Political Freedom

When the Pilgrims came across the sea, to what is now the United State, they did not seek only religious, but political freedom.
About this time last year brad and I stopped at the newly built Love's Station between Mesquite and Las Vegas. We pulled out to find a colorful older man sitting at a camper with tables set up. We saw what he was selling and skidded to a stop. The traveling Anti-Obama campaign had come to our neck of the woods. We bought a sticker, a shirt,and a constitution, and we sat and talked for what seemed like hours. We promptly put the sticker on Brad's 93 Chevy S10 along with his Wyoming sticker, a Dale Earnhardt "God needed a new driver" sticker, and a "Not Skeerd" sticker. We looked like hicks and that was ok with us. (For the record Brad doesn't like Nascar it was there when he bought the truck). Any ways, we were living at my parents house during this time and one of her neighbors was NOT happy with our newest sticker. She stopped Brad on his way into the house and said, "I don't appreciate that sticker. Obama is a dear friend of ours, and is a good man. I should call the HOA and have them handle it." (This is the same neighbor who said Kiarah, our last dog, needed to be on a leash in my backyard so she didn't eat her precious Siamese cat. That darn cat brought dead birds into my yard, on more than one occasion.) I was, needless to say, pissed-off; which is only better than being pissed on some times; wait till you have kids. When Brad said he was sorry she felt that way but this is a free country, her response, "This isn't a free country it's an HOA." Yeah right. So, Christmas came and I baked all of our neighbors cookies. In hers, however, I left an extra special note. I basically told her to screw off and get over the fact that most of the people on our block, and in our town, agreed with the sticker. I also told her to keep her stupid cat off our property before I call HOA (I fought fire with fire, but I was sorta nice about it).
This time of year always reminds me about that, and it gives me, as Mr. Johnson would say, a warm fuzzy feeling in my insides. I got to truly exercise my freedom of speech and politics. WOOOHOOO. She still has yet to say one word to my family since, not even the usual neighborly wave as you drive by. Haha, thanks Pilgrims and the Constitution, way to have my back.

:.:Sweet Simplicity:.

For some reason after you become a mom (or dad) it seems that simple things bring so much more pleasure. Getting home safely has a whole new sense of relief. When see a dad with his daughter you have to smile. Little things catch your eye, and all of a sudden life is just... good. 

Today Ilona, my 8 month old daughter, was pulling herself up on the coffee table. She slipped and hit her head, which really isn't that new, it happens to every kid. But when I jumped up to save my baby as she screamed at the top of her lungs, more in fear than pain, I just scooped her up and smiled at her and held her close. She cried for a couple of moments, and all of a sudden she stopped, eyes all teared up and red, a small black eye forming, yawned and rolled over in my arms and dozed off. I didn't get up to put her in her crib, or turn on the TV. I just sat there and held her and looked at how simply precious she was. 

Those are the simple moments in life we need to learn to treasure. Becoming a parent makes it even more vital to truly appreciate each moment, because it will fly by faster than you can imagine.