Get free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's on Tuesday after voting!!
http://www.benjerry.com/features/i_voted/
http://www.benjerry.com/features/i_voted/
Friday, October 31, 2008
Meet the Incredibles!
Happy Halloween! These are not new pics, but it's my duty as a parent to to show off how I humiliate my pups in order to celebrate Halloween!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A Baby Shower for the Luckiest Baby!
On Saturday, Melissa and I had a baby shower for one of our dearest friends, Erin. I was so honored to help co-host the shower. And hosting a shower for a friend is on my list of 101 in 1,001 (and I promise Erin wasn't even pregnant when I created my list). We still have to wait until February for Baby Luckey to get here, but since Erin lives in Chicago, we had her shower this past weekend since we knew she was going to be home for a quick weekend visit. Baby Luckey is definitely going to be the best dressed baby boy ever! He got the cutest clothes and baby stuff. Now all I have to do is be patient for almost four months until he gets here and I can hold him. I can't wait!!!
I didn't really do a good job taking pics, but I got a few.
Abby (Melissa's niece) was helping Erin open all the presents. Abby also thought the baby was inside Erin, because she swallowed it. Abby also thought the baby was going to be born at the party (b/c how can you have a party for someone who's not here). Abby was all ready to share her toys with the baby. Too cute!!!
One of many cute outfits.
Erin's mom is smelling the melted chocolate in the diaper...one of a few shower games we played.
I didn't really do a good job taking pics, but I got a few.
Abby (Melissa's niece) was helping Erin open all the presents. Abby also thought the baby was inside Erin, because she swallowed it. Abby also thought the baby was going to be born at the party (b/c how can you have a party for someone who's not here). Abby was all ready to share her toys with the baby. Too cute!!!
One of many cute outfits.
Erin's mom is smelling the melted chocolate in the diaper...one of a few shower games we played.
Me and Erin! She looks great! It's hard to believe there's a baby in her belly!
These guys weren't at the shower. But they were looking cute tonight, so I took a pic!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
My thoughts...
* * * I'm actually feeling anxious about posting this tonight. I'm really exposing myself and my thoughts like I haven't done before. I'm not trying to change minds. I'm just trying to help people understand where I'm coming from. I've come to believe that all of us -- Republicans, Democrats and Independents -- essentially want the same thing. We just have a different means to getting to the same end. I would love it if, after reading this essay that I wrote, you would reflect and think about the choice you're going to make in 7 days when you vote for President. One of three things that will happen if you read this post: 1) You'll agree with me, and the essay will help reinforce your opinions. 2) You'll disagree, and the essay may help reinforce your opinions. 3) You'll feel even more undecided about this election, as you'll see a perspective you hadn't really considered. * * *
Three times now I’ve heard three different people say that they won’t vote for Obama because of his stance on just one issue. His pro-choice view on abortion. I understand that abortion is a horrible thing. But since I’ve heard this from several people now, I just want to stand up and declare that I am voting for Barack Obama in spite of his record on this issue. The reason why I am voting for Barack Obama is because by looking at the bigger picture – including hunger, poverty, other social justice issues; peace and diplomacy; equality; our environment; education; healthcare and prenatal and postnatal programs to give children a fair chance in this world; and vets issues – I feel that Barack Obama is comprehensively more pro-life than John McCain. I think it’s easy to look at the issues and simply choose just one issue on which to base your vote. I think it’s more difficult, but more rewarding, to look at all the facts and stances of a candidate and choose to vote for the President who will make the most good for the greatest number of people.
First, about abortion…
As a Christian, I do not like abortion. I do not think it’s a good solution to end unplanned pregnancies. I’ve seen from first-hand experience the extreme guilt, remorse and regret that an abortion causes. Yes, it’s killing a human life. Women who get abortions must be in a pretty desperate place if they choose to do it. But we need to look at why they are in a position where they feel so desperate, and we need try to help prevent people from being in that sort of desperate position in the first place.
I’d rather see programs that help women see their choices and guide them into making the right choice – the choice of life – rather than having laws that dictate what they do. Catholics in Alliance, recently released a 20-year study about the long- and short-term effects on abortion rates, which found that benefits for pregnant women and mothers; employment; economic assistance to low-income families; quality child care for working mothers; and, removal of state caps on the number of children eligible for economic assistance in low-income families has reduced abortions (Source).
In his Blueprint for Change, Barack Obama says he supports such initiatives -- expanding access to contraception, health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies. Obama says he’ll establish community outreach programs in underserved areas to help make sure women have health care. Obama supports expanding the highly-successful Nurse-Family Partnership to all 570,000 low-income, first-time mothers each year. The Nurse-Family Partnership provides home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families (Source).
Studies (including one by the Federal Reserve Bank) have shown that investing in training and early childhood programs to low-income mothers and high-risk children pays off in the long run, by reducing crime, drug use, lowering costs for prisons, and providing an opportunity for these children to make a better impact on our communities (Source).
I believe that all people are generally good and that given a choice between life and death for her baby, a woman would choose the miracle of life. And I think that those who decide to have an abortion are desperate enough to do it whether or not it’s legal…it’s still a choice they could make (albeit a bad choice), but if there are people who are going to do it regardless of the legality, why should we choose to cast our vote for President based on this one issue when there are lots of other important issues?
Second, looking at the bigger picture…
I have to assume people are against abortion because it’s about killing a life. But what about the people in our country and around the world that are facing death because of poverty and homelessness and war? In an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop John Onaiyekan said, “The fact that you oppose abortion doesn’t necessarily mean that you are pro-life. You can be anti-abortion and still be killing people by the millions through war, through poverty, and so on.”
Unfortunately, the policies that McCain supports have killed people through war. He’s supported the war in Iraq since the initial invasion, where an estimated 638,579 civilians killed since 2003 (source). Those civilian deaths include many innocent children. Between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 4,775 soldiers have died (source). And more than 1.3 million have been severely injured (source). Not only has their quality of life declined, but also the lives of their families and loved ones. And because our country has committed ourselves to occupying Iraq, we don’t ability to help stop the genocide that’s occurring in places like Darfur, where an estimated 200,000 – 400,000 have been murdered (source). I’m not saying that these lives are more important than unborn children. What I am saying is this – all of these lives are important. All of these people are children of God and each of those untimely deaths is a tragedy.
I also think it’s important to look at the candidates issues on social justice. Who best supports educational programs – which is the best way to ensure that all people have an equal chance to improve their lives? Who wants to dedicate efforts to feed the starving? Who wants to dedicate efforts to eliminate poverty? Who believes that health care is a right and not a privilege? I believe that there is one answer to all those questions – Barack Obama.
When Obama is President, he’ll establish the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He said, “This Council will not just be another name on the White House organization chart – it will be a critical part of my administration. We know that faith and values can be a source of strength in our own lives. That's what it's been to me. And that's what it is to so many Americans. But it can also be something more. It can be the foundation of a new project of American renewal. And that's the kind of effort I intend to lead as President of the United States." How great it will be to have a President who will leverage the faith and hope of people across our country and put it into action to make our community a better place.
More than any issue, the Bible calls Christians to help the poor and the oppressed. “If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks (Deut. 15:7-8).” Barack Obama understands the success faith-based partnerships have at helping people on a grass roots level, and wants to enable those organizations to make a bigger impact by making it a critical part of his administration.
The hard part about choosing who to cast your vote for is that there are so many issues on the table. Clearly, with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the current state of our economy, this election is more important than any election I’ve ever participated in. These issues are all intertwined. I encourage you to not overlook all of these important issues by singling out just one. Think about how we can make this world a better place – not just for a few – but for everyone.
Three times now I’ve heard three different people say that they won’t vote for Obama because of his stance on just one issue. His pro-choice view on abortion. I understand that abortion is a horrible thing. But since I’ve heard this from several people now, I just want to stand up and declare that I am voting for Barack Obama in spite of his record on this issue. The reason why I am voting for Barack Obama is because by looking at the bigger picture – including hunger, poverty, other social justice issues; peace and diplomacy; equality; our environment; education; healthcare and prenatal and postnatal programs to give children a fair chance in this world; and vets issues – I feel that Barack Obama is comprehensively more pro-life than John McCain. I think it’s easy to look at the issues and simply choose just one issue on which to base your vote. I think it’s more difficult, but more rewarding, to look at all the facts and stances of a candidate and choose to vote for the President who will make the most good for the greatest number of people.
First, about abortion…
As a Christian, I do not like abortion. I do not think it’s a good solution to end unplanned pregnancies. I’ve seen from first-hand experience the extreme guilt, remorse and regret that an abortion causes. Yes, it’s killing a human life. Women who get abortions must be in a pretty desperate place if they choose to do it. But we need to look at why they are in a position where they feel so desperate, and we need try to help prevent people from being in that sort of desperate position in the first place.
I’d rather see programs that help women see their choices and guide them into making the right choice – the choice of life – rather than having laws that dictate what they do. Catholics in Alliance, recently released a 20-year study about the long- and short-term effects on abortion rates, which found that benefits for pregnant women and mothers; employment; economic assistance to low-income families; quality child care for working mothers; and, removal of state caps on the number of children eligible for economic assistance in low-income families has reduced abortions (Source).
In his Blueprint for Change, Barack Obama says he supports such initiatives -- expanding access to contraception, health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies. Obama says he’ll establish community outreach programs in underserved areas to help make sure women have health care. Obama supports expanding the highly-successful Nurse-Family Partnership to all 570,000 low-income, first-time mothers each year. The Nurse-Family Partnership provides home visits by trained registered nurses to low-income expectant mothers and their families (Source).
Studies (including one by the Federal Reserve Bank) have shown that investing in training and early childhood programs to low-income mothers and high-risk children pays off in the long run, by reducing crime, drug use, lowering costs for prisons, and providing an opportunity for these children to make a better impact on our communities (Source).
I believe that all people are generally good and that given a choice between life and death for her baby, a woman would choose the miracle of life. And I think that those who decide to have an abortion are desperate enough to do it whether or not it’s legal…it’s still a choice they could make (albeit a bad choice), but if there are people who are going to do it regardless of the legality, why should we choose to cast our vote for President based on this one issue when there are lots of other important issues?
Second, looking at the bigger picture…
I have to assume people are against abortion because it’s about killing a life. But what about the people in our country and around the world that are facing death because of poverty and homelessness and war? In an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop John Onaiyekan said, “The fact that you oppose abortion doesn’t necessarily mean that you are pro-life. You can be anti-abortion and still be killing people by the millions through war, through poverty, and so on.”
Unfortunately, the policies that McCain supports have killed people through war. He’s supported the war in Iraq since the initial invasion, where an estimated 638,579 civilians killed since 2003 (source). Those civilian deaths include many innocent children. Between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, 4,775 soldiers have died (source). And more than 1.3 million have been severely injured (source). Not only has their quality of life declined, but also the lives of their families and loved ones. And because our country has committed ourselves to occupying Iraq, we don’t ability to help stop the genocide that’s occurring in places like Darfur, where an estimated 200,000 – 400,000 have been murdered (source). I’m not saying that these lives are more important than unborn children. What I am saying is this – all of these lives are important. All of these people are children of God and each of those untimely deaths is a tragedy.
I also think it’s important to look at the candidates issues on social justice. Who best supports educational programs – which is the best way to ensure that all people have an equal chance to improve their lives? Who wants to dedicate efforts to feed the starving? Who wants to dedicate efforts to eliminate poverty? Who believes that health care is a right and not a privilege? I believe that there is one answer to all those questions – Barack Obama.
When Obama is President, he’ll establish the Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. He said, “This Council will not just be another name on the White House organization chart – it will be a critical part of my administration. We know that faith and values can be a source of strength in our own lives. That's what it's been to me. And that's what it is to so many Americans. But it can also be something more. It can be the foundation of a new project of American renewal. And that's the kind of effort I intend to lead as President of the United States." How great it will be to have a President who will leverage the faith and hope of people across our country and put it into action to make our community a better place.
More than any issue, the Bible calls Christians to help the poor and the oppressed. “If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks (Deut. 15:7-8).” Barack Obama understands the success faith-based partnerships have at helping people on a grass roots level, and wants to enable those organizations to make a bigger impact by making it a critical part of his administration.
The hard part about choosing who to cast your vote for is that there are so many issues on the table. Clearly, with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the current state of our economy, this election is more important than any election I’ve ever participated in. These issues are all intertwined. I encourage you to not overlook all of these important issues by singling out just one. Think about how we can make this world a better place – not just for a few – but for everyone.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Otis' Big Day
As I'm writing this post, Otis is finishing his first day at agility class! We are super excited for Otis to start agility training. In case you don't know, agility is where dogs run through an obstacle course. There are tunnels, weave poles, teeter-totters, hurdles in addition to some other obstacles. Otis got a preview of agility in his first puppy kindergarten obedience class, and he showed a natural ability to get through the obstacles quickly and he seemed to love it.
Dave has been working really hard to get Otis ready for agility. Just to get into this class, the dogs have to be at least one year old, they have to have 24-weeks of formal obedience training, and they have to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. The Canine Good Citizen Test is pretty tough...There are ten items you must complete to pass -- like sitting, staying, walking on a leash. Doesn't seem too hard, except the dog has to be able to do it all with distractions....there are other dogs, dog toys, people, noises going on to try to distract the dog...and if you have to give your dog any sort of physical correction (like pulling on the leash), you fail. If you fail any one of the ten items, then you automatically fail the test. Otis and Dave passed it on their first try (yeah, you might not have guessed that if you see Otis at home...lol.)
So back to agility. We're excited to finally start the class. I'm bummed that it's on Fridays and so I have to be at work (and I tend to be too big of a distraction for Otis when I watch him in class, so I don't usually go anyway). The fun thing about agility, is that you can compete in it. I can't wait until Otis and Dave are good enough for the competitions...which shouldn't be too long. Otis is soon to be an agility champion! In fact, I have this on my 101 in 1,001 list. Hopefully, I'll get to sneak in to class one time and get some pics and video to share!
Dave has been working really hard to get Otis ready for agility. Just to get into this class, the dogs have to be at least one year old, they have to have 24-weeks of formal obedience training, and they have to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. The Canine Good Citizen Test is pretty tough...There are ten items you must complete to pass -- like sitting, staying, walking on a leash. Doesn't seem too hard, except the dog has to be able to do it all with distractions....there are other dogs, dog toys, people, noises going on to try to distract the dog...and if you have to give your dog any sort of physical correction (like pulling on the leash), you fail. If you fail any one of the ten items, then you automatically fail the test. Otis and Dave passed it on their first try (yeah, you might not have guessed that if you see Otis at home...lol.)
So back to agility. We're excited to finally start the class. I'm bummed that it's on Fridays and so I have to be at work (and I tend to be too big of a distraction for Otis when I watch him in class, so I don't usually go anyway). The fun thing about agility, is that you can compete in it. I can't wait until Otis and Dave are good enough for the competitions...which shouldn't be too long. Otis is soon to be an agility champion! In fact, I have this on my 101 in 1,001 list. Hopefully, I'll get to sneak in to class one time and get some pics and video to share!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Weekend Update...
My weekend was really good. We didn't really do too much special and stayed pretty close to home, which was really, really nice. On Friday, we went over to our neighbors house. We had a fun time hanging out with them. They workout at Gold's Gym, so that's where Dave first met them. Well, it turned out that they lived in our neighborhood. Then one day Sean and I realized we both had worked at GMAC together, and had been in a couple of meetings together over the years -- but when we made that connection, neither one of us worked there anymore. Even so, we had quite a bit of connections with them, and it was nice to finally get a chance to all hang out together.
So on Saturday, I spent most of the day at home. It was a really nice day and we took the dogs for a walk, but I also spent sometime cleaning the house (that's got to be done every once in a while). That evening, we went to see the movie, W, with my family (Dave, Mom, Dad, Rachel, Becky and Steven), and we ate dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. I'd say if you're interested in the movie, wait until it's for rent on DVD. It was an okay movie, but it definitely isn't as funny as the previews make you believe.
Today was another beautiful fall day. I just got back from the dog park with Otis and Cooper, my dad and Nels. We have a pot roast in the crockpot that's almost ready and it smells delicious!!! This morning I went to church and ran some errands afterwards. I think tonight I'm going to tackle the clothes and try to put them all away.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
So on Saturday, I spent most of the day at home. It was a really nice day and we took the dogs for a walk, but I also spent sometime cleaning the house (that's got to be done every once in a while). That evening, we went to see the movie, W, with my family (Dave, Mom, Dad, Rachel, Becky and Steven), and we ate dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. I'd say if you're interested in the movie, wait until it's for rent on DVD. It was an okay movie, but it definitely isn't as funny as the previews make you believe.
Today was another beautiful fall day. I just got back from the dog park with Otis and Cooper, my dad and Nels. We have a pot roast in the crockpot that's almost ready and it smells delicious!!! This morning I went to church and ran some errands afterwards. I think tonight I'm going to tackle the clothes and try to put them all away.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Moments of amazement
Do you ever have moments when you find yourself truly amazed? Do you ever feel amazed by the blessings in your life? Amazed by the beauty of our Earth? Amazed by your feelings of love and gratitude?
It happens in a moment, when something catches you off-guard and it forces you to take a step back and say, "Wow."
I had one of those moments last night. I was driving to see Krissy at Rise and Wine (yes, I know I already mentioned that in today's earlier post). But I forgot to mention this oh-so-important-part.
I was driving to the coffee shop...not speeding or anything, but slightly annoyed I hit a red light. I was thinking about how long I could hang out with Krissy, so I could stop at the grocery store and then get home and not miss much of the debate.
Then my light turned green, and I proceeded up a hill. Then I came to a clearing (the overpass over the freeway), but there in all its glory was a beautiful harvest moon peeping over the horizon. In that moment, I truly appreciated the beauty of that moon, wondering if others were slowing down to notice it too. The moon was full and almost orange. It was beautiful -- our world is beautiful, Although I'll see many more beautiful harvest moons in my life, I'll never see the moon exactly the same way as I did in that moment.
I let go of my to-do list and arrived at the coffee shop ready to enjoy some moments with a friend.
It happens in a moment, when something catches you off-guard and it forces you to take a step back and say, "Wow."
I had one of those moments last night. I was driving to see Krissy at Rise and Wine (yes, I know I already mentioned that in today's earlier post). But I forgot to mention this oh-so-important-part.
I was driving to the coffee shop...not speeding or anything, but slightly annoyed I hit a red light. I was thinking about how long I could hang out with Krissy, so I could stop at the grocery store and then get home and not miss much of the debate.
Then my light turned green, and I proceeded up a hill. Then I came to a clearing (the overpass over the freeway), but there in all its glory was a beautiful harvest moon peeping over the horizon. In that moment, I truly appreciated the beauty of that moon, wondering if others were slowing down to notice it too. The moon was full and almost orange. It was beautiful -- our world is beautiful, Although I'll see many more beautiful harvest moons in my life, I'll never see the moon exactly the same way as I did in that moment.
I let go of my to-do list and arrived at the coffee shop ready to enjoy some moments with a friend.
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