Hello!!

Gosh, has it really been two months since I last posted. Well I can honestly say that the past two months have been jammed packed with multiple blessings. The kids began yet another year of school at St. Henry. All of them have wonderfully gifted teachers. We are also blessed that they all have wonderful circles of friends. I fearfully started my 3rd semester of nursing school, in OB/peds. I look to graduate in May, May 14, 2011 to be exact.


Other happenings, I got a job at Baptist Hospital as a Nurse Extern. It is only PRN, so I just work when I can, which isn't very often. The job has definitely been a blessing. It has also been a challenge. I hate to leave the family any more than I already do, but it must be done. John and I take a team approach while raising our family. We both do as much as we can to help. I also received a job at The St. Cecilia Mother House. I work in their infirmary on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Saturday night. This is hardly a job, this is a complete and total blessing. I have already learned so much from them. The Sister's examples are something I will always remember. What gifts they all are to our community.

Another blessing is a personal one, I guess. It is just something I have had on my mind lately. I will graduate in May (MAY 14, 2011, TO BE EXACT, did I say that already?), and then I will be an RN after I pass the NCLEX, but why do I want to be a Nurse, and what does being a Nurse mean? The closer we get to graduating, I hear mostly about all of the money making opportunities, and how students want to go on to get their BSN, and then their MSN and so on, because, "It's more money!" I just do not see nursing that way. Granted, the money helps, but if your in it for the money? Please get out now! I believe Nursing is about service to others. It is about the patient laying the bed, at your mercy. I want to be a Nurse, first of all because I believe God wants me to, and secondly because I will be able to touch others in a unique way, when they are most vulnerable. I feel so blessed that God has chosen me to be a part of this profession. I know He chose me, because otherwise it would have never happened. Getting to where I am today has been an act of God, and nothing short of a miracle. Even when I have questioned this journey, He has been quick to respond with an ever so gentle pat on the back and nudge to move forward.

So what does this have to do with Natural Family Planning? I don't know, but I wanted to share. However, I will share this snippet about NFP.
People! We have got to start appreciating and taking a closer look at the marvelous creation of woman. A man is fertile all the time, but a woman has a very intricate physiology, which works through a process, lasting several, several days. She has ups and downs of hormones, all of which create a physiological  response, and in the end, or the middle rather, an egg is produced, and if it by chance(not really a chance) meets up with a sperm (1 of about 50 that actually make it to the egg) a human is created. An unrepeatable, uniquely created, human being. For this to happen at all, it must occur within a 100 hour window of time. How miraculous that this event ever happens at all, or that has happened to John and I 6 times.

We not only have to appreciate what woman does, but also that she needs man to procreate. And in this moment of creation, husband and wife are closer to God that at any other time. They come together and physically add the parts necessary to make the baby, but it is God who at the very same time, infuses the soul into this new human being. So all 3 together make 1. AMAZING!! We have to share this, and we have to live this!

People wonder, what does the Church mean when It says we must always be open to life? Precisely that. During every marital act, we must understand that God wants in, even when a child is not being created. With our intellect, will, and formed conscience, we mutually decide with our spouse when to abstain and when not to. Artificial birth control, or sterilization, not only remove this mentality, but it also blocks God from the marital act. This is not good, and this is what the Church is protecting us from.

Thank you to The Church, for your love and protection of Your people. May we grow to know Your love and be thankful for it!!

God Bless,
Kim

P.S.
You do not want to miss this.

Tidbits

Hello All,
I hope you are doing well on this rainy Wednesday. I stumbled across this article this morning. It is very good. I found it to be an easy to read summary on NFP. 


Also, Sister Jane Dominic, O.P. will be speaking at St. Cecilia Academy this Saturday night. Her talk is on the Theology of the Body. She is a gifted speaker, and if you are able, you should really try and attend.  You need to RSVP. 


Here is more info:

This talk is being given to members of the Nashville Guild of the Catholic Medical Association, but anyone is welcome to attend. Sr. Jane Dominic is an energetic, witty and engaging speaker and a nationally known expert on this topic, and her talk should be fantastic.

Here is the schedule:

 

6:00 PM: Mass at the St. Cecilia Academy Chapel7:00 - 8:30 PM: Light supper (Subway sandwiches & drinks) and Sister's presentation in the main lecture hall at St. Cecilia Academy (4120 Harding Rd., next to St. Thomas Hospital).

 

Ample free parking is available.

The presentation is free, but please bring $10 if you want dinner. Please RSVP to Rachel Kaiser at rtkaiser@bellsouth.net if you would like to come. All are welcome!

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

God Bless,

Kim

Humanae Vitae Lecture

Hello!

Well, I have exciting news. The Humanae Vitae Lecture originally scheduled for last May has ben rescheduled. It will now be on November 9. Details are here. 

There will be a lot of publication done for this event. However, please help to get the word out. You will not want to miss this.

I really encourage you to invite your OBGYNs to the lecture. This is such a pressing issue in The Church, and really, with women everywhere. Women deserve to know the Truth. The birth control pill, IUDs, sterilization's, etc.. are not healthcare. Fertility is not a disease and pregnancy is not an illness. 

Also, make sure your parish Priests know about the lecture!

I do not mean to go off on a rant. I have a hard time controlling my tongue, or should I say, my key board, when it comes to these issues. 

I hope you all are having a wonderful week! I am so sad that summer is coming to an end. I think I am in denial that school is starting in a little over a week for the kids. Where did the time go? 

Peace of Christ to you,

Kim

What Humanae Vitae Means to Me

I had never heard of Humanae Vitae until after I had gotten married. I remember stumbling across the small booklet on a bookshelf at my in-laws house. I read through it and thought it was nice. Over the years it has come to mean much more to me. When John and I got married we answered the trendy question, “So how many kids do you want?” with the response, “As many as God gives us.”

We had a complete and honest desire to do this, but we did not quite understand the full meaning of what this meant, or why we should do this. We truly wanted a big family, and hoped it was part of God’s plan for us. We looked at John’s parents, who at the time had over thirty-five grandchildren and desired this for ourselves as well. We saw this as being a blessed life and hoped that one day we would gain the same rewards.

Five years into our marriage we had already had four children. These were the hardest times for us. Ironically, I sometimes wish we could go back to those days when the kids and I were all at home and did not have a schedule bossing us around. As wild and crazy as it was, it was also quite peaceful. The only places we had to go were to doctor appointments and the grocery store. Nobody played sports, so we lived our life at home, and not in the car.

After our fourth child was born we decided to take a look into Natural Family Planning (NFP). We really were not committed to using it, because we did not have serious reasons to not have a child at that time, but we did learn it and actually found it interesting. We knew exactly when we conceived our next child. I did not even have to take a pregnancy test. We found NFP to be a good resource for us. It taught us a lot about ourselves, and built our marriage up into one that had more respect for each other.

Some married couples require a full commitment to NFP. If the married couple has serious reasons to postpone a pregnancy, they could use NFP and abide by its simple rules. The NFP couple has control of their chart, and they make the choice as to when the marital act will and will not take place, but other than that their will is given over to God. When our will is given over to God, His Holy Spirit can move a couple to monthly discern His will for their family.  Sometimes this moves the couple to take leap of faith and be at peace with His plan. 

When Humanae Vitae was published the majority of Catholics refuted it. Even today, Catholics do not understand the seriousness of the document. It came out just after the birth control pill was rising in popularity. Since this time, several studies have been published stating that in marriages where the couple is using artificial contraception there is a 50% chance of the marriage lasting. However, couples that use Natural Family Planning to space out the births of their children have 0.2% divorce rate. Humanae Vitae documents many reasons why this could be. Pope Paul VI points out quite prophetically that this indeed would happen if the world embraced artificial contraception.

Catholics during this time were arguing that the Pope just wanted to get into their business, and that he needed to get out of their bedroom. The argument even today is that “they are married and they can do whatever they want behind their bedroom door.” The  Church’s teaching in Humanae Vitae does what any good mother tries to do.  Use her wisdom to protect her children.  The Church warns that artificial birth control would damage marriages, degrade women, and demoralize the marriage act.

All of this has happened, and more.  Natural Family Planning, supported by the Church, offers an alternative to the downward spiral of marital relationships.  NFP teaches us about the observations a couple can make throughout their reproductive cycle to postpone a pregnancy.  Natural Family Planning was never intended to be a form of birth control, but rather a way to listen to God’s call for responsible parenthood without diminishing or damaging the marriage and family.  Fertility awareness methods have made great strides over the years. When used correctly, Natural Family Planning is 99% effective. It is now also being used to combat infertility, which has come about, in part, as a result of the pill and other forms of artificial contraception.

Infertility is a heart wrenching experience for couples. Natural Family Planning and NaPro technology have helped thousands of women conceive naturally.  The Church still opposes the use of artificial contraception and in vitro fertilization.   In Vitro (from the Latin root meaning “within the glass”) Fertilization is another destructive means that has been used in an attempt to control when a human life should come into this world. Millions of unborn children sit frozen in labs all over the country, just waiting for their parents to decide when they are ready for another child. Sadly, several embryos are placed in the woman’s uterus, with the hope of one or two latching on to continue their life. If more than two survive the transplant and cling to the endothelial lining for life, it will be proposed that the parents choose to eliminate all but two of the children. This comes as a crushing predicament for the parents and forces a difficult decision - one they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

Humanae Vitae was trying to protect us from this pain. Mainstream thought is so backwards now. The world has us thinking that we have the power to decide when life enters this world and when it is time for it to leave. The birth control pill itself has caused so much pain. It is also known that couples on the pill for a year or more unknowingly abort early pregnancies.

Through the grace from good instruction, John and I have learned the teachings of our Faith. We understand the Church to be our protector. She is always looking out for what is best for us. Our Faith has also taught us that the children God blesses us with are not our own. Yes, they have our genetic make up, but they ultimately belong to Him. They are part of His plan, not ours. He has had a purpose for them even before we took our“leaps of faith” in being open to new life.

 I am always learning more and more about the amazing gift of the Church. It not only attempts to protect us from the sins of a broken world, but it embraces us when we fall to the worldly temptations of our earthly lives. I am also thankful to the many priests who are also growing in knowledge on the Church’s gift of Humanae Vitae. Their service to us in this regard is of great necessity and urgency. Too many fellow Catholics brush off this teaching as not important because they never hear about it.

July 25th marks the 42^nd anniversary of Humanae Vitae, and the week following is Natural Family Planning Awareness Week. This is the time to learn more about NFP and the Church’s teaching on family planning. It is never too late. St. Henry Parish offers NFP classes on the second Thursday of every month. Contact their office for more information, 352-2259.

Happy NFP Awareness Week!

Summer

Well, I know I always say this, but life has been so busy. I have been taking Moral Theology and Ethics at Aquinas College this summer. To be honest, this has been quite the treat. Aquinas has some phenomenal professors, and I feel lucky to have learned from them.

I really feel like taking these courses will help me to be a better NFP teacher. I wrote an essay for my Ethics class arguing against a group of self-proclaimed pro-life ob/gyns. If you are interested, you can read it at

file://localhost/Users/kimderrick/Desktop/Kim's%20Ethics%20Essay.htm.

(just copy and paste the link)

I'd love to have your feedback after you read it. I enjoy researching such topics, but I cannot say that I am a gifted writer. It is struggle for me to even write on this blog. I just write what I am feeling and hope it makes sense. 

The essay had to be written within a two week time frame. It was a lot tougher than I had imagined it would be. However, as I was putting it all together, it really increased my desire to help the medical profession more. I love teaching couples about NFP. I love to see their eyes light up with their new found knowledge. Taking a couple through this process is an honor, and I will never take it for granted. 

God lays His Will before us, however it is up to us to decide to follow it. Sometimes, most of the time, that means picking up our cross and doing His will, even when it is easier to do our own. 

God has taken me on some wild journeys before, but I have to say these last couple of years have been quite an experience. 

I never thought I would ever go to college, especially not Nursing School. I never thought in the midst of being in Nursing School, I would also become a certified NFP teacher. I never thought I would speak before my fellow parishioners about NFP. I never thought I would be invited to be a part of the Aquinas College Lecture Series. I never thought I would be at a point where I am not only understanding the medical language behind NFP, but I am writing about it as well. 

If you do not believe that God can do the unthinkable, just look at me... His powers are great. 

I know that people look at me and say, "How does she do it? Six kids, and going to Nursing School!" All I can say is, I am amazed as well, but I don't do it. God does. I am just an instrument. It is through virtue and grace that I am able to do what I do. This is not to slight John, and all that he does to make it possible for me to go to school, or my Mom, who plays the role of 'Momma', while I am at school, which anyone who knows me, knows that I wouldn't assign this to just anyone. 

Somedays I cannot even grasp the lengths God has gone to so that His Will can be done in my life. By virtue, I was able to see that even the thought of going to Nursing School could be possible. Each step I took towards it, was just another validation that I was doing the right thing. Even when we conceived Rita, I knew God had a plan. Although, I admit I was completely baffled when this occurred, but I knew the birth of a child is always a good thing, and bringing a person into this world, who would love and honor God, was much better than being one year closer to a college degree. 

When Rita was born, it was the highlight of our life. Could life really get better than that? Yes, it is always getting better. I sincerely thought I wouldn't return to school. I thought this time it was surely impossible. 

I did not really know if God even wanted me to return or not, so I prayed about it. I told Him I was willing to do whatever it takes, as long as it was what He wanted me to do, and I wasn't going to go to great lengths to go back, and if He wanted me there He would have to shove it in my face. 

And that is exactly what He did. Rita as born in November. I had to take a timed Reading and Math test in January, to be considered for the fall semester. I looked over the study guide a little, and ended up scoring better than the one I had taken a year prior. I thought, "Well, okay God, but what about my kids. I am not going to leave them with random babysitters. Never knowing week from week who is going to watch them!" 

I guess He just laughed and said something like, "Kim, you worry abut the silliest things!" By the end of the month my Mom's company had closed, and she was able to retire, because she was turning 55 that same month. 

His powers are great. His Love is mighty.

 My Mom immediately said she would watch the kids. I knew this was now something I had to do. God was willing it. 

Long story short, here I am, miraculously. This has been a trivial year, but there is no doubt that I have grown more than ever. People told me that if you don't have a strong marriage going into nursing school, it will crumble. I didn't buy it. John and I are stronger than we have ever been. This has been a complete team effort. We are truly working together to accomplish this goal for our family. 

People will say to me, "Oh! I am so glad you are doing this for you!" I resist the temptation to say that I am not, but what is the use. The world wants people to think we are in this for ourselves. When in reality, we are in this for each other. I am going to Nursing School for many reasons, and to be honest, not one of them is for me. Mostly, it is because God wants me too, and I have never been so sure of anything. 

Do not ever question the power of God. Sometimes we are required to take a leap of Faith. Sometimes that leap of Faith is giving in when you know you are in your fertile time period. That thought of, "Let's just see what happens!" It's so exciting and scary all at the same time, but you feel safe because you are taking yourself out of the driver seat and allowing God to drive. It is so much more relaxing when you realize, "Hey! I don't have to be in control!" 

I apologize for the lengthiness of this post. It as been a while since I last wrote, and I guess I just had a lot on my mind and wanted to share this little story about doing the unthinkable, and really it is just about following the Will of God. 

In Christ,

Kim

NFP mysteriously sneaks into the hearts of the couple

Well, I am 3 months into my practicum, and I could not be more pleased. All I want, is to fill at least one spot for each NFP class I offer monthly. So far so good. In June, I will have two couples at the class. Both, are bran-spankin' new to NFP. One is an engaged couple, and the other is coming to understand their Faith on deeper level. They want to know where the Church stands on artificial birthcontrol, and what She says about the use of NFP.

I ask for your prayers for both of these couples. Both of them are embarking on a new journey. The engaged couple, new to the love God has reserved for them in the sacrament of marriage. They will grow in ways they never thought possible. The seasoned couple, they will also grow in ways they never thought possible through the use of NFP. I will teach them NFP, but will only skim the surface about what this is going to do for their marriage. Some how, NFP mysteriously sneaks into the hearts of the couple, and they slowly begin to see their spouse and the marital act in whole new light. Most of the time when a couple comes to me, they just want to know how to know when they are fertile and when they are not. I show them all of the how to's, and grin with the thought of the awe this couple will experience in the coming weeks.

This is something you cannot teach a couple. I always hold back when I want to tell the couple all of the wonderful things that will come about through their use of NFP. The words just don't make it out of my mouth. I want so badly to share this with them, but it always feels like the timing is not right. Maybe too much information, or I am afraid I will lose them.

However, complete joy consumes me when we meet again for a follow up session. Where the couple will share with me how NFP has been so enriching to their marriage. This always seems to take them by surprise. =) Maybe they had heard before that this could happen to a couple who uses NFP, but they just never thought it would happen to them. I just smile and say, "I know! Isn't it great?"

The couple's even express to me (and I am talking about couples who have been married a LONG time) that making love is even better now that they are using NFP. I had a couple recently that I taught, and the husband didn't 'buy' that NFP actually 'worked'. When I saw him one day after mass, he told me that his wife is so happy. He said, if for nothing else, NFP is worth doing for that. And later, when I met with his wife. She also shared her happiness with me. She said she wasn't as edgy anymore. She new exactly when they needed to abstain and when it was okay to resume again. For them, this meant, during the times when they engaged in sexual intercourse, they were never worried about where she was in her cycle. They were more relaxed, and could enjoy it more. I told them both, this is just one way that NFP 'works'.  

The more I get involved with NFP, the more my excitement builds for it. I want everyone to know about it. Catholic or not! As Sister Mary Michael says, "NFP, it's good for women!"

One thing to leave you with, PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE!!! Don't be afraid to share your love of NFP with others. Remember, NFP is a good thing! People don't realize how badly they need it.

Peace to you my friends,
+
M
Kim

Good Stuff Coming Up

Well, it's been a while, I know! I've been really busy with loving my husband, raising my 6 children, going to school to be a pro-life nurse, learning as much as I can about God's beautiful creation of women, and sharing it with as many people as I can!

Lots of good stuff is coming up:
My next NFP class is on April 8, from 7-8 p.m. at St. Henry Church. The first one we had on March 11 was fantastic. It could not have gone better. My client from that class is charting and doing very well, I might add. Let me know if you are interested in taking a class.
nfpcoordinator@gmail.com

On April 10, John and I have been invited to speak at the marriage preparation retreat, Three to Get Married. We will speak about what NFP means to us.

On May 11, Aquinas College will be hosting an "Extended Formation Lecture on Humanae Vitae." More info to come on specific speakers. I will be helping Sister Mary Michael, O.P. with this, and I am honored to be a part of it.

Please, pray for all of these upcoming events. 

I know everyone knows someone who is trying to conceive, or who may have serious reasons to not conceive. Please, point them in my direction. I want to help them! The Ovulation Method is a VERY precise means of accomplishing either one of these two goals.

If you'd like to receive an email every time I update the blog, please let me know.

One last thing, please join me in praying that Nashville will get a pro-life ob gyn soon. We desperately need one. In the mean time, continue trying to convert your ob gyns!

God Bless,

Kim

God made it is easy. The world has complicated it.

I have been so super swamped the past couple of weeks. When will it stop =) I am still so in awe of how all of this NFP stuff is coming together. It really is amazing. I cannot wait to start helping couples find the true beauty in their marriage.

First:

Needed prayers.

I know so many women who are all going through different circumstances right now. Some are in their 40's, desperately wanting another child and unable to conceive. Some are engaged and trying for the first time to understand their bodies. Some are nursing their babies and wondering how they are going to put a little space between their baby and their next child. Some are just now hearing about NFP for the first time ever. They are currently using artificial means to prevent a pregnancy. They are seeking out the truth and asking questions. All of these women need prayers. Al of these women need support.

Second:

My rant.

I know that the title of this blog seems like a planned parenthood term, but it is really not. It is a simple term, that planned parenthood distorted. Just like the term, feminist. That was distorted as well. We are feminists here. We are for women. We want women to be able to be the wonderful humans that God created them to be. NFP welcomes this and encourages this. It really is the mantra throughout most of the literature you read concerning NFP.

i.e. NFP is a method of family planning

that allows the husband to respect the woman's natural fertility.

All of the women that I described above are all seeking to know their natural fertility in a better way. God lays it all out right in front of us. I have always been amazed in the simplicity that God used in creating us.

Third:

I thought I would start leaving you with something that you could really share with someone else.

Is it really this easy? Yes, it is!!

Husband and wife are making observations of the wife's fertility.

She charts 5 days of menses.

Then she receives the sign that her body is dry

and her uterine lining is beginning to prepare a home for a potential new life.

At some point, she begins to notice a thick, sometimes cloudy secretion on her toilet tissue. 
The next couple of days she may notice that the secretion becomes clearer, thinner and stretchier. 
Before long it will be almost like water. 
It is at this point that she is most fertile. 


Now let's step back...

What just happened here?

As her secretions were thinning out,

her body was making all sorts of preparations for a new life.

This slippery secretion is one that sperm just love.

They get in this secretion and are having the time of their life.

It is nourishing to them and revitalizes them.

It makes them swim faster and survive longer.

Also, when sperm are inside the male's body, before they are released,

they are in an alkaline environment.

At this point in the woman's cycle

her secretions have changed her uterine environment from being acidic to alkaline.

It's kinda like when you buy a goldfish

and you have to make sure when you put it in a new tank

the water must be the same temperature, or the fish will die.

Same thing with the sperm.

When the woman is dry and acidic the sperm die within 2 hours,

but when the environment is alkaline, they not only survive they thrive.

During this time of high fertility,

the woman is also more attracted to her husband than at any other time in her cycle.

She is drawn to him like a magnetic force.

God made it this way, in His pure genius.

Folks, this is how babies are made!!!

If the couple is avoiding a pregnancy,

she would wait 3 to 4 days after her secretion has changed back to thick.

This thick secretion is the mucous plug that is released just before delivering a baby.

God puts it there after the woman has ovulated, just in case a baby is created,

as a means of protection.

When a woman notices that this pattern of secretion has taken place,

she knows she has ovulated and marital relations can occur once again.

Why is this cycle considered a disease?

Why do women feel like they must take life threatening means to prevent this from happening?

Why can't they see that making simple observations everyday

can prevent a pregnancy from occurring?

God made it is easy. The world has complicated it.

So, go out and share the simplicity of God's design!!

God Bless,

Kim

WOW!!!

I can not write much at this time, because I am completely exhausted. I just wanted to let you all know that I attended the training (I did not get to sleep over at the convent =[ ) and it was more than I ever imagined it would be.

I will speak more about it in the coming days. I was amongst future Saints. Mercedes Wilson and Dr. Pillar Carva are two of the most amazing people I believe I will ever meet. They are doing the work of God and being attacked at every angle, but they still proceed forward, always moving up hill.

Please continue the prayers!

In Him!

Kim

St. Gianna, pray for us

Mary Our Mother, pray for us

Prayers Please

Well folks, I need some prayers. Nashville has been hit with some nasty weather. I need to be able to make it to the Dominican Motherhouse this evening and back home again late tonight. I will also have to return back early Saturday morning. I pray that I can make it there, and that they allow me to spend the night. Oh, wouldn't that be a pleasant weekend get-away!!!! I told the sisters I would sleep on a couch if I had to!

Alas, it is all in God's hands, and I am sure His Will will prevail! I can't wait to update you after this weekend. Mercedes Wilson gave her first lecture at St. Cecilia Academy Wednesday night. It was a grand introduction to what is to come.

God Bless,

Kim

At the Root of NFP

Yesterday, I had the honor of being part of Adalynne Dior's celebration of Life. It was beautiful. Guests were adorned in pink and white. I'd never seen a casket so small. I was keeping myself together for the most part. I did get a little emotional when Adalynne's mother, Erika, read the second reading from II Corinthians 13:1-13... Love is patient, love is kind, love knows all things, love bears all things... Father Mike's homily was beautiful also. I honestly don't know how he held himself together, the Holy Spirit I guess. He spoke of the incredible way that Erika and Ryan have truly lived Christ's Gospel.

However, it wasn't until I was walking up to receive Communion that I lost it. I saw the family, saw the casket, the picture of Adalynne, and the tears were pouring. I knew, as I was quickly approaching Father, that I would in that moment be united with Adalynne through the Mystical Body of Christ. I had so many emotions. The biggest being, that God is doing some amazing things with Adalynne. I know, without a doubt He has already begun. Erika and Ryan may not understand the impact they will have on countless other people.

But what keeps coming back to me is how interrelated this is with Natural Family Planning. With NFP, it's not that we are just open to life. It is a self-sacrificing life they we live. (I don't mean that in an arrogant way =) We understand that children are gifts from God. Our bodies are just the first stop for these individuals. It really has nothing to do with us. The child's soul is for the Lord, not for us. When God is calling on us to bring a child into this world, it is not on our watch, but His. I understand that this takes a quality prayer life and conversation with your spouse.

What brings this all full circle with Ryan and Erika is that, Erika seemed to realize that Adalynne was not about her. Adalynne was put here for Our Lord's agenda. Erika and Ryan made a choice that has now come to the attention of many, many people and will continue to linger around. It is a choice that few other couples have made. People are so afraid of pain. We think that pain is a bad thing. We take medicine to take away physical pain, emotional pain, etc... We work hard to get rid of it, and make sure it does not come back.

Erika and Ryan have embraced their pain. They have shared it with the world. We have embraced their pain. They lean on The Lord!

I leave you with the quote on the cover of Adalynne's Celebration of Life program:

"Every child brings us God's smile and invites us to recognize that life is His gift. A gift to be welcomed with love and preserved with care... always and at every moment."

Pope Benedict XVI

In His Holy Name,

Kim

A story of Faith and courage

There is a family here at St. Henry who I have never met personally. I have just recently learned of their incredible witness to the Faith and their miraculous story that has played out.

You will find their blog here. I first found it 3 days ago. A friend of mine told me about the family and gave me a brief introduction to their story. Friday night, I read the entire bog. Tears consumed me. Since then this family has taken over my thoughts and prayers.

There is so much swirling around in my head right now, it's hard to put it into words. I wish this mother had a soap box so big that the whole world could hear of her Faith, hope, and love for this child that God housed inside her womb for a short period of time, and then allowed the family the opportunity to embrace her for five days outside of her Mother's womb.

This young lady went against all of the Doctor's advice to go ahead and end this child's life, but she refused. Why? This wasn't about her. It was about Adalynne Dior and God's unique plan for her.

Erika says it best though:

I know there have been questions as to why we decided to travel the path we are going down. So, I am going to put it in a scenario; different situation but same instincts. As a parent, a mother rather, it is my first instinct to protect my children. If, Harrison were sick and I mean really sick; diagnosed with cancer and it had spread into a stage four; and we had tried everything to beat the cancer but the chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow transplants, and stem cell transplants were not working, the cancer had continued to grow. Would we ask the nurse to give him a bolus of potassium to end his life just because he is terminal? Absolutely not, we would love him, cherish him, and do everything in our powers to protect the time he had left with us and pray like hell.

Adalynne is no different, just because her life has only been inside of me doesn't discount the fact that she is still my little girl; our little girl. She was conceived out of love, wanted, celebrated. Her life matters to me and it matters to my husband, Harrison, Houston, and even our Jack Russel Chloe.

Adalynne has a terminal diagnosis and it sucks, but she is still here. I live everyday and relish her movement while I sustain her life. I used to have this "feature" on our computer that counted down the days until my due date. Since learning of her terminal diagnosis, knowing I sustain her precious life, I don't look at it anymore. I don't want to know how far along I am in her pregnancy. It is almost like a count down of how much time we have with her.

Am I in denial? No, but I know her due date is February 7, 2010. And when that day comes she will not leave the hospital. That is why living and relishing in her every movement is so vital to me getting through this journey.

I love my little girl so much. She has been to Playa del Carmen, graduated college with her mommy, passed state boards, coached two soccer teams, helped a family in need in Guatemala, witnessed the union of six amazing people, been to every Titan's home game, and brought true happiness to me and even broke a few hearts. She likes going to the movies, she turns into an acrobat; flipping this way and that. She does not like it if I sit with my knees tucked up, it makes her move like crazy, and as soon as I put my knees down she stops moving. It is her own little way of letting me know she is perturbed with her mommy's current position.

Erika may not know it, but her sharing her life's events will change the hearts of so many families. When she accepted that her child would not live for very long outside of her womb, she did the most courageous thing a mother could do, and sustained Adalynne's life as long as time allowed. She sacrificed her body for her child's.

When Ryan and I were getting a second opinion, in regards to Adalynne's condition, I felt like the entire medical team, involved in the second opinion, strongly agreed termination would be best for Adalynne. I thought it was strange that even the well respected doctor asked, "What are you going to say and how are you going to handle the grocery store outings when someone asks you about your baby?" Was he justifying that as a feasible reason to end some one's life? Did he think I was going to just speed up the inevitable, because a stranger's harmless question? Had that questionable scenario determined a quicker means to an end with mothers before me? But, what do you say?

I do not mind, and it does not bother me when people ask me when the baby is due. It does not make me sad. I am very genuine in my answers. Like I have said before, I love this little girl so much. She is my daughter and I am so proud to be her mom, and no question or condition will ever change that.

Please, keep this family in your prayers and share their Faith with others. I know that God is going to do miraculous things with Adalynne's legacy that she has left us.

I hope that Ryan and Erika remember that when they are at Mass and receive Jesus in the Eucharist, that they once again reunited with Adalynne through the Mystical Body of Christ. My friend Kristi gives a beautiful witness of this here. Kristi is just another person who fills this world with Faith, hope, and love.

Peace of Christ with you all,

Kim

Press Release

It's almost time! Mark your calendars folks, because you are not going to want to miss this!

AQUINAS COLLEGE HOSTS RENOWNED NFP SPEAKERS

Members of the Pontifical Academy for Life to speak on the “Culture of Life”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (December 28, 2009)—On January 27, 2010, Aquinas College will launch its spring-semester lecture series with the visit of two members of the Pontifical Academy for Life, who will speak on natural family planning. Dr. Maria del Pilar Calva Mercado, a medical doctor who teaches genetics and bioethics, and Mercedes A. Wilson, appointed by the late pontiff Holiness John Paul II as a founding member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in 1994, have organized and participated in various international bioethics congresses and United Nations conferences. Judith Leonard, director of the Office of Family Life and Natural Family Planning for the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, will also be speakin.

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is widely known in Catholic circles because it respects both the unitive and procreative purposes of marriage – a major ethical concern for Catholics. NFP is based on scientific research about women’s cycles of fertility and teaches couples to identify the fertile days in a woman's cycle so that pregnancy is avoided or achieved.

Since 1968, Mercedes A. Wilson has been teaching and promoting the Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning, which is the most widely practiced method around the world. In 1986, she founded the World Organization for the Family, and in 1997 she established the Family of the Americas Foundation. At the request of Pope John Paul II, she organized 23 International Congresses for the Family in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Additionally, she has received three honorary doctorates and numerous awards for her work in the pro-life/family movement, most recently from Franciscan University at Steubenville.

“Mercedes Wilson has done the world a remarkable service in developing simple, clear NFP instruction that helps couples all over the world to be faithful to the Church’s teaching,” said Sister Mary Peter, O.P., president of Aquinas College. “The College is delighted to host someone who has had such an impressive influence on the establishment of a ‘culture of life.’”

Maria del Pilar Calva Mercado teaches genetics and bioethics and has been a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life since 2003. She serves on the Commission for the Family for the Bioethics Council of the Mexican Episcopal Commission and has written numerous articles and given international lectures on NFP.

“The Gift of Life vs. the Culture of Death” will be presented at St. Cecilia Academy Theatre at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27. Reservations are recommended; please call (615) 383-3230 or visit www.aquinascollege.edu for more information.

ABOUT AQUINAS COLLEGE: Through a rigorous undergraduate curriculum that emphasizes the dignity of the human person, Aquinas College fosters the intellectual, moral, and professional development of students while preparing them for careers in the professions of education, nursing, and business. Faculty and students engage in a proactive teaching-advising partnership that enables students to cultivate rich interpersonal relationships in a Christ-centered, family-like environment. Personalized instruction in small classes ensures that each student achieves his or her full academic and personal potential. Founded in 1961 by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation, Aquinas College is located on a scenic 83-acre campus in the heart of Nashville and is the only four-year Catholic liberal arts college in middle and east Tennessee. For additional information, please visit www.aquinascollege.edu.

In Christ,

Kim

Pro-Life Center

I know I have spoken about this place before, but I had to share this. My envy over flows when I read about The Gianna Center. I have notified the two ladies that started the center. I want to pick their brains apart, and find out how they got the ball rolling with such an amazing project.

The Gianna Center is part of the St. Vincent Hospital in Manhattan. Can't you just imagine it now: A pro-life center for women's health care needs somewhere in-between St. Thomas and The Dominican Campus? A heavenly thought, isn't it?

I believe this can happen. With prayer and hard work, I know it can happen! Let us implore the help of good St. Gianna on our behalf.

In the mean time, keep being a light to your secular doctors. Help them to see the truth in what we believe to be the facts. To see the dignity of each woman. To see the dignity of each unborn child.

St. Gianna, pray for us.

Prayer

God, our Father,

we praise You and we bless You

because in Saint Gianna Beretta Molla

You have given and made Known to us

a woman who witnessed the Gospel

as a young person and bride,

as a mother and doctor.

We thank You because,

through the gift of her life,

we learn to accept and honor every human being.

Lord Jesus,

You were for her a privileged reference.

She was able to see You in the beauty of nature.

As she questioned her choice of life,

she was searching for You

and for the best way to serve You.

Through her married love, she became a sign

of your love for the Church

and for all men and women.

Like You, Good Samaritan,

she stopped at the side of every sick person,

of the small and the weak.

Following your example,

she lovingly offered up her life,

while giving new life.

Holy Spirit, source of all perfection,

give also to us wisdom, intelligence and courage so that,

following Saint Gianna's example

and through her intercession,

we may serve every person

in our personal, family and professional life,

and thus grow in love and holiness.

Amen.

In Him,

Kim

Off Subject

Good Evening and Merry Christmas!

This may be a bit off the NFP subject, or maybe it's not. At any rate, I can't get it off my mind. I came across this today. It disturbed me greatly. At first I felt like, "How dare Nancy Pelosi!" I mean, who does she think she is? She speaks as if she is above the Bishops and Cardinals that she is speaking down to.

Then I thought, I can not judge her. For her to make such comments, she must not believe that life is created at conception.

She states,

I am a practicing Catholic, although they're probably not too happy about that. But it is my faith. I practically mourn this difference of opinion because I feel what I was raised to believe is consistent with what I profess, and that is that we are all endowed with a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions. And that women should have that opportunity to exercise their free will.

If she believes that life begins at conception, then how does she feel about the free will of the unborn child. Shouldn't they get to exercise their free will also? Don't they have a choice too?

The woman, in most cases, has already made a choice using her free will, the choice to have sexual intercourse. I realize in some cases the woman may have been raped. However, this is not what Nancy Pelosi is talking about. She is talking about any woman who becomes pregnant on 'accident' and wants to undue her 'mistake.' She is saying that the woman should be able to use her free will to kill her non-child.

This is how the leaders of our Country view life and its beginnings. I wonder, "Do they ever think of the potential that each one of these 'cells' possess?" Could they admit, that even though in the early weeks of a pregnancy they do not recognize human life in the uterus of a woman, that at some point in time it does become a human being? And if they abort the mass of cells then they are taking away a persons potential?

Am I making any sense?

I hope so! This issue just really gets to me!

Why can't they just admit it is LIFE, and it doesn't belong to anyone but the One who created it!!

In His Holy Name,

Kim