I’m Gonna Go Ahead and Say It…

(I moved this post from my photoblog. I decided it was more appropriate to post it here, on my WordPress blog where I typically do things like rant.)

It really bothers me when people say bad things about the Duggar Family. Having a large family isn’t for everyone, I get it! Other people don’t like Christians, I get it!! Everyone gets to have their own opinion, I get it!!!

But specifically, I read something this morning that set me off. It was this, from a blog that will remain unamed. But really, you know who you are. This is what the author wrote, in reference to people she really truly hates: “…finally Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar…(and all families who make a living off of birthing children.) Just my opinion.”

Totally! It’s just your opinion. Well here’s mine. Maybe you should get your head out of your ass and do a little research. Really? You list the Duggars with Carrot Top and Paris Hilton as your most hated people? Really?? The Duggars?? God-loving, Child-Rearing, Do-It-Themselves Duggars?? Really?? The Duggars birthed 19 kids just so they could make a living off of them???? Really? Do you know ANYTHING about having children or about the Duggars other than what Perez Hilton and TMZ tell you? Really?? Have you gone through a pregnancy?? (My sincere apologies if you haven’t, really I’m all about supporting the pain of being infertile and not being able to birth your own baby, but seriously – it’s not all rainbows and lollipops. And I don’t think you could pay me enough money to do it 16 times!!!! No wait, I KNOW you couldn’t pay me enough money to be pregnant 16 times!)

Really, do you know anything about the Duggars?? Really?? Because if you did know anything about them, you’d know that they have lived debt free nearly their entire marriage. Did you know that Mr. Duggar served in the Arkansas House of Representatives for several years? Did you know that they own several commercial properties that they rent out – WHICH IS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME. Did you know thay they’ve never had government assistance? Did you know they buy most of their clothing used? They built their own house with their own hands. They teach their kids to become self-sufficient, hard-working, and to give back to their communities.

Do your research, lady! And stop picking on the Duggars! They seem to the be the ONE family in America that isn’t fucked up, that’s fighting to do good for themselves and others, and that the rest of us could probably stand to learn a thing or two from.

“Just my opinion.”

(PS. So the Duggars are making a living off of birthing their children and you hate them for it? What about your Big Ol’ Sponsored Mommy Blog???? Sounds absolutely hypocritical to me.)

Grandma’s Visit, 19 pound babies, and Expedia Coupons

First things first – Tucker from Expedia explains to me that there was a technical “oopsie” that prevented all the supervisors with whom I spoke to figure out what was going on with my refund, etc. This oopsie will be corrected in the future so Expedia customers can be kept informed as to the status of their refund, etc. Then he gave us a $100 coupon good for travel use in the next year. That was really nice of him even though I’m not so sure we’ll be using it. Thanks Tucker! 🙂

Hopefully I’ve helped out a future customer to avoid such a ridiculous, blood-boiling, annoying occurrence that I unfortunately experienced.

Moving On…

Nineteen Pound Babies. Apparently the mother had gestational diabetes. I’m surprised that if the doctors were aware of her GD that they let the baby get THIS BIG. I mean, WOW. Talk about dangerous for mother AND baby. I’m glad the baby is doing well & seemingly healthy.

Can you imagine, NINETEEN POUNDS? Obviously, the baby would be delivered by C-Section or you’d really be looking at 4th degree tear. HAHA. Oh, I shouldn’t joke about tearing, I know. I’m sooooooo afraid of tearing. But I DO know that my baby won’t be nineteen pounds… and it’s very likely my little Snowdrop won’t even be nine pounds.

NINETEEN. WOW. I wonder what Michelle Duggar thinks of that?

I love the Duggars. I do. I think they’re a remarkable family and I think we could all learn a lot from them. They’re living debt-free, teaching their kids to be responsible for themselves and to give back to their world and community. The Duggars are amazing. I do wish I could be more like them. And that there were more people in the world like them.

Moving on again…. my Grandma’s visit!

I was so excited to hear she was coming to town. Hubby and I stayed up until 2am cleaning our house last night so it would look nice for when she came. We remarked that we think it’s actually the cleanest it has been since we moved in (yikes!). I’m not surprised by this, nor grossed out by it either. We’ve been busy. Lots of things have taken precedence over cleaning – like enjoying our newborn babies and sleeping when they did! 🙂

So our house is clean. YAY! I got sick last night – threw up for the first time in a while. I’m hoping it’s just a combination of the antibiotics I’m on, the two Flintstone vitamins I take before bed, AND the fact that I was up super late last night. I really hope I’m not more sick. Yikes, that would stink. I’m going to bed as soon as Curb Your Enthusiasm is over.

So I picked up my Nana from the airport and we headed home. She smells just like she always did. Not a bad smell, but the smell of her house – etc. You know what I’m talking about, right? I’m so glad she was here. She’s my only living grandmother (and has been for quite some time) and she had never met Juniper & Magnolia. It was about time!! 🙂 I’m one of her more than fifty grandchildren (but I AM the 2nd grandchild of them all!) and we live in different states so I’m not surprised it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. It was such a nice thing to see her.

The girls were really shy and wouldn’t go near her. We did get some pictures of the hour of us together, so I’m really glad about that. Magnolia gave her a hug at the end of the night but Junie wasn’t really cooperating. She’s a skeptical one, that Junie. 🙂 But the girls were really cute and funny at dinner so Nana really got a kick out of that! And she told us some funny stories about my dad. Like how he refused to potty train and how he drank out of a bottle until he was three. She also told a really great story about when he wasn’t doing well in school (third grade) and the teacher was sending home notes to tell Nana that he wasn’t doing well. My dad was throwing the notes in the creek on the way home so my Nana never got them!! HAHAHAHA. I really REALLY got a kick out of that. SOOOOOOOOO funny, especially if you know my dad. He always seemed a play-by-the-rules kind of guy to me.

Nana is doing well. She’s in town for a business meeting. I’m so proud of her. She’s a very religious (CATHOLIC) woman. She’s a super conservative Republican. And very involved in the things she believes in. At the ripe old age of 70-something, she’s still active and participating and fighting for what she believes in. It’s remarkable and I’m so proud to be her granddaughter. When I was a kid, she ran for Congress. Twice. Both times, we helped go door to door passing out literature and campaigning for her to win. She would have made a fantastic congresswoman and I think our country would be better today. She’s so strong in her beliefs and she really knows how to fight the good fights. Both times she ran for Congress, I prayed and prayed that she wouldn’t win because I didn’t want her to move away and not have time for me anymore. She didn’t win. Either time. And I knew at an early age that God listened to me when I prayed for something I really wanted.

Time for some Curb and lots of ni-ni.