March for Life D.C. 2012

It is that time of year again! I was unable to participate in the March for Life Charlotte because I woke up to a child with a vomiting illness. But on Sunday we travelled to Washington D.C. to participate in the national March for Life. It is estimated that more than 54 million babies have been aborted since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973 (article here). While it may be legal now, I'd argue that it's not safe and nobody in honesty could say that it is rare ("safe, rare, and legal").

John and Mary were almost angelic for the eight hours of travel, although Baby Margaret did cry for long stretches of the drive. John was exuberant in gaining his freedom when we arrived at the hotel after dark.

As we ate breakfast Monday morning, Chris and I debated what to do. We were operating on little sleep, as Mary had developed a cold Sunday night and was awake much of the night crying--as little ones tend to do when they're in misery from something even so simple as a common cold. That night, John slept only eight hours, Margaret only seven hours, and Mary only about six hours (and the parents getting the least sleep of all, obviously).

The bigger problem was the weather. We were facing a high of 44 with rain all day. I had brought warm clothing for everyone . . . except for me! I forgot my own coat. And I had not brought rain gear for the children or me.

On one side of the equation is that this cause is extremely important to us. We had invested two days of driving, two vacation days for Chris, gas money, purchase of a double stroller, and effort.

On the other side of the equation was terrible weather, insufficient clothing, one sick child, and everyone being underslept.

What to do?

I confessed to Chris that I felt so embarrassed that I'd planned this trip without realizing the many unforeseeable difficulties that come with having small children. One sick kid can cancel everything. We adults can suffer in bad weather like warriors, but we probably shouldn't do that to little kids. I simply hadn't thought of these things because I was in the mode of being a pro-life warrior (cue super hero music and my own excessive self-focus). Chris was so kind. He replied that he had already known all of this when we began planning this trip, but he had still thought it a good idea to come. "The kids like to stay in a hotel, plus you never get out."

Ha ha. Yes, that is rather true.

He said that even if all we did was drive to D.C. to stay in a hotel for two nights, that would be okay with him. Such sweetness and patience!

After breakfast, we returned to the hotel room, where Mary made herself a little nest between the bed and the wall where she insisted in taking a nap--which was fine by us!

Meanwhile, I bundled up Margaret and went on a walk to two drug stores in search of emergency rain ponchos. With tens of thousands of visitors descending on the downtown area on a rainy day, ponchos were hard to find.

Beautiful red winter berries

Snow on the ground: it was cold! 

Just walking around D.C. that morning was an emotional experience for me. I felt exhilerated about the "big adventure," yet so small and vulnerable. First of all, I had a baby with me (and she wasn't even my only child!), while I didn't see a single other child out and about. I saw many professional women, so I got to refresh myself on the latest fashion styles, since I basically live under a rock (hardly even watching TV) and don't know what women are wearing except when I go through airports. I had to pause every block or two to consult my map. I felt strange and out-of-place and wondered where the old me had gone, the brave and bold young lady who traveled around the world and had adventures.

Well, she's been replaced and I think the more mature me does more important things of value. I think that the old me may have been brave but she was foolish and ridiculous too.

Nonetheless, I felt a bit like a matronly country rube walking around D.C. Then I felt a tiny bit of very silly victory when I spotted a sophisticated urban woman wearing a pair of shoes that I own--interesting, impractical, purple shoes. I own shoes so fashionable that this hip woman owns them too and they look great on her! But what adds more humor to the silliness that lifted my mood is that I bought that pair of shoes when I was in my last month of my third pregnancy, my feet were so swollen that I fit none of my shoes, and this pair of normally expensive purple shoes were on a clearance sale for about $5, so I bought them. That's probably not the same reason that the dramatic and hip woman bought her pair.

We bundled up the gang and headed out for the noon rally--which normally we would have skipped in order to preserve the children's energy for the march. However, we knew the march was to start at 1:30 and the rain deluge was to let loose at 2:00, so we thought the rally might be the only part in which we could participate.

At least 100,000 pro-lifers participated (the vast majority cheerfully and peacefully), not that you would know it based on the media (see here).

It began to rain a steady and chilling drizzle, so I wrapped each child in a fleece blanket and tented them in plastic as best I could.

The children began to complain of the chill and we stretched their patience as best we could. We decided to start the march route ourselves even though the rally was not yet ended. It turns out we weren't the only ones, as the streets of the route were already entirely filled with peaceful protesters. We made it for a few blocks before the children were in tears (which is pitiful and heart-wrenching, indeed, but also recall how easily complaining children are moved to tears over things like not getting their favorite TV show or particular food).

It was then time for us to march the children back to the hotel. I admit struggling badly with emotions. I wanted to be a prayer warrior for God. People have to show up to these things! We have to make our voices heard, let people see that we pro-lifers are normal, healthy, peaceful, family-oriented citizens. But despite what I wanted, I realized I had to fulfill my God-given duties to my own children first even before I could help (in whatever small way) to save other children (from abortion). It was terribly hard for me to see many other parents with young children marching into the rain while we were marching out of it. I don't know what the right decision was for families like ours with young children. I was certainly grateful for the many thousands of teenagers and 20-somethings, carefree and able to be at the march. I was grateful for the many older families and adults who were there too.

In total, we were out in the rain for two and a half hours.

Interestingly, before we left, the hotel staff from the Housekeeping and Valet departments revealed their prolife stance and took a real shine to us. We never said we were there for the march, we didn't wear pins or stickers, but a family with three young children staying in downtown D.C. does stick out like a sore thumb. One woman from the Valet department came up to us and outright thanked us for "praying for babies." "We need people to pray for babies! You go and save those babies!" Then the head of Housekeeping approached us and asked us if he could please stock our room with hot cocoa and cookies for when we returned. Several other staff members approached us as well. (And when we checked out, the valet woman actually showered all three of our children with kisses and said, "See you next year!")

So, all of that love for babies is why we returned to the hotel room with two cold, crying children who we promptly dressed in dry clothing, tucked into beds, and nursed back to smiles with hot cocoa and an entire selection of Pepperidge Farm cookies.

We spent the afternoon watching a special Winnie-the-Pooh movie (while I felt wracked with guilt about our comfort, thinking of all the dedicated marchers out in the freezing rain) and then had a hotel pizza picnic for dinner. (Oh my, Margaret loves solid foods. As an example, she ate half an adult-sized slice of pizza for dinner.)

The children were so exhausted that they requested to go to sleep early and were snoozing by 6:30 p.m., with the baby following close behind. In the morning, John and Margaret woke up having caught Mary's cold.

At home, I am forever removing Margaret from gleefully unfurling the toilet paper (some bigger kid having forgotten to close the bathroom door), so the baby was tickled at the hotel to have two toilet paper rolls to unwind simultaneously!

Plus she discovered her first mirror down at her level, and would stand there silently, just staring at herself.

On the drive home, it finally occurred to us to try the experiment of placing John next to the baby to try to entertain her. This worked for a while and relieved me some of that job, hour after hour. She did take two naps on the drive and didn't cry quite as extensively, for which we were grateful.

The weather was exquisite: fifteen degrees warmer than the day of the march and sunny. We didn't even need to wear sweaters.

We stopped for lunch at an attractive, clean rest area, which worked out so much better than a restaurant, such as where we typically stop. Here the kids got to really stretch their legs. I had the kids run races between trees till they were out of breath . . .

. . . and climb walls and trees.

Somehow Mary managed purposefully to lay down on her back in the mud, and then later to fall flat on her face, such that she was covered in mud on both halves of her! Then before we could think to take off her shoes, she crawled over the fabric seats in the van, covering them with mud.

We enjoyed a sweet picnic lunch of PBJ sandwiches.

The international 40 Days for Life campaign is starting anew in a few weeks, so you have opportunities to sign up for peaceful prayer and fasting at locations near you, without even having to drive to our nation's capital!

Bonus: Click here for an inspiring photo slideshow of beautiful photos from the March, the likes of which you're not likely to find in the secular media.