Revisions to the Child Labor Laws

I was laying in bed this evening, relaxing on facebook when I can across a very disturbing story. The government (in an effort headed by none other than our fearless leader, B.O.)is attempting to broaden child labor laws to include children working on the family farm. As the law reads, children UNDER 18!!! will no longer be allowed to operate machinery or work with farm animals or in barns or silos. If this doesn't trample over a parent's right and duty to parent their child, I don't know what does!!! it's all in the interest of safety, but that doesn't really seem the issue. If a parent diligently caring for their child's upbringing and teaching them to respect nature and the forces around them I don't see a problem. As I understand it, not being anything close to a farmer, there are many things about farming that one must learn early on, that it has to be grown into your blood...and how the heck are you going to learn that at 18??? Lots of your memory is already cut off and even your ability to learn a new language at that age is disintegrated drastically. Perhaps our president does not want to encourage an industrious economy, or the preservation of the American farm. Perhaps they would like more than the 40% of kids receiving food stamps to be getting handouts from the government. Maybe they don't want able bodied children who can work and provide for a family...maybe they don't want food produced here at home...they want to get it all from Cambodia or Honduras. Sure, a child working on the farm is dangerous. That's part of life. Farm kids tend to be a little bit smarter and a good deal more resourceful than their suburban peers. They learn to mind their surroundings early on. The release states that it provides a complete exemption for a children working on their parent's farm, but how long will this be true? and what if they are working on a farm owned by their grandparents or uncle? they would not be allowed under this mandate should it take effect. Furthermore, it would also discontinue the work of many clubs and training organizations such as 4H and Future Farmers of America as kids would no longer be able to work with animals. The ending paragraph of the release seems to indicate that though they will listen to public opinion up until November 1st...it is a done deal. I can't help but think that socialism is taking over America. The actual release from the United States Dept of Labor: US Labor Department proposes updates to child labor regulations: Aims to improve safety of young workers employed in agriculture and related fields Sign the Petition below to say that you do not agree with the proposal as written. Petition at Change.org

Latest Organization Project

As a somewhat messy person who always needs to have the necessities around. I recently scrubbed my bathroom down and realized that it would be so much neater in there if I had somewhere to put my makeup. boxes and such are nice but not practical for daily use. I had a basked for a bit, but the powders tended to flip over and break apart. My solution was a plastic tray with a lip so that things don't slide off. that way I can actually see the things that I use all the time. I got the idea from the jewelry trays of fashionable ladies in times past.

Being that I'm a grown girl and out of the house, occasionally my siblings look up to me and think "wow! I wanna be like her." This is usually about the time that I receive a request for a sleep over at my place. Tonight, my youngest brothers are over...and after watching Shrek, eating Mac n' Cheese, and playing the game of Life (which I lost to both of them) they have decided that it would be a good idea to light a fire. They were cold and their first thought was to light a fire, not turn up the heat. They have spent the greater part of 30 minutes hunting for sticks and attempting to light a fire. So many times I almost jumped in and said "No! Don't do that! you're gonna burn down the house!" but then I thought: they are not toddlers. They are learning to take care of themselves now. Since they are 11 and 13, it may be time to let them just kinda figure things out...without an adult hovering over them saying "look out for that! What are you doing? Don't do it like that! Are you trying to burn the house down?" I intervened twice, when they wanted to rearrange it and e a flaming log. They shall grown into fine young men yet. mov

Layin' in the yard under the stars

My family has just taken a very big step: they've got a dog. Actually, we've had her for a couple of months now. She a very happy, people loving black lab. and unfortunately, she ends up being lonely quite a bit since she's only happy around people. This evening, the kids were playing frisbee in the street with her running back and forth. It's quite comical to watch because everyone stands around for the most part...the only things moving are the frisbee and the dog.

After this display of athleticism, I hauled my carcass out to the backyard to hang out with her. My youngest sister and I laid down and she laid between us. For an hour or so we just laid there harmonizing old songs with Jasmine sleeping , her head on my arm. 'Down in the Valley,' 'Wayfarin' Stranger,' 'Oh Freedom,' 'All the Pretty Little Horses,' 'Bury me not on the Lone Prarie,' 'Behold the Wood of the Cross,' 'The Raggle Taggle Gypsies,' 'Scarborough Fair.' I had a fleeting thought "Gee, there's probably bugs all over the place crawling around on my skirt or down my shirt." However, I soon banished such thoughts since it was a cool night and I didn't feel anything.

Laying there with the dog on the bare ground, gazing up at the stars, I thought of all those in the past who had done this: my ancestors perhaps, or the settlers of our nation. More than likely it was probably just gypsies. There were so many stars out, more than usual, and the night wind was blowing only softly. The interstate 1/4 mile away was not making much noise, and the moon is full and bright. The Vernal Equinox. It is the night before the the Passover, and the night on which my Savior suffered and died. It was a lovely feeling there on the ground with the dog and my sister...all's right with the world...I'm loved and someone cares for me. I don't care right now that I'm in debt up to my nose; that I have to work in the morning; that I have never had a boyfriend; that I don't know my vocation; that my family's emotions are hanging onto sanity by a thread. My God loves me and He cares. I'd stay under those stars forever.