Before you vote...

I don't understand why the american people are even allowed to vote.  I know,
democracy is supposed to be about "for the people, by the people" but what
happens when the vast majority of those people are un-informed and have NO idea
about any of the issues, or where candidates actually stand.  An article in the
daily journal two weeks ago has really been bothering me.  They ran a story
about a 42 year old woman who has NEVER voted.  She hasn't even ever registered. 
However, she has twins with down syndrome.  So she's registering to vote, so
that she can vote for McCain/Palin since Sarah Palin has a baby with downs. 
SERIOUSLY?  And of course, if you're black, you probably should vote for Obama. 
Or maybe one candidate is better looking than the other.  The best person for
the job should be the one to do the job.  However, your children, the color of
your skin, or what you ate for breakfast should really not be the reason you
vote for someone.  As more and more people make their decision, they don't know
anything about the facts.  Part of that is the fault of the media-who are
supposed to bring truth to us, but instead bring us slander campaigns from each
camp--or color everything with their own opinions.  Is John McCain too old, and
Barack Obama too young?  Maybe.  Is Sarah Palin qualified to be vice president
because she has a child with downs?  Is she less qualified because shes a
mother, even though Obama is a father?  I think in the future, candidates should
all wear bags on their heads, and their personal lives not be investigated at
all.  They should only be allowed to talk about real issues facing our society. 
They should address why the rich get richer while the poor get poorer.  They
should have to provide real, tangible solutions, not just theories or ideas. 
But alas, as we live in a media-crazed society that cares nothing about the
value of the human condition...how can we even hope for such a miracle.  If
you're not registered to vote, go register.  BUT PLEASE--don't make your
decision based on the families, skin colors, ages or food preferences of the
candidates.  Please actually investigate both sides of the issue.  Don't vote
democrat or republican because you always have.  Don't only listen to one
side--or research Obama from McCains view and vice-versa.  Please Please Please,
try to be educated before election day.  And hope that the ignorant masses come
down with the flu and have to stay home. 

pregnant.

So, im pregnant. For those of you that know me, you know that the next few months of my life will probably be a huge ordeal, leading up to a very traumatic birth (for me at least). I am doing what I can to not stress out, to eat better and all that other stuff you are supposed to do.

i pretty much always feel like i would feel better if i could just throw up--but i don't throw up. which is ok i guess...but frustrating because i think i would feel BETTER.

I am also pretty much complaining about everything. I am not sure what it has to do with pregnancy. I've been angry/sad for longer than i've been pregnant. It comes and goes. Sometimes I think its the fault of my job. I noticed in my old notebook that I was very frustrated and overwhelmed in April and in May where I wrote out prayers to try and calm myself down.

Im not sure how long i can do child welfare. its too much work for too little reward. most days i feel like im not really helping anyone. like everything we do is to protect ourselves, rather than really helping other people.

and the cardinals lost today. that also made me mad.

hello, hello.

im excited to know that rachel will be here in a little over two weeks. thats FUN. it makes me happy. i will only get to see her one night..but still...thats better than nothing. i have not seen her since disney...

in other news, erikas brother richard will be occupying the space that used to belong to andy and naomi...he seems almost like he's afraid of us, so that could be fun...but mean, so i will try not to scare him. he's going to Olivet for his masters in the fall and just needs a place to call home for a bit. we do what we can :)

the cardinals won tonight. the cubs are currently in extra innings.
yep. thats about it for the excitement of my life.

Happy Birthday Jaylene.

Monday was Jaylene's birthday. so scott and i went out to dinner with her family. it was a pretty good time overall...and i think jaylene was pretty excited to have people celebrate her--she doesn't get that too often.

Sunday was my last class with the 6th graders...which is really sad, but at the same time, my class will be probably less than 10 all summer....so that'll be a nice break.

i worked at the theatre all weekend...which was way better than i thought it would be. prince caspian was a very nice fellow it turns out, and people came to see him. We were praising the warm weather (which has vanished again) because we think that helped keep the numbers down a little bit...so that it wasn't super crazy.

Scott and I bought a big wooden pot to put over this hole in our front yard so that we're not constantly sticking the mower in it..which is good. hopefully we'll get flowers soon, because right now, its just a pot of dirt...which is kinda silly, and its kinda silly because its at the FRONT of our front yard..like by the sidewalk...so we'll see how it goes in the end. im hoping for some warm weather as there is some stuff I would like to do outside.

well, so much for my randomness...i need to get ready for work (and this is why im late)

bible study.

about a year and a half ago, my husband forced me to go on a ladies retreat at our church. now--lets be honest, if you know my church--it didnt really sound like a good time. i imagined the parents of my quizzers, and the nice old ladies in my church--basically a snooze fest and i had better things to do--like lay on my couch.

well, that weekend changed my life. it actually connected me with lovely ladies my age--that were really cool people. and they had husbands that love to play games-so it gave us a group of friends and a support system we had been lacking since college.

shortly after, i joined the girls Bible study which meets on thursday nights. we've had some good times. i'm really grateful to this group, because they have given me accountability, and a place where i can encounter Jesus. and now, i'm being challenged again--to go even deeper with Jesus, and i'm excited. its gonna be amazing i think.