Mayoral (Hopeful) Meeting

On Saturday, we all headed out to cast our vote for our city's next mayor.  Yes, some early voting places were open on a weekend.  Yes, they should just combine it with other elections to improve voter turn out and lower overall cost -- but obviously the country's fifth largest city hasn't clued into this common sense.  However, the candidate that we voted for has clued into this.  YES!

We heard good things from our candidate on the radio and then watched the debate.  While he didn't start out as the most poised speaker I thought that he came into his own by the end of the debate.  We were still confident that he was the man for the job.  While anything would be better than current administration this man would be MUCH better for our city.

Anyway... that was a bit of a tangent.

When we were approaching our voting place we encountered a man.  Husband recognized him right away and called him by name.  I had never met a political candidate before.  It was more exciting that it happened to be the person that we were voting for in this election.  Husband shook his hand and introduced me.  At that point W.G. looked at Miss L and asked her name.  She went right up to him and shook his hand.  (Proud mama moment!)  He asked he how old she was -- at this point she has never been really consistent in answering this questions -- she promptly said two and held up the appropriate number of fingers. (Proud mama moment!)  So, W.G. chatted with us some and with Miss L until she pointed out that he had blue eyes as did her sister.  It was a humorous conclusion to say the least.

We walked in and did our civic duty.  Miss L all of a sudden wanted to see the "baby" which meant trying to expose my tummy.  Ummmm... thanks!  HA!  She put my envelope in the box and all was good to go.

As we were leaving Miss L caught sight of W.G. and pulled Daddy along with her to talk to him again.  I appreciated that he found her so entertaining and worth talking to.  He got down on her level and they had their own little conversation again.  At the end of the conversation W.G. gave Miss L his sticker off his shirt.  She was SO excited.  Why?  Because it was a BIG sticker... at least in her world.  She took off her "small" sticker and gave it to Daddy.  She was a pretty happy girl.

Funny.

Needless to say she spoke about the encounter all day.  She mentioned it a few times Sunday.  She cannot say his last name very well but I can generally figure out the "g" and "t" sounds and put it all together when she randomly references W.G.

We hope W.G. makes it to the run off and is ultimately elected to office.  However, beyond his political stance we found him to be a very kind man.  Someone that we would most likely be friends with in every day life and would love to have as a neighbor.

Yes, so that was our brush with political fun.

Shades of Green

I am sure that Husband will give that "look" and sigh when he reads this.  Then I will laugh.  You see, he didn't realize that he married a green girl.  Well, that's what he would say.  I would just tell him that I am not but he doesn't agree.  Let me first state that I probably wouldn't recycle if we didn't have a recycle day.  I am thinking about making my own laundry soap only because I think that it would be fun.  I opt to do cloth diapers because I was tired of the "blowouts" and THEN it became fun because there are so many options out there.  I try to get Husband back about being green because we have a bi-fuel car.  Really, in the end it was about saving money... not the environment.  Once a friend legitimately used the phrase "sustainable living" in a conversation with me and I laughed.  Thankfully, it was via e-mail.  I probably should have refrained from laughing but I could hardly stifle the giggles.

I will say that I don't agree (obviously) with the global warming mumbo jumbo.  Is the climate changing?  Sure.  I am sure that the climate has continued to change at some level since the Lord created the heavens and the earth.  Is it caused by Man?  I doubt it.  Do I think that we should try to be good stewards of the earth?  Sure.  However, what that means to different households can run the gammut of things.  I will try to respect your prespective if it goes a little further down the road than mine... as long as you respect the fact that I am not that far down the road.

Well, now you had a look into a not really green, but people might think we are green, household.  With that said, I love my cloth diapers and if you want to chat about them it won't take much to get me started.  :)

Oh, yes... and Flag Etiquette

I finally remembered what the other thing that occurred to me while I was watching the events of today unfold on TV.

Flag Etiquette.

As a variety of dignitaries were being seated (I think at this particular time it was members of the Senate) a particular man came our wearing the American flag.  This is where I throw the foul flag!  The American flag is not to be donned as a piece of clothing.

You can check out more here at Flag Code

Yes, it's one of my many peeves coming from a military family.  It also helped that my Civics teacher in high school went over this in great detail.

Presidential Chivalry

I opted to watch some of the inauguration coverage this morning on NBC when I would normally be watching on FOX News.  However, while feeding Little Flower it was the channel that the TV was already set.  It's entertaining to listen to what the press notices.

I found it interesting that one man said that "husbands around the country will be in trouble this afternoon" with their wives because President-Elect Obama has been noticed to wait for his wife as she gets out of the car and even <gasp> opens the car door for her when she is getting in and out.  I was glad that another commentator noted that President George W. Bush did the same thing for Mrs. Bush.

My thought on the whole thing... Well, he should!!!  I don't think that chivalry was meant to be relegated to the office of President.

I think it's a function of showing how one cherishes his wife.  My sweet Husband goes well out of his way to do this for me and I love it.

There was something else that I found rather funny in the coverage and now that I am here writing about it I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.  Oh well.  If I remember later I will be back.

Blog Back Log: The Day After

While this particular blog is dated November 5th I am really sitting on the couch a month later pondering my thoughts of the day after the Presidential election.  Was I excited with the national results?  No.  Not so much.  Does that change the outcome... not a bit.

I think that this nation is in for quite the roller coaster over the next four years.  I think that some of the proposed policy issues by the next administration are horrific - health care would be one of them.  As I have watched the process unfold over the last few weeks my confidence has not grown.

Locally, I am highly impressed with the fact the Prop 102 (and similar Prop 8 in California) passed with what seems to be a confident declaration of the people.  The people have spoken is what the opposition say of the statute.  But when the people "speak" about an actual constitutional amendment there are riots to be had and churches to be taunted.  On other local levels a conservative march was made here which I think is good.  Now that our (Democratic) governor has been tapped to be Secretary of Homeland Secretary we are saying our farewells and looking forward to Miss Brewer (GOP) to leave her Secretary of State position and move to the "ninth floor" and try to get us out of the $2 Billion state debt that our "beloved" Governor will be sticking us with. 

I'll stop with my rants because they really accomplish nothing.

I find comfort in the fact that all of this didn't take Jesus off His throne.  Nor did it surprise Him.  The gospel is going forth.  While I am not convinced that this is the end of the world as we know it, it may be the end of the Republic as we know it.

Blog Back Log: Election Day

I voted today.  As though you couldn't tell by my spiffy little sticker.  However, this sticker is different from any other "I voted" sticker that I have seen before.  Husband was a little jealous of it when he saw it.

Tonight we will grab some chicken wings from a favorite local restaurant and settle in with Fox News (and other channels) to watch the national results come around.  We are also quite interested in some local races and issues that are on the ballot.

America, where shall we go from here?

Cause for Concern

Now, I don't usually get very political here but this particular issue strikes a very deep an personal cord with me these days.  Many of you heard about the McCain/Obama forum held on Saturday at Saddleback Church that is pastored by famed Rick Warren.  Warren was the moderator of this debate.  If you get a chance to see this forum online (the links I found are at the end of this post) I think it would be well worth your time.  Needless to say, this event has caused a great deal of talk on so many levels.  As Husband and I were coming home from a delightful day with his parents, where of course this debate came up, we heard more about it on the radio station to which we were tuned for the evening.  Here is the question and responses that were at the center of conversation at this time:



Wow.  This video actually brought tears to my eyes.  Maybe it's hormones or maybe it's the reality of human life created in the image of the One true God... and it has a deep and significant value.  I know this isn't the only issue on the presidential plate but it is a big one for me.  A caller into the radio show shot off his mouth that really only late-term abortions are the ones that really matter.  The ones after only a couple of months gestation were really no big deal.  The host asked what makes the difference for him in late-term and early abortion.  The caller then said something to the effect of, "There is something more there during late-term rather than just a bunch of cells."  I about came unglued... literally.  I almost pulled my phone out and called the radio station to reply to that caller letting him know that I could see my little baby's heart beat at 5 weeks!  But I decided to listen to what other callers were saying for the next 40 minutes or so.

It breaks my heart that this country has such a hatred for the womb (and marriage).  Many would gladly give up the fight for a human life but would spend their life's savings to save a puppy.

By the way, the comment by Obama that abortions under President Bush have increased doesn't hold up.  You can read more about it here.

While this is only the beginning and issues debates of a more formal setting will be underway soon I believe that this is only a glimpse into the depth, or lack there of, of each candidate.  While there are plenty of things that I disagree with McCain on (and other that I agree with him on) I appreciate his decisiveness and stick-to-it action when it comes his decisions on a variety of issues.  I will also say that I think Obama is unraveling at the edges and there's really nothing that I agree with him about.  I'd love for him to make a decision with conviction and actually stick to it rather than change with the election wind as it suits him and his agenda.  Do I wish we had other options, of course.  Do I know who I will be voting for, you better believe it.

Here are the forum pieces that I could find:
Saddleback Forum: Part 1
Saddleback Forum: Part 2
Saddleback Forum: Part 3
Saddleback Forum: Part 4