillel (Jewish student center, for those who don't know) heating, serving, and cleaning up food for the Shabbas dinner on Friday nights. It's not a particularly labor intensive job, and the students seem to appreciate the Shabbas goys (non-Jews who do our job) being there for them. You might wonder, then (or I'm going to assume you might wonder), why I took the job if it doesn't do anything for my resume and it eats up five hours of my Friday nights. The short answer is that I think it's cool. The long answer is that already I've learned about the Jewish tradition, and been able to observe people my own age living out their faith in a serious way. Also, they encourage me to eat and take leftovers home, and I don't know of anyone else who gets paid to do almost nothing, gain interesting knowledge, and eat for free.

Speaking of Friday and tradition, this past Friday was the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, and one of the most awesome feasts on the liturgical calendar. I didn't know it until I came to college, but I've loved this weekend in September for a long time, and that is tied to my love for a particular hymn, "Lift High the Cross". When I was a little girl, I latched onto this hymn as a personal favorite for a reason as yet unknown to me or to anyone else. As I was wont to do then, I memorized the hymn and would sing it or hum it for a few weeks after whichever Sunday was closest to the Feast of the Exaltation. For the past three years since being here in Washington, my father, who always remembers to send little things to cheer me up, has sent me an email with the music for the hymn attached whenever his parish's choir sings it at Mass. I received that email this morning, and played the hymn as I always do, and I realized for a second that I'd forgotten how much I like it, especially now being a particular devotee of the Cross.

I guess it's weeks like this when I'm truly thankful for being here at my school, where I'm constantly learning about the world, my faith, and myself. I forget occasionally how good God is to me, and then He goes and reveals it in the start of Adoration, a job learning about His chosen people as predecessors to His covenant with all people, and the simple joy of a little music telling of His goodness. It's a good morning indeed when I can look around and behold God in everything I see.

Here's a little "Lift High the Cross" for you. Fair warning: This version is pretty epic.  :)

50 Shades of Magic Mike

I don't normally write about pop culture and other factors similarly irrelevant to my life, but I've found a couple of things that merit talking about. The first is the book 50 Shades of Grey, and the second is the movie Magic Mike. Both are erotic, popular, and aimed at women, and women have eaten them up in droves. I don't know anyone who's read/seen them, as far as I know, but I can't escape them in the news and on the web. I can tell already that I will be one of the women not partaking in the fad, partially because crap that pretends to be art offends me, and partially because I know what the producers of both are doing, and I won't bite.

I've been hearing a lot about 50 Shades of Grey and Magic Mike recently, and I have to say that all the hubbub about them in the media is ridiculous. It's being hailed as new and revolutionary that women are reading erotica and watching soft-core pornography, and as a woman I have to ask: to whom? I'm serious, though. This is not news to me or to any woman who lives in the first world today. Women read erotica all the time. What do people think is in those trashy "romance" novels, candlelight dinners? Why do they think women flock to movies with actors like Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds, because they should be nominated for Academy Awards? None of this is new, and it's certainly not revolutionary, but I will say this: it's a big, fat load of hypocrisy, and I'm ashamed that women are buying into it.

I'll start off by saying that yes, as a young Catholic woman, the sex is part of the reason I object to 50 Shades and Magic Mike. However, that is really only the tip of the iceberg, because I'm not uncomfortable with sex, how it works, sexuality, or the male and female anatomy. Unlike some folks, I am able to say the words penis and vagina without blushing or giggling. What really bothers me is the double standard women are perpetuating by buying into these franchises, and what their popularity says about some of the problems facing women and couples today, and the fact that they're being exacerbated and/or ignored instead of solved. So I'm being a little conservative today, but only a little.

First things first, let's talk about the double standard 50 Shades and Magic Mike create, and to do that, let's flip them around a little. What if instead of aiming to titillate women, 50 Shades was meant to titillate men by its main character's complete sexual dominance over the female protagonist in the "Red Room of Pain"? What if men were supposed to get off by going to see Magic Mariah- a movie about female strippers- and were doing it by the thousands and recommending their friends do the same? It wouldn't just be the feminists raising hell about it, it would be all women. They'd shout about authors and producers objectifying women, and demand that the books be pulled from the shelves and the movie from the box office. The preeminent concern would be for the dignity of women- wives, sisters, mothers, daughters- and the effect these images would have on them. Why is it, then, that objectifying men is permissible for the pleasure of women? I've yet to hear an acceptable answer.


Call me crazy, but I believe in the equality of the sexes. I want equal pay for equal work, and if I'll tell my sons they can't hit women, I'll tell my daughters they can't hit men. Respect is a two-way street, and I'm not okay with the hypocrisy of the 50 Shades and Magic Mike franchises, because if women are going to scream about deserving the respect of men, they had better be giving men the respect they deserve. I don't care if that opinion doesn't earn me any friends. I'm not advocating putting someone on a pedestal who hasn't earned it, but I believe in holding yourself to the same standards you set for others.

I've railed against them so far, but 50 Shades and Magic Mike have done one good thing, even if people don't realize it: they've exposed some glaring problems in the lives of their female consumers. What does it say about a married woman who turns to erotica and pornography for satisfaction? It says that she's not being satisfied by sex with her husband. What does it say about women and couples if thousands of women are turning to erotica and pornography for satisfaction, not clandestinely as they typically do, but publicly and proudly? It says that there is something wrong with the way thousands of men and women were taught to communicate with and relate to each other. Granted, I'm not privy to the inner workings of the average married couple's relationship, but I'd say it's a safe bet that if they were communicating and relating effectively, one partner wouldn't be searching outside the relationship for fulfillment.

I'm going to go out on another crazy limb here, but I believe that trust and good communication are the bedrock of any solid relationship. Every good relationship I have is good because I communicate effectively and often with the other person, and because we trust each other to improve as people when we need to and improve the relationship when it needs to be improved. I believe that marriage is the ultimate relationship because it is a choice to commit in a unique way to one person forever, and because of its singular nature, marriage requires both husband and wife to communicate effectively to make it work. If one or both partners are not talking to the other and are seeking sexual satisfaction elsewhere, the way I see it, the marriage has been lost. It can be recovered, but it will take a lot of work, and the popularity of 50 Shades and Magic Mike have shown that an enormous number of marriages need that work.

If you've seen Magic Mike or read 50 Shades of Grey, please don't think I'm condemning you, as strong as my words here are. I'm nowhere near impervious to this kind of temptation, and a few years ago both of these franchises would have been right up my alley. I say this because I know men deserve better treatment from women, women deserve better entertainment from an industry that is capable of high art, and because both deserve to be able to enter a marriage and actually make it work. Also, I think that sex should be a wonderful, rapturous experience for both parties, and I know firsthand that pornography of any kind doesn't make sexual experiences better, it makes them worse. There are plenty of ways that we as a culture can be entertained, stimulated, and respected, but the likes of 50 Shades and Magic Mike are not among them.

You Are Beautiful, Day 30

If I could choose one topic that often goes ignored or when mentioned, is filled with doom and gloom, I would immediately choose the post-partum body.

Thanks to the rapid period of pregnancy with fluctuating hormones and weight gain, it's an inevitable fact that our bodies will change, in some ways permanently.

Women might feel dread as they read that sentence. Not only does it imply falling out of the social limits of beauty and losing control of our own bodies, but it also means shopping for new clothes that fit and look nice on us.

I can hear the screams now.

Some women take a stand. They might, for example, claim that they are going to avoid breastfeeding to avoid the sagging. (This has been proven ineffective, by the way. Pregnancy is what increases the risk of sagging. If you've already gone through pregnancy, might as well breastfeed to get some benefit for your body, besides your baby.) Or they might embark on numerous diets and exercise programs, even during pregnancy. Some even take on extreme levels of distance running, participating in marathons and triathlons. (This author warns against over developing certain muscles, claiming it leads to increased pelvic pain and increased birth interventions.) Of course, many women maintain a healthy, balanced view and exercise normally throughout pregnancy.

Lauren even ran a 3 mile before her c-section!

And some women take a seat. Don't be so quick to assume it's out of laziness! For many reasons, pregnancy can arrive with painful situations such as impaired mobility, joint pain and morning sickness. Goals to exercise go out the window, replaced with much smaller yet rewarding achievements, such as keeping food down or going grocery shopping. Society already bombards us with all the warnings about not exercising anyways, so I feel it's evened out in comparison to the links I provided earlier.

This back and forth has women confused. It IS, actually, presented somewhat as a debate. Should a woman accept her body as it is, stay where she is at and learn to love her body? Should a woman feel obligated to exercise and/or diet soon after birth until she has returned to her original weight/shape?

They seem opposed, don't they? And each one carries a nugget of truth:

First, we should accept our bodies. This means we should acknowledge where we are on the beaten path. Our journey right now, the way we are right now, is an experience, whether we like it or dislike it. Openly looking at our bodies and learning all we can about ourselves is definitely beneficial to our personal development. 

During pregnancy

After pregnancy

Nearing 42 weeks

One week after birth

The way our bodies change during pregnancy is amazing and complex. It speaks to deep power, strength and a primal call, saying life is going on; the world is turning. The way we look after birth can shock us, maybe even make us nervous or scared. We might want to ignore it, wish it away. We might even hate it. But, these bodies belong to us. These experiences are part of us. Like a contraction, we can choose to try to run away, or we can open our arms wide and feel it wash over us.

Second, we should respect our bodies. It's something moms need to hear frequently. We have needs, too. Our bodies are important, too. If mamas still shake their heads while reading this, then think of it this way: if you aren't healthy, that will impact your child, too. You and your baby deserve a healthy mama-body! You deserve to feel good, to look good and to achieve the right health and shape for you. This in turn will battle against depression and anxiety during and after pregnancy, assist with the baby's weight in utero and overall prevent or decrease the risk of complications and interference.

Eva is 8 months pregnant and nursing her toddler on a nature hike.

Getting in some exercise with a munchkin on the back and in the belly.

The way to resolve the seeming opposition between these two "sides" is to keep it personal. In other words, when you want to exercise (or don't want to exercise) what is your intention? Exercising and eating to feel happy, healthy and prepared for motherhood is going to put you on a balanced path. Exercising and eating to set a goal and feel the accomplishment or to keep you connected in a supportive community is going to benefit you. If your goals for exercising are not realistic and healthy, then the exercise itself will most likely become unhealthy.

Similarly, taking a good, honest look in the mirror to learn about your experience and to feel the inherent strength and beauty of your body is an indescribable step towards self-actualization. Seeing yourself completely, without wishing any different, is an acceptance that most people yearn for and never find. Recognizing where you are, where you want to be and finding peace in that will benefit you. If your goal is to hide from problems in your life or inner fears and feelings of inadequacy, then this process itself will most likely lead to unhealthy living.

To all the women out there, looking at their bodies in the mirror, smiling, frowning, squishing fat or flexing abs...You are beautiful, Mother. Vous êtes Belle, Mere.

Six months after birth, and after 2 c-sections.

One year after birth

Feeling accomplished after a race

After two kids

About 9 months after birth

About one year after the 2nd child, still nursing both.

And my favorite video that shows exercising as part of an intense journey of self-discovery:

To learn more about motherhood and to see more photos and read stories of women who have walked the journey of being a mother, please visit The Shape of a Mother.

Guggie Daly, a Catholic with crunch, seeks to promote the value of whole living, 

especially in the topics of conception, pregnancy, birth and early childhood.

A mama to three kids, she finds faith and reason belong together in the parenting topic 

and likes to connect evidence-based science with respect for the dignity of human life.