 |
| Laura and her family attended this year's March for Life in Washington, DC |
My first March for Life was in 1987. I was an
undergraduate architecture major at Catholic University, right in Washington,
DC. I had sort of vaguely noticed in the previous years around late
January, that on one day in particular flocks and flocks of people would walk
across our campus from the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to the Metro
Station on the edge of our campus.
This is sort of sad to say, but I was somewhat clueless about what all those people were doing walking across my college campus.
Then during the 1986-87 school year, I was in the midst of a strong awakening of my Faith and was getting to know a new group of friends on campus who were praying the Rosary and having a prayer gathering in front of the Blessed Sacrament. This group of friends in Christ invited me to join them for the March for Life. As it approached that year, I knew that I was not going to be allowed to miss my classes that day, and I also began to wonder, why on earth didn't the entire college of Catholic U. just shut down so that ALL the students could attend the March without missing class-time.
Well, as it turned out, there was a HUGE snowstorm that day! And all classes were indeed canceled! But guess what was NOT CANCELED?? The March for Life! So, I happily dressed in layers, and joined my friends in my first March for Life! It was the most adventurous walk in DC I had ever had!
About 2 years later, in 1989, I went back to DC during the March for Life, but this time I joined a new movement called "Operation Rescue" and that day, I sat down in front of an abortion clinic door for the first time in my life with several dozen others and we happily kept the clinic from opening and amazingly were not arrested, as a promise was struck with the police to have the clinic manager agree to remain closed all day and then we would peacefully get up and walk away. And that is what we did! No babies died there that day and no one was arrested!
When we had walked away from that "rescue" then we went to downtown DC and joined the end of the March for Life!
In January 1990, for the 3rd time, I was headed to DC to the March for Life. This time I had met a guy! We went together to the Shrine the day before the March for Life and stayed at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the all night prayer vigil. We slept on the basement crypt floor of the Shrine with many others, including dozens of seminarians, near the sarcophagus of a deceased bishop. We got up the next day and again blocked the doors of an abortion clinic in Washington, DC. Then we joined what was left of the March for Life.
In January 1991, the guy, Walt Gies, and I were now newly married! This time and for several years after we continued the routine of going to DC the night before the March for Life, staying at the Shrine, or eventually with a good friend in the area, attending the Mass in the evening at the Shrine, and then going to a local abortion clinic in DC area that was having a rescue, then joining the March for Life in progress.
In January 1993, we were very excited to know we were expecting our first child, when we went to the March for Life. Sadly, only 1-1/2 months later, this baby was lost in an early miscarriage. A painful experience of pregnancy loss that made me very sensitive to what an abortive mother might feel.
In January 1995, we were "with child" again during the March for Life, but as yet were unaware...! Our firstborn, JohnPaul, arrived in October of that year, and of course in January 1996, we packed our little 3 month old boy in a sling and walked the March for the first time ever with our own precious baby!
After that, each year, we have had a growing gang of Gies kids coming to the March for Life with us... Jan 1997: I was 2 weeks away from giving birth to the 2nd born, Tommy, and was too naive to realize that walking that March was cutting it real real close to giving birth in DC!
Jan 1998: we brought our 2 sons in a double stroller to the March for Life, and had just learned that a new baby was on the way -- another child attending "in-utero"! Our 1st daughter arrived in August that year.
Jan 1999: now we had the double stroller with 3 yr old, a near 2 yr old, and a 5 month-old child in a backpack or sling during the March for Life!
Jan 2000: this year, I was again "great with child" but at least there was a good 2 months to go, so I did the whole walk, with the 3 kids and my husband, striding thru it 7 months pregnant. Leo was born in March 2000.
Jan 2001, 2002: with 4 children, all preschool aged, or kindergartener, we were now bringing a double stroller AND our wagon!
Jan 2003: God granted us the blessing of one more baby on the way, but this time my due date was the end of January or early February..... so, for the first time in all those years, I stayed home! Walt took the 4 children and managed without me!
Jan 2004: Five children, ages 7, almost 6, 5, almost 4, and 1 year old were loaded into a new double stroller and the wagon, and a backpack --- and we did the March One More Time!!
Jan 2005: Another child was on the way! At age 40, I was expecting our 6th born baby and had just found out before that year's March for Life. This time we did something special, we'd been wanting to do for years: stayed with an Aunt and Uncle of my husband's in Northern Virginia. We spent the day before the March, walking around DC and the museums, during a gentle snowfall. What a nice time to enjoy some pretty art with my then 6 year old daughter, while Dad took the boys to the Air and Space museum. When we woke up early in the morning to pack up and get ready for daily Mass at our Uncle's parish, unfortunately, something was not right, I was spotting! It was just like the very first pregnancy that was lost in miscarriage.... and I was devastated! We called my OB in Philadelphia, and the staff let me know that Dr. Brigida was on her way to DC for the March for Life... they called her and she told them to tell me NOT to go to the March and to stay still and rest, then to come see her the next day in Philly. Walt then took the 5 children to the March without me, while I stayed with his Aunt and Uncle, resting and watching the March on EWTN. I ended up having no more spotting and the next day was diagnosed as having "low progesterone" but a strong pregnancy and was going to have a regular monitoring of the progesterone. What a Divine Providence to have had a caring Aunt to stay with during that day! And to have "been there" and for our children to have not missed the March afterall. Walt came back to his Aunt and Uncle's house, got me, and then we all drove home to Pennsylvania. I ended up needing progesterone shots twice a week for the entire pregnancy almost! I had to see my doctor every two weeks, have blood tests to make sure all was well. Our Sara arrived safe and sound in September!
Jan 2006: SIX CHILDREN and Walt and Laura went to the March for Life together! 1 double stroller, 1 wagon, 1 backpack and 1 sling -- carrying that baby girl all the way in my arms!
Jan 2007: What a difference 1 year made for Sara: when she was only 16 months old, our Sara-girl ran the entire March for Life! She would not stay in the stroller, and she wanted to hold mommy's hand, and she walked and jogged and raced thru the crowd, pulling me with her, as we left Walt in the dust with the other 5 children!! Sara and I made it to the Supreme Court steps at least an hour before Walt and the others!!
Jan 2008: Again we traveled with all 6 children and the stroller, wagon and a backpack.... some of the older kids were now walking the entire walk, but it sure is helpful to have a wagon to let tired ones rest!
Jan 2009: This year, we had stopped homeschooling and 4 of our children were a part of a new academy, and we worked at trying to march together. We also brought one of our favorite teachers with us to the March, Miss P! It was nice for our older kids to find their friends and walk together with them.
Jan 2010: This year, we made a banner for the Regina Luminis Academy to hold up and walk behind at the March!
Jan 2011: Our parish had a bus and the older parishioners running the bus wanted us to "take over" running the bus.... We did this! In 2012 we did it again and we just finished doing it one more time this Jan 25, 2013.
This is sort of sad to say, but I was somewhat clueless about what all those people were doing walking across my college campus.
Then during the 1986-87 school year, I was in the midst of a strong awakening of my Faith and was getting to know a new group of friends on campus who were praying the Rosary and having a prayer gathering in front of the Blessed Sacrament. This group of friends in Christ invited me to join them for the March for Life. As it approached that year, I knew that I was not going to be allowed to miss my classes that day, and I also began to wonder, why on earth didn't the entire college of Catholic U. just shut down so that ALL the students could attend the March without missing class-time.
Well, as it turned out, there was a HUGE snowstorm that day! And all classes were indeed canceled! But guess what was NOT CANCELED?? The March for Life! So, I happily dressed in layers, and joined my friends in my first March for Life! It was the most adventurous walk in DC I had ever had!
About 2 years later, in 1989, I went back to DC during the March for Life, but this time I joined a new movement called "Operation Rescue" and that day, I sat down in front of an abortion clinic door for the first time in my life with several dozen others and we happily kept the clinic from opening and amazingly were not arrested, as a promise was struck with the police to have the clinic manager agree to remain closed all day and then we would peacefully get up and walk away. And that is what we did! No babies died there that day and no one was arrested!
When we had walked away from that "rescue" then we went to downtown DC and joined the end of the March for Life!
In January 1990, for the 3rd time, I was headed to DC to the March for Life. This time I had met a guy! We went together to the Shrine the day before the March for Life and stayed at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the all night prayer vigil. We slept on the basement crypt floor of the Shrine with many others, including dozens of seminarians, near the sarcophagus of a deceased bishop. We got up the next day and again blocked the doors of an abortion clinic in Washington, DC. Then we joined what was left of the March for Life.
In January 1991, the guy, Walt Gies, and I were now newly married! This time and for several years after we continued the routine of going to DC the night before the March for Life, staying at the Shrine, or eventually with a good friend in the area, attending the Mass in the evening at the Shrine, and then going to a local abortion clinic in DC area that was having a rescue, then joining the March for Life in progress.
In January 1993, we were very excited to know we were expecting our first child, when we went to the March for Life. Sadly, only 1-1/2 months later, this baby was lost in an early miscarriage. A painful experience of pregnancy loss that made me very sensitive to what an abortive mother might feel.
In January 1995, we were "with child" again during the March for Life, but as yet were unaware...! Our firstborn, JohnPaul, arrived in October of that year, and of course in January 1996, we packed our little 3 month old boy in a sling and walked the March for the first time ever with our own precious baby!
After that, each year, we have had a growing gang of Gies kids coming to the March for Life with us... Jan 1997: I was 2 weeks away from giving birth to the 2nd born, Tommy, and was too naive to realize that walking that March was cutting it real real close to giving birth in DC!
Jan 1998: we brought our 2 sons in a double stroller to the March for Life, and had just learned that a new baby was on the way -- another child attending "in-utero"! Our 1st daughter arrived in August that year.
Jan 1999: now we had the double stroller with 3 yr old, a near 2 yr old, and a 5 month-old child in a backpack or sling during the March for Life!
Jan 2000: this year, I was again "great with child" but at least there was a good 2 months to go, so I did the whole walk, with the 3 kids and my husband, striding thru it 7 months pregnant. Leo was born in March 2000.
Jan 2001, 2002: with 4 children, all preschool aged, or kindergartener, we were now bringing a double stroller AND our wagon!
Jan 2003: God granted us the blessing of one more baby on the way, but this time my due date was the end of January or early February..... so, for the first time in all those years, I stayed home! Walt took the 4 children and managed without me!
Jan 2004: Five children, ages 7, almost 6, 5, almost 4, and 1 year old were loaded into a new double stroller and the wagon, and a backpack --- and we did the March One More Time!!
Jan 2005: Another child was on the way! At age 40, I was expecting our 6th born baby and had just found out before that year's March for Life. This time we did something special, we'd been wanting to do for years: stayed with an Aunt and Uncle of my husband's in Northern Virginia. We spent the day before the March, walking around DC and the museums, during a gentle snowfall. What a nice time to enjoy some pretty art with my then 6 year old daughter, while Dad took the boys to the Air and Space museum. When we woke up early in the morning to pack up and get ready for daily Mass at our Uncle's parish, unfortunately, something was not right, I was spotting! It was just like the very first pregnancy that was lost in miscarriage.... and I was devastated! We called my OB in Philadelphia, and the staff let me know that Dr. Brigida was on her way to DC for the March for Life... they called her and she told them to tell me NOT to go to the March and to stay still and rest, then to come see her the next day in Philly. Walt then took the 5 children to the March without me, while I stayed with his Aunt and Uncle, resting and watching the March on EWTN. I ended up having no more spotting and the next day was diagnosed as having "low progesterone" but a strong pregnancy and was going to have a regular monitoring of the progesterone. What a Divine Providence to have had a caring Aunt to stay with during that day! And to have "been there" and for our children to have not missed the March afterall. Walt came back to his Aunt and Uncle's house, got me, and then we all drove home to Pennsylvania. I ended up needing progesterone shots twice a week for the entire pregnancy almost! I had to see my doctor every two weeks, have blood tests to make sure all was well. Our Sara arrived safe and sound in September!
Jan 2006: SIX CHILDREN and Walt and Laura went to the March for Life together! 1 double stroller, 1 wagon, 1 backpack and 1 sling -- carrying that baby girl all the way in my arms!
Jan 2007: What a difference 1 year made for Sara: when she was only 16 months old, our Sara-girl ran the entire March for Life! She would not stay in the stroller, and she wanted to hold mommy's hand, and she walked and jogged and raced thru the crowd, pulling me with her, as we left Walt in the dust with the other 5 children!! Sara and I made it to the Supreme Court steps at least an hour before Walt and the others!!
Jan 2008: Again we traveled with all 6 children and the stroller, wagon and a backpack.... some of the older kids were now walking the entire walk, but it sure is helpful to have a wagon to let tired ones rest!
Jan 2009: This year, we had stopped homeschooling and 4 of our children were a part of a new academy, and we worked at trying to march together. We also brought one of our favorite teachers with us to the March, Miss P! It was nice for our older kids to find their friends and walk together with them.
Jan 2010: This year, we made a banner for the Regina Luminis Academy to hold up and walk behind at the March!
Jan 2011: Our parish had a bus and the older parishioners running the bus wanted us to "take over" running the bus.... We did this! In 2012 we did it again and we just finished doing it one more time this Jan 25, 2013.
 |
| Laura's husband, Walter, and family at this year's March for Life |
The main experience that I like to reflect on after 25+ Marches for Life is that I see the change.
The change is real. The change is not going away. What is the change?
It is that many many more young people of this next generation will not allow abortion to be the way.
There is no way that these 100's of thousands that have come from so many states, so many 100's if not 1000's of miles away to March on DC to gently but firmly protest the Roe V. Wade decision of 1973, will ever "change their minds" to be pro-abortion. There are way too many young people who "get it" about abortion being wrong and this is the change.
As much as the media led mantra of "abortion is good, abortion is a right" seem to be prevailing, the young kids coming the March for Life will completely trash this mentality when they are the ones in charge in the next 50 years. I pray that something current and NOW causes the change to take hold sooner than 50 years, like more and more live ultrasounds getting media attention, and the many "right to life at conception" legislative initiatives working their way thru now, but I know that it is impossible for these fresh eyes, ears and hearts of the children who have escaped death via abortion in the past 40 years, to remain silent and THEY are going to put an end to this ridiculous illogic that is keeping a fragile grip of death on our current times and culture. The Culture of Life is the change that I see on the horizon that is ALREADY HERE and there simply is no turning back for them!! Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment