They are Off!

Friday started a simple morning of packing and preparing for the March For Life.  The weather was looking bad and news reports of frozen rain were coming from all news services.  Jumba spent the morning riding the little horse while Sugar and Goobers worked very hard on their "Flat Pooker" paper doll.

They were all so upset that Pooker would not be joining them so they created this wonderful doll with a great likeness.

The flat Pooker was now to be in every picture.

Jumba refused to leave poor Lucy alone.

Pickle was sneaking more juice as the rest of us were trying to get out of the house.

We arrived at Angela Merici before any rain started.  It took all of us to get the luggage to the waiting area.  Lots of pictures with the "Flat Pooker".

Oh yeah, three very excited kiddos getting ready.

The younger ones were very eager to help, as they looked forward to the time with mom being the only kids at home.

I do hope they are able to get in and out of the hotel with out all these little helpers. 

Miss Brenda and I enjoyed loving on "Flat Pooker" as we both miss the real Pooker so much.

The doll doesn't pull away from mommy kisses either.  We should have thought of this years ago.

The boys love their Pooker so much.

Last year so many people of the bus got sick.  My kiddos had been preparing for this trip by taking extra vitamens for weeks in advance. 

Fr. Tom try to prevent illness by spraying everyone down with lysol. 

My March for Lifers all ready to go.  They are even bringing Flat Pooker along to make sure she is included. 

It may have been only those three in our family going but it took the rest of us to get them to the starting gate.  I thought about that for some time.  The rest of us will not be in Washington DC for the March but we worked had to get those there.  They represent us as they will March in defense of the babies.  What an honor. 

Here the kiddos and Father are with our March for Life, St. Louis friends, the B family.  Those 6 teens will change the world for the better. 

Father Tom has always been a Pooker fan.  He might even be keeping a secret about Pooker in this picture.  Hmmm  More on that later.

This is how I see the March for Life:   

I am so proud to know so many people on the March for Life this year. This trip is nothing like one would think it is. People come back talking about the wonderful time they had but that is not what it is. It is not a vacation, it is not a planned trip, it is not a recreation time. Sure that stuff is built into to it to help you enjoy yourself but the trip is about SACRIFICE, it is about OFFERING OF YOURSELF, it is about PROTESTING an evil that is so nasty that we have a hard time understanding it. The March For Life is about loving your country so much that you are willing to travel thousands of miles without comfort to demand change. It is about nothing more than defending the unborn. It is all for the honor and glory of God. Anyone that walks away focused on not seeing the right things or doing the right activities  is too selfish to see why they are there. You being there is about you standing for the hundreds that can't join you but stand behind you in prayer for an end to legalized murder. Thank you to the many people I know that are Marching tomorrow. Know that to March is an honor and part of loving a forgiving God. The truth is that in serving Him you will feel like you had a wonderful time.