November

Hello all. I know I have fallen off the blogging world for a while. The truth is I have had no blogging inspiration recently, in literary fields I think they call it writers block :O) So even though I am not feeling entirely inspired I thought I should break the drought and at least write something. Today is the first official day of Summer, and I can not believe how very blessed we have been with the cool weather. Usually this time of year the weather is well into the 35-40C range (95-105 F) and yet the whole month it has sat around 25C (75F). The only downside of all of this is that it has been a bit too cool for swimming at the beach. However, with being pregnant and knowing that evetually the warm weather is coming, I am very thankful for the cooler weather. In was also nice when we celebrated our Ex-pat thanksgiving to have the cooler weather to help make it feel a little bit more traditional. It also helps when you are cooking a turkey and heating up the house for it not to be blistering hot outside. I didn't think to take pics of our Thanksgiving untill after everyone left but I did get this shot of the beautiful rainbow that was over our backyard that afternoon!!!

As for the pregnancy, as far as I can tell everything is going good. I see my midwife for the first time next week which I am really looking forward to. I haven't had any scans so I am so looking forward to hearing little bubs heart beat and to know that there really is a little life in there. I am 14 weeks now so hopfully any day I should start to feel some flutters and kicks (fingers crossed). I have lost 7 kgs (15lbs) since being pregnant which is pretty normal for me, so now that I have my appetite back I am trying to not go too silly with the junk food. I keep telling myself "eat your fruit and veggies first". We are going to find out this time if it's a boy or a girl so in January when we get back from Brisbane the whole family is going to go in for the scan. It will be good for the kids to see an actual baby on the screen and hopfully feel a bit more connected :O)

Other then that we have just been up to ordinary everyday life stuff. Here are a few pics of the day the kids made felt necklaces. They thought they were such big kids since they got to use "real" needles. What a great activity it ended up being, seeing as it kept them entertained for well over an hour. Judah made one for his Best friend Susy, so I've included a pic of her wearing hers, since I never did manage to get a pic of Judah making his.

We are now in the final count down days till Judah's 6th Birthday and then the last day of school. Can't believe he is going to be in grade 1 next year. Then after that it is getting ready to go to Brisbane for Christmas and New Years. I expect that the next 3 weeks are going to fly by. I will try to be a bit more diligent with the blogging, but seeing as it is silly season for the next couple of weeks, I make no promises!!! Hope all is well with you all, hugs and kisses from our family to yours!!!

Being an observer

I have to be honest that it has been very strange to be on the outside looking in on the American election. I think it is safe to say that I would certainly be classified as an "ex-pat" at this point in time, and just for the record I choose to not vote in the election because I feel that it is not right for me to vote for a President whose policies I don't have to live under. That said I have followed the campaign but mostly through the eyes of the Australian media and through the opinions and comments of my friends and families, and occasionally through on-line US newspapers. So as an outisder looking into the fish bowl I have observed several things in the forest versuses the trees that those in America might have not noticed. So just in case anyone is interested in my oppinions here are my observation

1. I think that America is a nation who worships celebrities and cares more about what Brad Pitt thinks about politics then someone who has graduated from an ivy league school with a PHD. I think the Democrats have been very smart in creating a "celebrity candidate". The people want a celebrity more then they want a public servant.

2. I think that the average American thinks that a good American woman can have it all. She can be a perfect mother, house keeper, have a super model body, and Rule the nation with a baby on her hip. The Republicans were smart in delivering Sarah Pallin as an example of that American Dream. As a side in my oppinion woman can't have it all we all choose and each choice comes with a sacrafices.

3. It seems like very few people chose to vote for McCain they chose to vote against Obama. I think that the average american, from what I have seen, has decided on the candidate that they voted for based on totally stupid, irrelevant, or uncredited reasons. Here are the most popular I have heard

I am voting For Obama because...
... he's black.
... he's young and good looking.
... he's a breath of fresh air.
... I feel good when he speeks.

I am not voting for Obama because...
... he's a muslim plant
... he's not american
... he's a terrorist
... I just don't trust him.

4. Evangelical's, as the media describes them, or christians like me, have bought into fear mongering and as far as I can see it is very unsubstantial evidence that has been used to accuse Obama of the many things he has been accused of. The Bible talks about "bearing False Witness" and I just wonder how much false witness has been thrown around by both parties.



In case you are interested this is the informtion I used to decide on my pick. I would have voted McCain for the following reasons...

-Abortion is a big topic for me and I believe that McCain has shown himself to be Pro-Life while as Obama through his lack of taking a stand as a senator falls more on the Pro-Choice side.

- In my oppinion Obama is still too "green" in experience. McCain has served his country faithfully and has proven himself to be a good leader. I trust his experience more then I trust Obama's ideas.

- As far as economy goes I think that the American economy is in such a sad state that neither candidate has any actual idea what to do about it. After experiencing the life living in what America would deem to be a "socialist" country (even though we aren't) I am reformed and believe that we all have social responsibility and it is greed and corruption that has kept america from doing the right thing by it's own people. It is propaganda that makes American's OK with it and not demand more for their leadership. After watching my own family being chewed up and spit out by the American health care system I find nothing but anger towards the whole mess... the point being neither candidate got my vote based on their solution to the very issue I believe to be what will cripple america in the end.

-And lastly I would choose McCain because he has proven himself over many decades, and I believe that one can look back at his track record and know what your getting. Obama doesn't have a track record and was too much of an unknown. McCain has done good things for Arizona and I think he would have done good things for America.

So after all of that being said, Obama is the new president, and I pray that he can deliver the neccesary changes that America is in such desperate need of. But I have to admit that I am pessimistic and in my heart of hearts don't think either candidate really has what it takes to fix the mess. I think that America has entered a new era, and that era is going to be very different then anything America, or the world for that matter, has seen.