Double Standards

First off I would like to apologize to you, my 5 readers. Here you thought you were going to get to read about a nice little remodeling project...

Instead, I am daring to say the V word. Vaccination.

No, I am not trying to generate publicity for my blog or start a war. If I wanted war I would start ranting on Facebook. But I am choosing not to do that. It is your choice if you continue reading or not.

You see, my head feels like it is about to explode. I see, we all probably see, loads of vaccine info online whether we want to or not. Whether we have children or not. Whether you have ever actually looked into this or not.

I try not to see it and it still gets through and it makes me mad. I need to get some thoughts and problems out before I do something stupid and start calling people out and arguing with them over this.

Here are a couple things that keep coming to the top of my list that I wish people would ask themselves.

1. Do you have children?

Because if you do not than you have no idea the weight and responsibility that you will hopefully feel, that you should feel, when you have a child. One thing that happened to me when I became a mother was all my bias disappeared. I no longer cared which side of the political aisle my choices were on. I no longer cared which family member I agreed or disagreed with. All I care about is trying to make the best decisions, with the information I have for these amazing little people. Whom I love more than I ever thought possible. I don't care who says this or that. What is popular or not. All I care about Is. My. Children.

So, if you have never had the opportunity to be completely responsible for your child, I am saying this out of common courtesy. Please, for your own sake, keep these opinions to yourself. Because you never know, you may look back and realize you had no idea what you were talking about. You may even disagree with yourself, or be embarrassed, maybe have no regrets at all. Or you may be like me and wish you would have started using the gift of critical thinking earlier. Earlier, so that I could have better protected my child. I am not going to go into detail about what happened to one of my daughters... Maybe in another post. Whatever your opinion may be about vaccinations, lets all remember that most parents are trying to do and be the best they can be for their children. What is right for one family might be wrong for another. Let's show one another a little grace. I make decisions that I think are best, and I even think they are best for most people, but I will not shove that down your throat. I will not force you to eat like I do. Or exercise how I do. Treat sickness like I do. Or prevent sickness and vaccinate or not like I do. We are all or should all be given the choice. Even given the choice to make the wrong decision.

Which leads me to my next question.

2. What does pro choice mean to you?

Do you believe that a woman has the right to do with her body as she chooses?

With her unborn baby's body as she chooses? To choose wether that child is born or not?

If so, then I ask you, why does her getting to choose stop once the baby is born? Believe it or not but there is proposed legislation all over the U.S to make vaccination mandatory. Taking away the mothers choice. Some of these bills biggest supporters are also major supporters in the pro choice movement. Do you see the double standard here? It is like they are saying that they will let you have freedom of choice as long as your choice lines up with their thinking. I don't think I need to explain or go into how dangerous that line of thinking is.

If you have read this far thank you. I also want to encourage you to step back and look at this situation with as un biased of eyes that you can. Say no to all the hoopla and fear mongering that is going on from both sides of this debate. Say no to the blame game and finger pointing.

Because you never know why parents have chosen certain things for their family's.

You have never walked in their shoes.

Who Forgets They Have A Blog?

Me.

Yes, I know that seems ridiculous, but it is true. I had completely forgotten that I even had a blog until a good friend and soon to be sister in law brought it up to me yesterday.

Where were we.... Oh yes! My new living room. It is still not all the way finished, because we have come to the point in our remodel that we need really good ventilation. Meaning we need good weather. Even though we are having spring like weather here in Montana it is still not leave all your doors and windows open all day weather.

Here are some pictures that I took around Thanksgiving and Christmas when I actually remembered I had a blog.

In case you have forgotten here are a couple before photos.

And the Afters!

You can barely tell, but in the Christmas tree picture the gaps between the plank walls have been caulked. It makes it much less busy and line-y.