March fun, heartbeat bills and a touch of the Irish

With the older boys in college, and/or working toward going to school, we don't have the family get together moments the way we used to.  And that's fine.  That's the natural way.  Those birds need to get out of the nest and fly.  In our case, they're in the nest, saving money by living with us at a much discounted rate (we don't let them live for free, as they need to understand that it costs actual money to live).  But we do it to help cut into the costs of college and hopefully diminish the need for loans.  As Mike Rowe put it, all of the outrage over the admissions scandal misses the real scandal of the cost of college in the first place. This is as professors and university elites roll in the money more than at any time in our country's history. But that's for another post.

Anyhoo, the boys had off with us over St. Patrick's Day weekend.  Given the fact that St. Patrick is recognized by both Orthodox and Catholics, we went with our oldest son - who's still Catholic - to St. Mary Catholic and met his new priest, a jovial fellow from the Church's last great hope (Africa).  We also went to a maple syrup festival at an old Lutheran camp my old elementary school used to visit.  All you can eat pancakes with fresh maple syrup.  Then, even with crazy Ohio weather, we managed to enjoy our annual St. Patrick's Day Irish Feast.  Meat pies and baked cabbage and potato and leek soup with fresh baked Irish soda bread.  And that was after an authentic Irish breakfast brought all the way from Ireland (including Black Pudding - an acquired taste). 

Before this, we had attended - as part of homeschooling field trips - the Ohio State Senate's session as it voted on and passed one of many heartbeat bills (this having hope since Republican John Kasich, who vowed opposition to anything done against abortion, finally left).  We have no illusions about its chances.  The Left will do everything to fight this just as it is fighting to move unlimited abortion into the realm of infanticide, along with euthanasia and suicide and basic mass slaughter for debauchery in the era of AIDS.  Nonetheless, I'd rather be with the side trying and failing to stop the killing of babies than with the side dedicated to killing them. After all, there's no reason to believe they won't push to eliminate others down the road when deemed no longer convenient, and that could include women, minorities, immigrants and anyone else. 

My two college boys, who finished their classes at about that time, joined us, which worked.  My oldest, no longer able to study the world of gourmet cooking due to a fatal fish allergy that coincidentally hit him shortly after a round of vaccinations, has moved to the world of political science (his second hobby).  My second oldest is planning on going into law.   Therefore being about the pillared halls of government legislation seemed a good fit.

So here's a post I've not done for many moons, fun with the family and enjoying time with the boys, and always praying for their futures and their industry as they plow forward in this life. 

That's all you can eat fresh pancakes with fresh maple syrup.  Yum!

We were there some years ago when the oldest was our youngest's size

Our youngest takes in the natural world - which is nicer than seeing it digital

That's our future police officer - gives you confidence doesn't it

My hopeful law school student, fitting in at the State House

We sat behind the Planned Parenthood group, and that's their reaction to the vote

My oldest, gazing at the horizon on the State House steps 

The boys line up outside the State House

Our Irish Breakfast (minus scones) - the Black (and White) Pudding is along the right edge

Our Irish Feast, ready to be eaten (and no weigh in this week!)

My oldest and youngest on your typical Ohio St. Patrick's day activity - catching snowflakes

A cake in the form of a beer - what could be more Irish!

And just because it's made the rounds and is, as usual, delightfully accurate, those Lutheran sages put together a ballad to the actual purpose for the celebration, lest we forget:

BTW, the emphasis on Patrick's desire to love and preach to his former slave owners stands in stark contrast to the modern Marxists' sowing of hatred and bitterness based on the sins of the past that defines modern Identity Politics.  But again, that's really for another post.