If the Surgical Care in Canada Is 'Free'

Why are medical refugees coming to Oklahoma?

A Tale of Two Cairos

Cairo, Egypt and Cairo, Illinois have something in common, economist David P. Goldman observes.

Their economic misery is the outcome of political models that warehouse the poor rather than prepare them for productivity. Like most Third World dictators, the rulers of Egypt from Nasser to Mubarak kept most of their people poor, illiterate, and down on the farm, while employing the putative higher education system as a political pressure valve. Starting with the Johnson administration, America's incipient welfare state made the poor, and especially the African-American poor, dependent on a political regime that encouraged economic dependency. 

Nearly Half of Oklahoma's National Merit Semifinalists

Attend schools of choice.

Weekend Pictures

Lincoln playing the guitar in the Oklahoma Christian University "Freshman Fanfare" performance


Seeing Lincoln Friday night after the performance at OC


Friday-night ice cream



Oliver and Jack Henry with Papa


Another weekend of great weather



Sitting outside in the sunshine



Charlie


The boys' usual Sunday-night-football spot

Your Sister's Story

You came with me to the cemetery yesterday. You have already been lots of times, Oliver, but you've always been asleep. Yesterday, instead of sleeping, you were kicking up your heels in your car seat. I could hear you squealing at your little toy hanging in front of you. So when we got to Anne Marie's spot, I got you out of the car and you sat in the stroller in the 75-degree sunshine while I did some work.

All summer I have been trying to get the grass green and pretty, but my watering couldn’t keep up with the Oklahoma heat. The grass is spotty green and brown, mostly brown. I’ve been waiting for it to cool down so I can plant some winter grass. I dug up thick clumps of weeds and dead grass and tilled the soil while you sat and cooed at your toy. I spread grass seed and topsoil and watered. I cleaned off the headstone and put in fresh flowers. All the while you sat and enjoyed being outside.

Near the end you were hungry so I sat in the car and nursed you, getting just a little bit of mud on your clothes. Then we sat in the sun and I told you again about your sister. You’ve heard this story before. When I’m rocking you in the quiet of my room you hear the story of your brave older sister. The one you will never know in this life, but whose story you will know by heart. You feel my tears drop down on your soft head as I remember the time I got to hold her in my arms. You hear me thank God for you and your brothers and sisters who are able to make me laugh and smile.

You will come here with me lots of times and sit in your stroller while I try to make things pretty. One day you will be toddling around while I work, and will help me get the flowers just right. You will help me spread grass seed and pull weeds and carry the big pink watering can that grandpa gave us to water her grass. And I will keep telling you her story so that even though she's not here with us, you will know her.

Beautiful Night for a Stroll

Guess which one of us fell asleep.

Weekend and Weekday Pictures

Here's Oliver all stretched out during his nap.  Anne Marie had a little strawberry mark on her eyelid just like Oliver's. 


The boys watching Sunday night football


Monday morning donuts


Jack Henry loves to hold Oliver.


Jack Henry and Charlie doing grammar




My biggest and my littlest

Liberal Hate-Speech Watch

"There's a term for people who hate charity and love killing: Christian."

I'm Moving to Texas So I Can Vote for This Guy

15 lbs. 1 oz.

That's what Oliver weighed at his two-month checkup. The winner of our contest was Jennifer Young -- she was also the winner last time! Your treats are on the way! Lillie guessed 15 pounds and was the closest in our family so she gets our carton of Chunky Monkey ice cream.



Oliver weighed in at the pediatrician's office at 15 pounds 1 ounce. Even I was surprised at that. I thought he might weigh around 14 pounds or so. He is in the 97th percentile in weight and the 90th percentile in height, and the doctor said he is "just perfect."



It has finally been cool enough that we can take some family walks in the evenings. Here are a few pictures from this week:


Mr. Blue Eyes


Smiling at daddy


Couldn't stay awake


I love his little footsie poking out

And here is a picture I took with my phone earlier in the week when it was just a little warmer outside. I took Oliver and Charlie on a walk and about halfway home Charlie was exhausted. He just plopped down on the sidewalk and wouldn't get back up. It was a good thing Oliver let him hitch a ride.

The Downside of Being a Messiah

1. Socialism is a false religion.
2. False religions always demand a sacrifice.
3. President Obama may be that sacrificial lamb.

Chunky

That's what Oliver is.

He has chunky little legs and a fat little belly and is getting bigger and bigger each day. On Thursday he'll go to the doctor for his two-month checkup, and in honor of that I'm having another contest: Guess what Oliver's weight will be at his two-month doctor visit (just leave a comment below). Here are a few pictures to show just how chunky he's getting.





And here's a hint:  On Monday I took one of the other kids to a checkup at another doctor's office (not a pediatrician, but a pediatric doctor who sees kids and babies every day). He looked at Oliver and said, "What is he, about five or six months old?"

I'm not sure what the prize will be yet. I'm sure it will be something to make you chunkier!

Weekend Pictures

Oliver and his sisters

He's used to lots of kisses!

We love our Friday classes at church!

Oliver and Lillie

Oliver joins Brandon and Jack Henry to watch some football.

Oliver drifting off to sleep during the Rams' game.

A trip to Cherry Berry -- one of our favorite yogurt places.

'How Many Parts of an American Fighter Plane Are Made in This Country?'

Historian J. Rufus Fears gives us something to think about.

Yowch. Nicely Done

Two Months

Today you are two months old. We have spent the last two months soaking you up and enjoying every second we have with you. I think if we had to describe you in one word it would be happy. You are always so happy. You smile all the time and squeal with delight when someone holds you and talks to you. Occasionally you might stick out your little bottom lip and cry, but it's only when you are tired or hungry. You don't mind that your siblings tug on you and fight over who will hold you or that they are in your face covering you with kisses. You ride happily in the car to ballet and football, and sit on my lap on the couch while I do lessons with your brother and sisters. You snuggle up to me at night and even though your eyes are heavy, you still manage to give me a smile. And first thing in the morning, as you slowly wake up, you give us a huge smile. Happy two months, Oliver William -- what a great two months they have been!

How Do I Love This Scene?

Let me count the ways.



I love that my 8th-grade daughter is learning her Latin conjugations on the couch. I love that the person responsible for making sure she masters the material also happens to be the person who loves her more than anyone else in the world, and thus is committed to her success. I love that Oliver is a natural part of the proceedings. "Consider yourself one of the family," we're essentially telling him, and he'll never know a day when it wasn't perfectly normal to be surrounded by his mother and his brother and sisters, soaking up knowledge and affection and emotional security. And I love that the politicians sent me a thank-you note for saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Okay, that last part didn't happen. But still. I'm lovin' it.

My Brother's Keeper

Oliver enjoyed sitting outside in the sunshine yesterday watching Jack Henry play football. He especially enjoyed this play where Jack Henry faked a hand-off but kept the ball for himself.

Hmm, I wonder if this fake hand-off is going to fool the defensive end.