Where are all the Nativity scenes going?

The City Council of Berkley Michigan recently caved in to an empty threat from the ACLU and ended their 60+ year long tradition of putting up a Nativity scene. In a news release from The Thomas More Law Center they explain that free legal defense was offered, and that the "neighboring city of Clawson’s Nativity display had been challenged in court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which governs Michigan, had ruled that the Nativity could be displayed legally on city property." What a shame.

On a positive note, the City of Plymouth Michigan followed their generations-long tradition and put up their Nativity display again this year. PLEASE CALL THEM TO SAY THANKS by dialing (734) 453-7737 , or email them at psincock@ci.plymouth.mi.us

Merry Christmas!

Maybe not such a good idea

While eating pizza for dinner today Joshua announced: "Mom, I have a good idea. Lets eat pizza first, then suckers, then green beans."
My what a little diplomat.

Happy Thanksgiving

My Uncle Bob and Aunt Donna invited us to their home on Thanksgiving morning to watch the Thanksgiving day parade. It was our first ever parade, and it was lots of fun. Maybe it was the amazing breakfast spread available to us before, during, and after just a block away from the parade at my Uncle's house. Or maybe it was the huge ballons and floats. But we had fun...Maria didn't even want to leave the roadside when we went back to Uncle Bob's house for the best corned beef hash on the planet.

Then we went to my Uncle Tim's to say hi to the Ray-side and have yummy appetizers. Then on to my parents house to eat smoked cornish game hens and play fun games like Baldradash and MadgGab with the Browns and my Aunt Joan, Uncle Mike and Cousin Jon Hirzel.
What a fun filled day...and to top it all off it went really smooth.

We are thankful for our family, our friends, our warm and joy-filled home, and for God's love and mercy.

"I want to shave with you dad"

One of Joshua's favorite things to do with me is shave. He looks so content to just sit on the counter watching. He loves to make sure his cheeks and chin are covered with a thick lather, and he lets me shave it all off (with the safety cap still on, of course). After it's all done he loves the aftershave to be patted on his cheeks.

I'll Protect You

Maria was laying in bed next to a sleepy Josh. She was telling Joshua about how she would protect him if a mean dog attacked him. She said, "Josh, if a mean dog came to get you I will keep you safe. I will hit the dog in the face, and he would die."

It's nice to have such a tough kid in the house.

Should you allow yelling?

My grandma sent me this:

A little girl's prayer

Every night, after turning out the lights, we take a glow-in-the-dark crucifix and pass it around during family prayer time. It has been funny to see what the kids are thinking about in relation to God.

For a while now during prayers, Joshua, who is usually very verbal, has been keeping his prayers short. In fact he only wants to pray for the people in our house at the moment. "I pray for Mom, Dad, Maria and Sam." During the week Anna's sister Catherine stays with us while she attends University nearby...Joshua has asked during prayers, "is Catherine home?" If she is, he'll include her. If she's gone he doesn't want to pray for her.

Maria on the other hand prays for everything and everyone! Last night we had to help her close out her petitions because she showed no signs of stopping. She'll include people, animals and even inanimate objects: "I pray for birds, for Fr. Ed, for sheep, for suckers, for cars, for bunnies. I pray for Mom, for the groceries, for pizza, for Josh..." and so on. Anna and I were practically in stiches last night just listenting to the things she was coming up with and the matter of fact way she was praying.

One tough cookie

How many 15 year old girls have run 13.1 miles at one time? Not many, right? Well I know one: my baby sister, (who isn't much of a baby any more). Emily has been running with her highschool cross country team for only a few months. She was running longer distances with me on the side, but to go from 0 to 13.1 miles in 3 months is a real feat. I am so proud that she ran with me at the Detroit Half-Marathon, and she was in the top 40% of her age group. Keep it up sis!

Look at all that teenager energy!

Our Military is the brightest and best

Senator John Kerry more than crossed the line recently, insulting all of our men and women in uniform basically saying they are all underacheivers. While speaking to a group pf college students Kerry said, "you know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't you get stuck in Iraq."

In response this arogant remark some of our illiterate troops sent this message: