Hi, I'm back and happy to be! I would ask if you missed me but see you carried on just fine in my absence - over 2k comments on my vacation announcement, lol!
My vacation ended with a literal bang early Saturday morning....
My family (mom and dad, husband Rich, daughter Daena, son and daughter-in-law Michael and Bernadine and their boys Gabe, Shane, and Raph) and I were preparing to drive and fly home from a house we rented in Ft. Myers Beach, FL when the kitchen lights flickered off, and the electrical box outside began popping loudly, spewing a fireworks display, and finally starting on fire....
The photo above is of my dad and Rich showing the fire department (from afar) where to extinguish the flames... :)
Turns out FL Power & Light had just replaced wiring the week before, apparently not too aptly.
That was the end of my month. The beginning started out with a mental bang when we watched 2-year-old grandson Jack for a week while his parents went on a cruise. The photo above left is of grandma kissing Jack after he helped her sort clothes on the laundry room floor. And going back in time to toddlerville wasn't bad, a worry I had beforehand. In fact it was nice. I found I had more patience and took more time to stop and smell the roses than the 1st time around.
I spent the 2nd week of January catching up on paperwork, writing speeches, and planning the upcoming premiere of 22Weeks in DC.
The 3rd week of January was a whirlwind in DC. A high point was meeting moderator Carla, right, at the 22Weeks premiere. Many Operation Outcry and Silent No More post-abortive moms attended all 3 screenings to show support for Angele, the mother portrayed in the movie who also attended. More on 22Weeks in an upcoming post.
Another highlight was attending the Life Prizes award ceremony, as my moderators so graciously posted on. All who attended the event, held at the National Building Museum, will agree it was lavish beyond imagination. And I got to meet Laura Ingraham, the emcee! Mr. and Mrs. Ray Ruddy are such generous people who gave the pro-life movement a huge dose of encouragement by launching Life Prizes.
A final highlight of my vacation was meeting moderator Suki (Carder) and her son Max! They live 4 hours from where I spoke in Naples, FL, on January 28 and amazingly drove to the event and spent the night. We got to meet and chat at McDonalds the next morning. Sorry that the photo is off-center and overexposed. All I had was my phone to take our self-portrait.
There was so much more - the Blogs4Life conference (thanks to moderator Chris for posting on that the day of), the Rock for Life conference, the Students for Life conference and, of course, the March for Life, which I regret I never got to attend due to interviews that got in the way.
But I'm back and appreciate your patience for the time off both I and the moderators needed. I have some loose ends to tie today so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to blog but will be back in full swing by tomorrow.
Comments:
Welcome back! Truly missed.
Suki in the last picture is "carder", for those who are wondering.
Let's roll.
Posted by: carder at February 2, 2009 8:47 AMWB, Jill. Life still goes on, even under the great Obamanator! :)
Posted by: Doyle at February 2, 2009 8:56 AMCarder, to finally see a picture of you is awesome! You're adorable and so is your son!!
Jill, I'm so jealous you got to meet Carla! :) That picture of you kissing Jack is so sweet.
Congratulations on your life award and I am glad you had a good vacation! It's good to have you back...I've missed you!
Posted by: Bethany at February 2, 2009 9:01 AMWelcome back Jill!
Welcome back! I'm glad you got to take a break after the last six months or so. You must have needed it!
Posted by: Alexandra at February 2, 2009 9:08 AMThanks, everyone!
Posted by: Jill Stanek at February 2, 2009 9:19 AMI was in serious withdrawal. So glad you are back. I want to encourage everyone that I am seeing a sense of renewal and focus among the churches following the election of the Big O.
Time to put the pedal to the metal.
wb jill!
i too was in serious withdrawal. i could not wait until you got back!
i had some interesting news last week i was dying to share with you guys! i found out that i am 4 1/2 months pregnant with my fourth child! i had no clue that i was pregnant! and this time after three girls it is a boy!
once again welcome back, it is time to get under the skin of all those pro-death people!
Becky, Congratulations!
How exciting! I bet that was a huge shock, but in a good way.
Posted by: lauren at February 2, 2009 10:18 AMWelcome back, Jill!! It was wonderful meeting you as well!!
Congratulations Becky!! From another mom of 4. :)
Posted by: Carla at February 2, 2009 10:19 AMBecky, congrats! Wow, you skipped the morning sickness phase! And a BOY after 3 girls?! Yeah!
Posted by: Jill Stanek at February 2, 2009 10:44 AMWow, congratulations!
I wish I could find out I was pregnant half way through it!...unfortunately, morning sickness is a dead giveaway every time so that could never happen for me!
I'm so happy for you, Becky! A big congrats!
Posted by: Bethany at February 2, 2009 10:58 AMBecky,
Yay!
Bethany,
I asked JIll to email you the pic so that you could place it in the moderator picture gallery. Thank you for being so patient.
Posted by: carder at February 2, 2009 11:05 AMCarla,
How was the get-together? I want details.
It was awesome to meet Jill and her daughter and also Angele the mom from 22 Weeks!! Oh, and Norma McCorvey. :) I wish I could say that 22 Weeks was fun. It was horrifying and the truth. The horrifying truth of what happened to this mom after her boy was born alive. I am so grateful to my Operation Outcry ladies who were with me and surrounded Angele with love. We are so very proud of her.
Oh, and I ALMOST met MK...maybe next year!!
Yay!! Jill's back! :)
Congrats, Becky, on your symptomless pregnancy! (Lucky!) :D
Posted by: Kel at February 2, 2009 12:16 PMthank you everyone! i am soooo excited!
i was nursing so i never even thought i was pregnant, i thought the morning sickness was a mild flu that my husband had just gotten over! since this will be my 4th c-section the dr. wants to take the baby at 36 wks. that means i will have a four month prenancy!
by the way, carla this will be 4 at 30!
Posted by: becky at February 2, 2009 12:24 PMBeat me by 10 years, girl!! :)
Posted by: Carla at February 2, 2009 12:27 PMWelcome Back !
Is Jill a cutie or what ? !!!
More good news: Bertha Bugarin, the infamous owner of now closed abortion mills in Calif. got sentenced on Friday...and she faces more sentencing this Friday as well for 9 other counts.
Congratulations, Becky !
Posted by: Mike at February 2, 2009 12:34 PMWith all this girl talk, can a guy say 'Welcome back Jill, and not a minute too soon.'
Andy
So glad to have you back!!!
Posted by: Germaine at February 2, 2009 12:49 PMJill, welcome back - I think we almost all missed you. (I was among those who did.)
(((*Jill*)))
And Suki/Carder... (((*smooch*)))
Jill -lookin good! Carla - lookin good! Carder - lookin good.
Ever notice how prolife women are sooo beautiful?!!! ;-D
Congrats to Becky!
Posted by: toostunnedtolaugh at February 2, 2009 2:03 PMYahhh!!Welcome back Jill. So much has been going on in your absence, but I am sure you needed the well deserved rest. The grandbabies are beautiful, what a blessing and I bet you cannot stop kissing those fat cheeks. How can anyone think that they are "a choice" instead of a miracle, no matter the circumstances of their conception or how "inconvenient".
Posted by: Prolifer L at February 2, 2009 3:29 PMI missed you too, Doug. :P
Posted by: Carla at February 2, 2009 3:36 PMOh Carla. : )
(((**Smooch**kissy kissy** hug hug hug**)))
I don't think I'd ever hugged the others, but you I had.
Now, isn't that something a man would say, though? Uh, maybe a man trying to get out of a sticky situation? :P
Posted by: Doug at February 2, 2009 4:02 PMThat's more like it. How are you??
Posted by: Carla at February 2, 2009 4:06 PMLIFE PRIZES WAS OFF THE CHAIN!!!!
Posted by: StudentFL at February 2, 2009 4:26 PMGO To FightFOCA.com and sign the petition!!!!
STOP OBAMA!!
Posted by: jen at February 2, 2009 4:26 PMi have an interesting question. how is spending a ton of money on std prevention and education going to stimulate our economy? isn't it going to just stimulate planned parenthood instead?
Posted by: becky at February 2, 2009 4:30 PMBienvenidos hermana Jill.
From the least of the disciples and the chief of sinners.
yor bro ken
Posted by: kbhvac at February 2, 2009 5:09 PMWelcome back Jill!
Funny you were at Ft Meyers Beach, my grandparents live in that area during the colder months if I remember correctly. And by colder I mean basically everything that isn't june through august, lol.
But that's just how it goes in MA, we emigrate when we get to hit the retirement stage ;)
Posted by: Dan at February 2, 2009 6:07 PMCONGRATULATIONS, Becky!!!!!
Babies are such a blessing! They're so cute and sweet.... hard work, but you have to love them
My wedding approaching, I'm having mommy cravings... and I'm all of 19 years old.
Posted by: Leah at February 2, 2009 6:09 PMCarla, it looks like you had a good time in DC.
It's very touching where you say, "I am so grateful to my Operation Outcry ladies who were with me and surrounded Angele with love. We are so very proud of her."
Very busy here - never been so busy as the last part of last year and now this year. In Baltimore right now, to NC later this week.
Been havin' a great time online.
Welcome Back, Jill!
My local walk for life was Saturday and my 9 year old niece participated for the first time. My brother in law was very proud of her. We didn't get to hear the speaker (Michael Clancy, the man who took the picture of Samuel Armas) because I had to go back to Omaha with them to babysit that night.
We had several thousand people show up to support LIFE.
Posted by: LizFromNebraska at February 2, 2009 6:29 PMYAY!!! Jill is baaaaaccckkk!! Whoo hoo!
May I tell you all some things? (I dunno why I EVEN bothered to ask....I'm hunting and pecking with or without your consent :)lol)
Jill did a fantastic job at the blogs for life conference...(at least what I was able to stay for)
She also is TOTALLY at home with a microphone in hand!! I am guessing she had one of those sing along toys as a little girl....she is just a natural!
Carla, I adore you. It was totally kickin' to meet you face to face and...I will never forget the L-O-V-E I was surrounded with from you and ALL of the O.O. ladies!!!
(I cried telling Ms. Norma about it the next morning.)
I missed the actual march too :( ..still I met so many wonderful people face to face and made so many new friends too.. the whole experience was nothing short of an amazing blessing.
Let's just ALL plan to meet up next year!!!
Posted by: Angele at February 3, 2009 9:38 PM(((((Becky)))))
Congrats!!!!!!!! How cool to be halfway through your pregnancy before you even find out! I bet women are jealouuuus when you tell them that one!! ;)
a
Posted by: Angele at February 3, 2009 9:41 PMAngele,
((((Hugs)))) to you dear friend!!! I will totally meet up with you next year at The March!! I miss you already!!