Seven Quick Takes: In Which I Finally Make an Appearance #7QT

I haven't participated in 7 Quick Takes in a long time, so this is my first one to link up with new host Kelly Mantoan at This Ain't The Lyceum. Hello Kelly and all of Kelly's readers!!

Check out Kelly's blog as well as all the link-ups to all the 7 Quick takes posts. Lots of Friday Fun!

QT 1
I have decided: the worst part of parenthood is potty training. We started out trying to work with both twins at once, which was a nightmare. A little over a week into it we had a brief sickness hit almost everyone in the house (thankfully it was brief for each person and mostly a minor bug). I went back to diapers temporarily because we weren't making any progress anyway and everyone already felt bad. Why make things worse. When all was better I started back in with only one twin. The other is happily in diapers for now. The one who is potty training is making very, verrrrrry, verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry slow progress. But it's getting better. {That's what I keep telling myself, anyway.}

If you see me around and I look defeated, this is why. I think it's going to take from now until the boys start kindergarten to get them both trained. {Words of encouragement are most welcome.}

QT 2
One of my coworkers retired this week. It was kind of sad to think that she wouldn't be around the office any longer. I know we'll still see her, I expect she'll be back to check out books and to say hi, but it won't be quite the same. She and I had adjoining office spaces for the first several years we worked together and would often be able to push our chairs back to the edge of the barrier to chat. She also helped me get involved in my parish when I was new to town and I'm incredibly grateful for that (met my husband there!). She will be missed, but I'm sure she is going to enjoy retirement!

QT 3
I updated the appearance of my blog. Do you like it? I wanted something a little cleaner looking and wanted to go back to a white background. I also no longer liked the look of having both a right and left sidebar, so I trimmed the sidebar content and moved it all to the right side. There is still a ton of stuff I want to do to clean things up, just have to find the time to do it. Haha!

QT 4
I have been so discouraged lately by the vitriol I see on social media regarding vaccines. I see so many people just downright attacking people on the other side of the issue and belittling and demeaning people. It's not right and it's certainly not Christian. I don't care what "side" you are on, be respectful. Just because someone chooses not to vaccinate or selectively vaccinate doesn't mean they just read an article or two through Google and/or are following the advise of some nobody Hollywood personality. Don't assume that those who make different choices than you are irrational idiots and certainly don't call them that. If you wouldn't say it to their face, don't say it to them on social media (or a radio program or whatever platform you are able to use to get on your soapbox). It's not nice, it's not Christian, and it's not the way to have a rational discussion on an important issue.

QT 5
And to add to the above, regardless of which side you advocate, I hope everyone will recognize that one of the biggest objectives many people have to some vaccines is that aborted fetal tissues make some of them unethical. Yes, we as Catholics can still use them, but if we do, we need to make our objections known to the manufacturer. That being said, there is a petition currently up on change.org to ask Merck to bring back the single dose measles and mumps vaccines (i.e., not combined together along with rubella (MMR)) that were ethical alternatives to the combined vaccine (currently the only one available in the U.S.). If you want more people to receive the vaccine, sign the petition!! And also, write a letter to Merck expressing your concern for ethical vaccines to be made available so that more people will be open to receiving the vaccines (I plan on doing it this weekend). Pro-vaccines, anti-vaccines, selective vaccines, whichever side you fit into, IT DOES NOT MATTER! Go sign the petition and let Merck know you want them to offer ethical alternatives.

QT 6
Lately, each night when we put the kids to bed I give them one last kiss once they are tucked into bed and tell them I love them. I also then ask them, "Who else loves you?" And they answer back, "God loves me." It's so cute! They occasionally add other names too, like St. Teresa or St. Joseph. I really don't know where they picked up the saint names, but I love that they have remembered them from somewhere.

QT 7

We haven't gotten nearly the amount of snow as places like Chicago and Boston have the last couple weeks. But when we do get some, the boys love looking at it and touching it. Then I have cute conversations like this:

Ethan: "Who drops the snow?"

Me: "Who drops it?"

Ethan: "Who drops snow from the sky?"

Me: "You tell me, who drops the snow?"

Ethan: "God drops snow. And Jesus!"

Awww!


Go check out more #7 QT posts over at This Ain't The Lyceum!