Daily Diary

I've finally gone through the trouble to have a garage sale- but it would appear that my stuff is all too nice, or too much baby stuff. People genuinely want crocks, pottery, old dishes- quite amazing. And these people are focused. They jump out of the car (still running the engine), stride with determination toward the garage, take quick inventory, either pounce on something or leave as fast as they came. I forgot to sell them hot sausage biscuits. I'll try to remember for the next group. Garage salers are fodder for comedians. Maybe after putting on enough of these garage sales, I'll be able to write a character sketch that will do them justice.

Daily Diary

I downloaded the pictures for the March 13th entry, finally. Also, if anyone has an opinion about the new layout, i'd like to hear it. I'm trying to arrange on paper a better way to organize the blog, since right now it is a jumble of things- Once I have what I want on paper, than my tech support (also known as Curtis), can help me figure out how to make it happen. If you don't like the colors, if the text is hard to read, etc., now is the time to tell.

Family Circus

Yesterday morning Charles, Oliver and Gabriel were in the nursery playing. I could hear from down the hall that Oliver was clearly antagonizing Gabriel. Charles came to his rescue. "Oliver, stop bothering Gabriel. Just leave him alone." Oliver responded "But I like to bother Gabriel". Charles sighed and replied," Oliver, if you keep on making Gabriel scream, Mom is not going to be happy. And if mom isn't happy, no one will be happy."

I have no idea where Charles got this saying, because I certainly have never said it before- that's what made it so funny!

Political Pontifications

The following is a short essay I wrote last year on immigration. I'm still hunting for the final copy with footnotes in my hard drive. Once I locate it, I will replace this partial post.

The Initial Immigration Debate

The fact that every American citizen is an immigrant or is descended from immigrants, is probably the single greatest characteristic distinguishing the U.S. from all other countries. To be American was, originally, to be a part of a voluntary melting pot of humanity, cultures, and customs. Our founding fathers recognized the freedom of a voluntary citizenship and declared this to be so as they wrote the substance of our government, and the legislation of 1790 which established the law of early immigration and naturalization.

At the time of the establishment of an Independent American government, most Americans held British citizenship, due to themselves or their parents having been born in Britain. Birthright citizenship under British law was first formally made clear in Calvin's Case of 1608. " Sir William Blackstone, in his Commentaries on the Laws of England had argued that the idea of birthright citizenship was an inheritance form the 'foedal system'- it derives from the 'mutual trust of confidence subsisting between the lord and vassal.' " The Declaration of Independence assumed the liberty of personal consent in citizenship with the well known opening " When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political band which have connected them...." Another offense of the crown enumerated in a long list of grievances was " He has endeavored to prevent the population of the States; for that purpose obstructing the laws of Naturalization of Foreigners." This protest was seen by the Crown as an arrogant denial of feudal rights and authority long established. It is also one of the few points in which American law threw off its English parent completely, and did not revert back to birthright citizenship until the adumbrated passage of the Fourteenth Amendment. Voluntary citizenship established, it was important for the government to declare to whom this advantage was available.

When our government was founded, it was not a recreation of something earlier tried or established. The Declaration of Independence claimed Christian truths, chiefly inalienable rights granted by God. " The object was to assert, not to discover new truths," Madison stated to Jefferson via pen years after the fact. Because America was so diametrically opposed in government to the mother countries of her people, it was crucial that all newcomers " by an intermixture with our people, they or their descendants, yet assimilated to our customs, measures, laws: in a word, soon become our people." And so the quandary stood; to preserve an infant Republic while continuing to allow an influx of peoples completely unschooled in the ideologies and religion that gave it birth.

Following The War of Independence, the population stood at about three million, averaging 4.5 persons per square mile. The U.S. covered an amazing quantity of land and a thriving population was necessary to ensure her safety and productivity. The Fourth Article of Confederation was confusing and inadequate in establishing a rule of law concerning naturalization, but " The new Constitution [ was authorized] to establish a uniform rule of naturalization throughout the United States."

As Congress debated the issue of qualified applicants for citizenship, it was clear that the safety of the Republic and the American way of life was the top priority. Already ethnic communities had sprung up which remained cut off from Americans, where language and customs from their mother countries were retained and protected. James Madison declared " America should welcome the immigrant who could assimilate, but exclude the immigrant who could not readily incorporate himself into our society." Alexander Hamilton echoed these sentiments a bit more specifically; "the safety of a republic depends essentially on the energy of the common national sentiment; on a uniformity of principles and habits; on the exemption of citizens from foreign bias and prejudice; and on the love of country."

The final product of the debates was the 1790 Naturalization Act, which was surprisingly lenient. It left citizenship open to any white, free man with 2 years American residency, who swore an oath of loyalty to the Constitution. Within the next decade the laws would become increasingly strict in the effort to protect our great Republic from the threat of an immigrant population ignorant or unwilling to embrace the principles that gave it birth.

Daily Diary

Photos are still not downloading. I went to my mother-in-law's again after supper. I got about 4 hours of sewing-cut out 8 pair of shorts, and got 12 pair finished except for waists and hems. Tally up to 24 pair of shorts sewn, 24 more to go. I found my time to be improving drastically. I can get a pair put together in 12 minutes. What takes forever is threading the sewing machine and the serger, ironing fabric before cutting out the patterns, and then cutting out the shorts. But after all that prep stuff it is quick work. I'm going to be sad when it is time to get up in 6 hours!

Photo dilemma

My tech support arrived and after 25 minutes discovered that Google Blogger is having a problem with users downloading pictures. Thus, my problem. I won't be posting pictures until the problem is corrected- may take 24 hours.

Daily Diary

Today was a rather busy day. This morning, while some of the kids were practicing instruments, I cleared out a good many things for the soon coming garage sale, and organized/loaded into the car some things for Jon's mom-Baby stuff that she'll make good use of with 15 grandchildren and still counting.

I was in and out of the school room all day- not my preferable way of doing things, but I'm still quite behind on housework because of having the flu, etc. But Jonathan and Caroline were quite diligent and accomplished a lot. Charles and I worked through several things, but didn't get everything done.

I made an appointment for Caroline to have her hair cut, so at 2:30 I loaded up the car with kids and we headed for the hair salon. Caroline decided to give her hair to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer. She was really excited about it. I felt a bit of a twinge when the hair stylist cut off the braid, but she looks cute with her new look. I think it took a few years off of her age!

After the shorning of the golden locks, we drove to the home of Janice- a friend from church- and brought her to our house to spend the late afternoon/evening. The weather was wonderful, so we ate on the back patio. Would you believe we saw one fly and one gnat. The gnat died quickly, but the fly was a rather elusive fellow.

My brother Jason dropped in for dinner and brought strawberry shortcake. Everyone was thrilled since mom didn't make a dessert. Family worship ran kind of late, but the kids were really enthusiastic about settling into the big sofa and singing hymns since they'd spent their energy jumping on the trampoline after dinner while the adults chatted.

I took Janice home while Jon put the little people to bed. They needed baths, but I'll have to throw them in the tub in the morning. We just weren't up for it tonight. I can't wait to get to bed, but thought you guys might want to see the pictures, so I've taken the time to download them.