Out, damned egg! Out I say!

It Rode Us All the Way to New Orleans

I didn't want to leave town without an update. Unfortunately I don't have much of an update but do have a request.

TNPL had to cancel today's meeting due to a family medical emergency. I missed her call early this morning (bummer) but left her a message telling her we were thinking of her and her family and sending good wishes and thoughts. So if any of you have any spare good thoughts please put them out in the universe for her family.

We were hoping to have an official "match" today and that was our current requirement for parental (and family) notification. Now I'm not entirely sure we should tell everyone. I'm leaning towards telling them but don't want to have to constantly update and explain. It wouldn't be such a big issue except the mister's 'rents are planning a 50th Anniversary family trip - right over the due date of TNPL in January. I'd feel much more comfortable planning something in February instead but that means spilling the beans about TNPL. Oh and we're going to be spending Thanksgiving with most of the mister's family so it's not like we can go radio silence.

In other news, the mister and I leave early early EARLY tomorrow am for New Orleans. Woot woot! This is Sabbatical Phase 2. We'll be there for a full week! Our plans are to mostly eat and drink our way through the city. We have gotten some great recommendations from our friend Bebe but feel free to pile them on here.

Then we're headed to Washington DC for 10 days of family (his), friends (both of ours) and fun (for everyone!). I'm super stoked to meet my very favorite in-law's relatives. And because I'm not a very nice person I'm also stoked that my least favorite bil won't be able to make it.  I have offered to be my very fave in-law's sous chef and serve at his beck and call. Here's to no repeats of the infamous Sweet Potato episode (he would never be that passive aggressive or rude) of several years ago.

But for now the Big Easy is calling...hurricanes, po' boys, beignets and more. Yummmmmmm.

Hope and Change

I don't think that I can adequately describe my feelings of this past week. It has truly been an amazing time. I don't often get political here but you can probably guess my bent. If you can't then I'll just tell you: I'm very very liberal. VERY. Now here in Northern California I'm not among the most liberal (that is awfully hard to do) but I've been on the far side of the left in the 6 other states where I've lived.

The past 8 years have been a very dark time for me and for my country. Like many others I've been ashamed of our current administration and distraught about how we've handled ourselves in the world.

But last Tuesday was a momentous time for us. I spent all day working at poll sites (I'll get to that in a bit) and was glued to the tv witching the returns when the polls closed here. When the election was called for Obama you could hear the screams of excitement all through my neighborhood. People rushed into the streets and were just so damned happy. I cried tears of joy. I was so happy to feel proud of my fellow citizens and my country again.

And then I continued to watch the results and it became more than a bit bittersweet. Here in California we voted to give chickens and farm animals more room and to be treated more humanely. We also voted to take away rights of our fellow citizens. That is simply wrong and unfair. I can't believe people were so hateful.

I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the election results. I'm pissed that I can't just be truly and simply happy like so many of the other parts of the country (although I think my friends in Arkansas have it even harder than Californians). I want to just celebrate and bask in this change but I'm truly sad to live in a state where we have taken rights away from people. It's the first incident of that in our country's history.

I'm also angry that the predominant church in my former state played such a pivotal role in this. I don't think that any money from out of state should be allowed to fund state propositions. And any church that engages in politics in this way should lose their tax-exempt status.

Back to the good part.

My children will never know a time when a person of color wasn't President of the United States. My god-daughter will grow up truly believing she can be anything (although I think she is far too smart to want to be President). Her mother has written an incredible post about the meaning of this election. Go read it if you haven't already. That is such a wonderful thing.

I can breathe easier. It's like this huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I feel good about the Supreme Court for the first time in 8 years. People here are smiling and happy and just being nice to each other. The sun even came out after a week of storms.

And the mister and I had our second date with This NPL yesterday. It was great. There was much talking, mall walking and eating. We talked a lot about politics in her home country as well as here. Actually we talked about all kinds of things. We're still not officially matched but we're all moving forward and enjoying our time together. We're trying to schedule a meeting with our adoption consultant on Wednesday. Her due date is a few short days before Mr. Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President.

I think next year is going to be one great year.