IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE ELECTION

The elections were coming. I was not liking how it was going after the primaries. I have been very troubled by this election. We had candidates that I was not happy with and propositions that were very controversial.

When Prop 8 was first introduced, I thought, "What's the big deal?" I didn't think it was worth worrying over and didn't particularly feel a need to fight for it. But then we got instructions from the First Presidency of our church. I was shocked. It didn't take long to get on board, though.

The more I learned about what was happening, not just in California, but all over the nation regarding gay marriage, the more concerned I got. And the more vested I became in the fight for Prop 8. I've never hated gay people. I have gay friends that I love. And I was heartbroken that they would be sad or angry that I was supporting Prop 8. But we are commanded to follow the prophet. And the prophet said we needed to do all we could to support Prop 8. So we did.

We cut our own expenses to contribute money and we volunteered our time. We posted signs and shared opinions. We did it because we felt in our hearts it was right.

The Bible story that has repeatedly come to mind is the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22.

1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Abraham was commanded by the Lord to sacrifice his son. He obeyed, even knowing that it was not in line with the teachings of the Lord. The Lord stayed his hand and provided another offering. But Abraham had proved his loyalty to the Lord.

We were asked to support Prop 8. Regardless of how we feel about it, it was a commandment. I never thought we would be asked to just blindly follow. I didn't even realize at first the similarities in what we were asked to do and what Abraham was asked to do. My testimony has grown because of it.

In the past, I've frequently visited an author's message board. Her son is gay and she was encouraging people to vote against Prop 8. I very respectfully shared why I was going to vote FOR Prop 8. It turned into a very long and very civil discussion. People who didn't agree with me were still civil. They expressed their disagreement, but people also learned a lot about possible consequences if Prop 8 failed.

Today, someone asked about our views on Prop 8 since it passed. This is what I posted:

this is a sensitive subject

Posted by Tracy on 11/5/2008, 14:54:07, in reply to "prop 8"

While I supported and voted for Prop 8, I understand that there are others who are hurt by it. But we had conflicting rights and concerns and one side had to win. And while it could have been initiated and accomplished in a different way to appease everyone, there's always the chance that no matter what anyone came up with, people wouldn't have been happy.

My heart breaks for those that are hurting. But I feel that the people's voices were heard and should be respected. And I think the fact that California and the nation voted Obama in as president proves that we're not a nation and people controlled by prejudice and descrimination. Prop 8 was not a civil rights issue and didn't pass because people were prejudiced. It passed because people have fundamental beliefs about the family.

I really hope that we can all accept things and find ways to live together, instead of continuing to fight. I fought hard for Prop 8, and I'd do it again. But that doesn't mean I enjoyed it or that I want the contention to continue. I really hope we, as a people, can heal after this election.

Since that post, I have received numerous replies that have been excruciatingly hateful. I am amazed at the level of anger and hatred that has multiplied since we fought for something the Lord set for us. I thought the fight would be over after the election. But I'm comforted knowing that we obeyed and we did what we knew to be right.

In D&C 4:2, it reads: "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."

Stepping away from Prop 8 and towards the election in general, I am deeply troubled that John McCain and Barack Obama were the best our country had to offer. I liked John McCain slightly better than Obama. Or maybe I should say, I thought he'd be a better president. I didn't like either of them. But Obama won and now we're moving into a new administration.

I have said on many occasions in political discussions that I don't think any policy or law is going to fix our country until we fix the character and integrity of the people and rebuild the family. We are in a different world than ever before.

I don't think there has EVER been a time when good and righteous parenting was more important. It is imperative that we all, as mothers, fathers, teachers, leaders, take it upon ourselves to teach our children what is right. To strengthen their spirits that they might have the fortitude to overcome the world that is falling apart around them. We have an obligation to provide our children with the knowledge and understanding to take on the challenges that they will face and find ways to improve life for themselves and others. We need to raise future teachers and leaders. People who will, when asked, follow the Lord. Even blindly, if asked to do so. I'm overwhelmed by these responsibilities. But I will try my hardest to be the kind of mom I need to be and follow the Lord.

Yesterday, after the election, I thought the fight was over. But today it's becoming more clear to me that it's really just beginning.

HELP! I need a snack recommendation that starts with S

I have a cold, so I don't want to make something. Any ideas on what I can buy pre-made that starts with an S?

Thanks so much!

Yeah, I know - ANOTHER POST

This is inspired by Della Hill's Be Grateful, Sunday post. As I thought about what I was grateful for, I at first started thinking of all the things I always say - family, gospel, etc. So I thought I'd take this down the "What I don't realize how thankful I am for..."

So here it is... I'm thankful for:

1. makeup
2. deodorant
3. epidurals
4. disposable diapers
5. flushable wipes
6. dishwashers (the mechanical kind)
7. washing machines
8. water bottles
9. orthodontics
10. Lasik
11. automobiles
12. DVR
13. ipods
14. frozen yogurt
15. Ghiridelli chocolate
16. running showers
17. blogging
18. road side service
19. air conditioning
20. Ibuprofen

It makes sense to me, but...

Today I'm going for random. My cold has taken a turn for the worse. I feel like that scene in Haunted Mansion where Eddie Murphy is down in the mausoleum and he just stole the key and all the zombies are getting out of their crypts coming after him. That's what's happening in my body. The mucus is taking over and it happened all of a sudden. Yuck!!!

***On to the next topic....Okay - so my mother-in-law is coming on the 12th. (NO! It's not another scene from Haunted Mansion, unless you count the scene when they first get to the mansion and it's dusty and there are cobwebs everywhere and you're thinking, "Man! They really need to clean!")

(We watched a movie Halloween night. Wanna guess what we watched?)

Okay, so Matt & I are going to Virginia for a quick trip and his mom is coming to babysit. So now I'm in panic mode. I don't care if my house is clean when my family comes, but with my in-laws, it's a different story.

So I figured if I set myself a schedule to get it all cleaned, then I can get it done in time. Cuz really, it's probably a month long job. But if I work fast, I can probably get the most important stuff done in time.

Here's what I'm thinking:

Monday, Nov. 3 - master bedroom

Tuesday, Nov. 4 - master bath

Wednesday, Nov. 5 - vacuum & mop floors

Thursday, Nov. 6 - dust office & living room

Friday, Nov. 7 - family room, Savannah's room, & kids bath

Monday, Nov. 10 - guest room & guest bath

Tuesday, Nov. 11 - kitchen

This is my plan. I hope that by putting it on my blog, I'll be motivated to get it done. (I know - I can see you ROFLOL!!!)

And seriously, if you're thinking all these jobs can be done in one day - there's a reason you haven't seen my whole house!!!

***Next topic...... I'm doing the NaBloPoMo challenge (National Blog Posting Month). The deal is you're supposed to blog every day for a month.

Here's a button if you want it:

<a href="http://www.nablopomo.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Chocoholic" src="http://i409.photobucket.com/albums/pp176/superseriousblogs/nablopomo3.jpg"/></a><script type="text/javascript">
${widget.hasDynamicSize}</script>

It was created by MomBabe. I got it from Melissa B's blog.

***Next topic.....you have to check out my friend Melissa R's blog. She & her hubby look so authentic in their Halloween getup. ROCK ON!!!!

***Last topic (I promise!!!)....please vote on my poll (to the right). I never know how to reply to comments, so I'd like to get a consensus. Thank you! Thank you!

FINALLY - A New Look

My blog was really bugging me. I was feeling claustrophobic every time I saw my blog page, so I finally got it all fixed up. I love all the blog helps and buttons for websites, but it was just too much, so I created another blog where I can keep all that stuff. It's all at Mormon Blog Stalker (the button is on the right side of my blog). I like gathering up stuff to play with on my blog, so if you want to dress up your blog, check it out. There's going to be all kinds of stuff for blogs. Right now I have some stuff - it's going to take me a little bit of time to get all the stuff on it that I want. But my plan is to really stock it well, so I'm going to keep adding to it. Check back when you get a chance to see what's new. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Food Storage Gone Wrong

Did you know...

1. #10 cans of fruit can explode.
2. When they do, they look like someone put a straw in them and blew them up until there were no edges. ANYWHERE.
3. When they explode, the liquid sprays the entire inside of your cupboard.
4. Then it runs down the sides, past all the shelves, and pools at the bottom.
5. If you don't catch it soon enough, it all hardens into a hard carmel-like substance.
6. And it starts to SMELL. BADLY.
7. When you move the cans, they start making a hissing sound. Like the air hoses that you use to put air in your tires.
8. If you don't think before you move them, you spray your whole kitchen.
9. You have to take a ton of breaks during cleaning because the smell is GROSS.
10. You may never be able to eat peaches again.

Looking Over the Fence at Prop 8

I spent most of last night on an author's message board, discussing Prop 8. This author has written books I absolutely love, but over time she has gotten more vulgar and pushed agendas that I don't agree with. I don't read her anymore. But since I have friends who frequent her message board, I've stopped in there on occasion.

Her son is gay and she is very much opposed to Prop 8. When she posted a plea for people to vote no on Prop 8, I respectfully shared why I was voting YES. It turned into a HUGE thread and surprisingly, it remained very civil. There were only a few mean posts. I ignored them, as my goal was only to express the other side, which I think I managed to do adequately.

I have been actively involved in promoting Prop 8. But that doesn't mean I don't feel troubled about those who think I hate them or don't care about what they want. It is extremely distressing when people assume you feel a certain way. Especially if that "certain way" is negative.

I know God loves ALL His children. And I know He grieves for those that are hurting because of Prop 8. But He will not change His law to appease man.

In Corinthians 11:3, 8-12, we read: "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God...... For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God."

I think this scripture is often misinterpreted. But when we spend the time to really think and pray about it, we understand that everyone has their place in the family. And that's what Prop 8 is all about - establishing members of the family.

Vote YES on Prop 8!!!

For more info on Prop 8, please visit my other blog - Protecting Freedoms, Protecting Families.

Where I See Cordy in Five Years

Okay, like probably about a million other people, I was disappointed to read that Cordy was fictional and her story was over. (Click here for the deets on Cordy's story. Click here for the deets on the reveal.) Some had already guessed, and I admit I wondered a few times myself, but I blocked those thoughts and went with the assumption that she was real.

So instead of being mad (because I too sent an email to Cordy, which in hind sight made me feel kind of stupid), I decided that I just had to laugh. No other feelings were going to be productive for me.

And then this morning, I started thinking.....what would Cordy's life be like in five years? Here's what I came up with. This is just for fun and I figured I and a few others could get a laugh out of it and ease the disappointment of yesterday.

Five years down the road, Cordy thinks her life is CRAP! That's right, CRAP! Her 4 year old just pooped and wiped herself. And while Cordy is grateful that she is so independent, she's less than thrilled that her daughter's counting skills are still developing. So instead of counting out so many squares of toilet paper to get the job done, she used half a roll of toilet paper. Yes, that's right, HALF A ROLL of TP. So then Cordy had to clean all that toilet paper out of the toilet (while the poop was still in there, of course). And while she was so diligently engaged in bringing cleanliness to her house again, her 2 year old was sitting on her knees, reading the children's book that Cordy had written and gotten published. While that was a righteous endeavor, her feet were under her bottom. Which was covered in a diaper. Full of poop. That leaked. Because Cordy wasn't able to promptly change her because she was up to her elbows in wet toilet paper. So then, her 2 year old walked around the house (like in Family Circus) and tracked poop all over the house. Yet another poop mess for Cordy to clean. Then to top it all off, Cordy is pregnant again. BIG pregnant. Like, ready to POP. And she's a little stopped up.

Cordy remembers how life was five years ago and wonders how she got to this point. A life full of POOP. CRAP. DOO DOO. She turns on her computer and starts reading Mommy Blogs. Cuz don't we all need an escape sometimes?



How'd you like my "crappy" post? Oh, COME ON!!!! Like we haven't all been there!!!!!!!

Update on Sharing

Savannah threw up ALL NIGHT LONG. I am SOOOOO tired.

I talked to her teacher this morning and apparently her teacher and 3 other students were also sick all night long. They make assignments for snack, so they all ate the same snack yesterday. The only difference was that some had barely any frosting, while others had lots of frosting. Considering that they all got sick within the same 2 hours, I think it's a pretty safe guess that they had food poisoning.

Things are better this morning. She's kept down a popsicle and a few bites of applesauce.

My hat's off to moms of young babies. I swear - I only went one night with barely any sleep and I feel like I want to die, or sleep for a week.

Share and Share Alike

Apparently it was sharing day and no one told me. It's been a while, so I forgot that children can share so well.

When Savannah started complaining that her stomach hurt, I figured it was because I was late in getting dinner together. I was wrong. Someone else had shared the other day at school, and then Savannah shared with us tonight. Lots and lots of vomit. Right after dinner was on the table. Nice.

I sure hope sharing time is OVER.

A Couple Laughs

I apologize in advance to any Democrats.



Give it a few minutes and then try not to laugh.

I AM SUPERMOM!!!

I forgot that Savannah had to bring snack today until this morning. So I didn't have it ready when the carpool picked her up, which meant I had to bring it down to her school, 20-25 minutes away.

I got in the shower, makeup on, dressed, took the dog out to pee, ran to the store to get the snack, and got to the school ALL IN 45 MINUTES!!!!!!!! Can you believe it???? I can't!!!!!

So I just had to post that I'm supermom, I was so proud of myself.

Okay - I know the fact that I forgot she had snack negates my supermom status, but cut me a break, will ya? It's a miracle I got the snack there on time!

P.S. You have to check out Della Hill's site: The Life and Times of Della Hill. That video is hilarious!!!!

Seven Random and/or Weird Facts About Me

This was fun to do. Tagged by Melissa B - everyone who has visited her blog has been tagged. Check it out - Because I Really Can't Get Enough of Myself. And now.....everyone who visits here is tagged. And I DO mean that. If I don't see this on some blogs soon, I'll be bugging you! And yeah, I know that's not really what the rules say (see the pic at the bottom of this post), but ask me if I care. I'll still be looking for random and/or weird facts about you!

So here we go:

1. I never liked the name Jessica. I don't dislike it, I just never liked it. Kind of like the name "Tracy". It's okay - nothing spectacular. My middle child was named Jessica because I had a dream that I had a baby named Jessica and when I got pregnant, I knew I was pregnant with "Jessica". And I have to say - there is not another name that would fit her better. The name has grown on me. Now I kind of love it. And she's an amazing child!

2. I love starting projects, but rarely finish them completely. I can't help it. It's just what I do. And it drives my husband CRAZY.

3. I'm afraid of the ocean. I'm scared to death that I'm going to get eaten by a shark. I know - it's a ridiculous fear, especially when I'm only in up to my knees. But I can't help it.

4. I love romantic stories. I love to read them. I love to watch them. I love to hear them. I'm just a sucker for romance. Matt thinks Die Hard is a romantic movie. He also thinks it's a Christmas movie. What's wrong with this picture????

5. Christmas Eve is the BEST DAY OF THE WHOLE YEAR!!! I'm a sucker for Christmas. And Christmas Eve is our big traditional family gathering. We eat potitza bread, kielbasa, cole slaw, and a potato casserole or macaroni casserole. I'm not a real fan of much of it except the potitza bread. My cousins and I always used to joke that when the old people get really old, we'll just make them hotdogs and say, "Here's your kielbasa." Then we'll all eat filet minon.

6. My great aunt is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PEOPLE. She is an amazing woman. She'll be 93 on Friday. She was a model in the 30's & 40's. She is one of the happiest persons I've ever known. She loves everyone and always makes people feel good. She is fun to be with and she hates to clean. (Yes, that's where I got my "cleaning hate" gene.) And how many times can I say "she" before I drive someone besides myself crazy?

7. I lost my patience. And I can't find it. I know it's here somewhere. But it's been gone for a while and I'm getting a little concerned. My kids haven't been able to help me find it. Same deal with my husband. But I better find it soon. If you know where it is, please tell me. I really need it back. I think Matt & the kids want me to get it back, too.

Now.....

Trunk-or-Treat, Shrek, and the Florida Gators - What do they all have in common?

Nothing - I just needed a title. ;)

We had our trunk-or-treat tonight. Here are the kids (We don't go all out with costumes. I try, but my kids like being the same two or three things over and over again. Jessica really wanted to wear that outfit, so I told her she could be a gypsy. She kept asking me all night, "What am I again, Mom?"):


And me (I think my mom wore this outfit in the early 70's):


Baby Shrek bungee jumping (Don't ask me why I'm posting these on my blog. Even I don't know.):






And how could I not mention the KILLING Florida served up to Kentucky? Sorry to any Kentucky fans. Go Gators!

A Diet Pepsi and a Maple Bar - The Breakfast of Champions

Okay....KIDDING! I actually had my usual for breakfast. I'm kind of freaky about health, now. I think it comes with getting closer to 40. So every day I eat eggs and oatmeal for breakfast.

I am eating a maple bar with a Diet Pepsi right now, though - they're just a snack. Like that makes it healthier. It does help, though, that I spent an hour on the recumbent bike yesterday, so my butt and my hamstrings are killing me today. I always feel more excited about snacking on junk if my muscles are sore. Not sure where the logic in that is, but I'll roll with it.

I have a theory. Actually, I have lots of theories. But the theory I was thinking of is the one about what kind of day you're destined to have when you have a Diet Pepsi for breakfast. And since I eat the same thing for breakfast every day, I would count having a Diet Pepsi for breakfast if I had one before noon.

The day didn't start off well. It may be a "3 Diet Pepsi's" day, or maybe more. I really do try to limit my intake because I've noticed in the last year that I really start to swell when I drink soda.

On to a different topic, but I swear it ties in...... We got a dog yesterday. I'm not sure she's staying. She's a toy eskimo/chihuahua, so she looks like a mix between a coyote and a chihuahua. She's not cute. But she's really sweet. And very obedient.

And then she PEED on me this morning!!!!! I had just taken her outside to go to the bathroom, but apparently she wasn't done. I was so annoyed.

Matt's allergic to dogs, so the breeder that we adopted her from has agreed to give us a weekend trial to see if he has a problem with this dog. We're adopting a puppy from her in January - a wolf/malamute. That dog will primarily be an outside dog. But the little one we have now would be inside and I'm not sure getting a 2 year old dog is working. It's harder to train an older dog. And she's never worn a collar, so she hates that.

Anyhoo - I'm trying to adjust to the dog. But back to my morning - and the reason for my Diet Pepsi at 10 a.m. Tonight is the trunk or treat church activity. Primary is in charge of one of the booths, so I need to get the prizes for that. And Matt got an assignment to bring chili, so I had to run to the store this morning and get all the stuff and then make the chili so it can cook in the crockpot. (I have this pride thing when it comes to my chili - I have to make an effort because once, a long time ago, I won the chili cookoff. I still have the little plastic trophy with the sticker on it, announcing me the winner. Otherwise, I would have bought canned chili and just claimed it.)

So basically, I got up, took the dog outside, got peed on (after we came back inside), did the dishes, made my breakfast, ran to the store (with the kids), made chili, and now I'm drinking my Diet Pepsi and writing in my blog. I guess I should have picked up the candy for prizes today when I was at the store, but you know how it is when you have 3 kids with you at the store. You always forget something.

OH! I almost forgot to include a whining, crying child in my sob story. My 4 year old is now doing the fake wail. Earlier it was just whining, but now it's that "The world is coming to an end! Oh, poor me! Poor me! Waaaaaa!" fake cry. All because she has to clean her room. ANOTHER reason I'm drinking a Diet Pepsi before noon.

You'd think I was addicted to Diet Pepsi. I'm not. I just drink it to fight headaches. And this morning I was fighting one off early. :)