Thursday, March 06, 2008

Small Victories

We've had a lot of changes around here the past two months, and with those changes, we've had some great successes. And we've been able to focus more on what needs to get done. Here's a list some things we've accomplished:

*Schoolwork: Its getting done relatively easy these days. The girls are accomplishing more and more each week. Gavin has just become a star student. He is excited about learning to read and is really proud of his schoolwork.

*Gavin's Speech: He's only been to three therapy sessions at the school, but already we can tell an improvement in his speech. He really pays attention to how he forms his words, and he is much more receptive when we correct him.

*Dry Pullups: Gavin is on a streak of not wetting at night. It has taken us almost three years to get to this point. He told me a couple days ago, "I'm just not going to use Pullups anymore." We were like, uh, good. He has worn underwear for five nights in a row and hasn't wet once. Yay!

*Food: We're trying to eat healthier around here. It is very difficult to balance healthy and cheap. The kids are eating so much better. They are actually trying new foods. But,the biggest improvement is Eli. he has always been a hot dogs and chicken nuggets boy. In the past week he's eaten eggplant Parmesan, potato soup, and Mexican rice (rice, chicken, black beans, tomatoes). I never would've thought he would touch any of this.

We're on the road. I just need to remember to take it one step at a time.

Monday, March 03, 2008

My first (and maybe only?) political post

I've never blogged about politics before. Honestly, it is mainly because I have been pretty uninterested for a number of years now. I don't wanted to say cynical or jaded because at 28, I would think it should be too early for that, but maybe that's the case. I used to be much more politically aware, and then it came to a point where I just didn't have time to devote or desire to care.

With the elections coming up, I've tried to become more attentive to the candidates and the political scene. Its not too hard to become familiar with the candidates since two of them have been around for awhile. Which leads me to the third, and the actual subject of this post.

Barack Obama. I'm not one who wears her political feelings on her sleeve, so for those of you who don't know this, I will come out and say that as far as political standings go, I am about as far opposite as you can get from Obama when it comes to a lot of issues. And I mean, a lot. Yet, oddly enough, I want him to win not only the Democratic Nomination, but also the office of the Presidency. Why? Well, that's what this post is about.

1. Change: Yes, I know that is basically his entire campaign in one word, but its the truth. Coming from my perspective of only having an active political memory of a President whose last name was either Bush or Clinton, the idea of fresh blood is enticing.

2. Healing: Our nation is so blown apart politically right now and there is so much hatred on both sides of the aisle, that I really see Obama being a figure of healing. He is young, he is brilliant, and just the fact that we would have a young, African-American as our country's leader feels good. No more "good ole boy" syndrome of rich white man.

3. Character: As much as I differ from him in politics, I respect him because of his accomplishments and intelligence. You can say what you want about his politics, but so far nothing has come to make me dislike him. His speeches are encouraging, optimistic, and vibrant. This may be a superficial point, but his appearance is reassuring. He can smile a big goofy smile or be serious and somber. He is the face I'd like the world to think of when they think of the USA. He is the face I'd like to see giving a State of the Union Address, or God forbid, reassuring the country after a crisis. He comes into the office with no baggage. That's not to say that things can't (or won't) happen once he's in office, but for now, he is too fresh to be disliked.

4. Politics: I think I've made my point about differing with Obama on most major issues, but what I like about the idea of him being president is that politics can go back to being about politics. It won't be about the hatred of a president (both the current hatred for George W. or the hatred out there for Hillary Clinton). It will be about the issues. And, I think that is important. It won't be about somebody coming in to try to finish what they (or their husband) couldn't accomplish. It will be purely about politics.

5. Opponents: I put this one last because I wanted to wax poetic about the tributes of Obama before I pulled the punch card of saying: I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY can't stand McCain or Hillary Clinton. I don't like their personalities, I don't like listening to them talk. They both grate my nerves so much that the idea of either of them being president for four (or eight!) years makes my ears bleed. Yes, I know that's immature, yes, I know that should be immaterial, but hey, that's why I put it last :)

Who knows what the future will hold? Who knows what type of president Obama would be, could be? Who knows how things would change once he's in the Oval Office? I sure don't, but I do know from this Conservative, Christian (no, not Conservative Christian- that's why there's a comma there), Republican (though sometimes leading more Libertarian), woman's perspective, Obama is the best candidate out there- maybe not for me personally, but for our country.

That is all.