Rock the Vote

Tap…tap…hello? It’s been so long since I posted I’m not sure if anyone is still out there...

So I posted a couple of years ago on Election night about my foray into the political world. I really didn’t have a lot of background in politics and was very excited about learning and understanding that which makes our county run.

My parents flew into town tonight and we sat around discussing the upcoming elections. They have an interesting local race in Norm Colman v. Al Franken, we have another interesting one in Gordon Smith v. Jeff Merkley. But of course, talk turned to the national election and where we saw that heading.

I read an interesting article recently (I so Wish I could remember where) about how many people our grandparents generation are feeling frustrated with the voting styles of our generation. They feel we have gotten too “socially oriented” and that we are ignoring larger issues such as taxes and national safety in order to vote with an eye toward these crazy newfangled principals like “Pro-Choice” and “Gay Rights”. They blame our parents mostly for raising us with the ideals born out of the social reforms of the 60s.

But it made me think, and I realized I DO vote mostly on social issues. The lines in the sand for me do involve a person’s right to choose who they will be able to marry and the right to choose what happens to their body. I don’t understand a platform that advocates smaller government, but feels they have the right to regulate such private and personal things. Those things are deal breakers for me.

So I’m curious, what are yours?

Sakes Alive, someone's four! Photoblog 9/30

I can't believe I have a four-year-old. Sometimes I can't believe it was only 4 years ago because it seems like he's been with us forever...and on the other hand I can't believe it's already been 4 years because really? He's 4 already? Wasn't that just yesterday he was like, 1?

It's been a bittersweet month for us. Since Dan was diagnosed with The Cancer on Will's third birthday, the two are very intertwined for us. At least right now...I hope with time they cease to be less so. But we have so many painful memories of last year, and we really, really didn't want that to color Will's birthday this year.

So we left town - just the four of us. Just for the weekend, but it's something we had never done before. Since Will was born, we have always traveled either with or to friends and family. It was an amazing weekend. So many times Dan and I just looked at each other, silently so grateful for this time and its marked difference from a year ago. When we got back from our weekend away, we felt refreshed, recharged. It felt like we had drawn a line in the sand from "last year" and "this year" and stepped right over it, leaving the "last year" behind and starting new.

When we got back, we met up with Dan's parents and Will's godparents for lunch. On our way there, Will told me what he wanted for his birthday.

"Mama, for my birthday I want these things. I would like a cupcake, and singing and a candle and clapping. Ok?"

Glad to oblige bud, glad to oblige.

Here are a couple of my favorite from the weekend, plus a video! from the train ride Will got as a birthday present. As always, the rest are here: Photoblog 9/30.