Saturday, November 29, 2008

I'm Thankful For...



I'm thankful for the first successful road trip since the kids were born. We went to Grammi and Papa GB's house for Thanksgiving - a 6-plus hour trip - and E and O were darn-near perfect BOTH ways. We were so proud of them and so happy to have a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend away from home. Plus, the trip managed to improve their level of potty-training. We thought it would do the opposite, but Owen is almost completely trustworthy in his big-boy Elmo underwear and rather enjoyed the public restroom adventures.

We went to the Fort Worth zoo - E and O's first REAL look at their favorite animals, since Amarillo's zoo features mostly the barnyard variety of animals. Elephants, zebras, giraffes. They had a blast. The weather was beautiful, and we had the park to ourselves because we were smart enough to go on Thanksgiving day. We had Grammi's big T-giving feast on Friday. Great weekend!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

New President, Changing Times


On November 4, we were glued to the TV as Senator Barack Obama beat out Senator John McCain in the race for the White House. In January, he will become the first black president in U.S. history. He proposes many changes to the country, many of which Nate and I worry about when it comes to the twins' future. Will we be able to afford to send them to the college of their choice?

Of course, the twins weren't one bit interested in the election. They wanted to watch Dancing With The Stars instead. And they don't understand the big deal about a black president. To the young and innocent, color means nothing. E and O play harmoniously with friends of all skin types and economic backgrounds at school. Never in a million years would those kids think twice about befriending someone who didn't look or dress exactly like themselves. When they're older, society will probably teach them to think differently. Sad.

We are hopeful that Obama's term will bring about good things, and we will support our new president as every good U.S. citizen should. It's a basic courtesy too many people did not offer President George W. Bush. Like him or not, we should all respect our president. I want my kids to learn that.