Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Benign results on the lumps removed from CJA's head...
• My mom -- it's been fun having her spend the extra time with us...and Elizabeth is as clean as a whistle at the moment (well, except for her mouth...and not in that, "Poor thing, she has a potty mouth just like her mama" sort of way)
• Wonder Woman cake - E has feasted on it since her birthday...well, at least the icing...Mom, Reid, & I have actually eaten the cake underneath the icing...
• My Skull Candy -- Elizabeth has had the best time sharing the ear buds with me...and will listen to just about anything that I want to...even listening to Reid & Chris broadcasting the West Liberty men's basketball game from my beloved alma mater, WVWC, as I multi-task and watch the Mountaineers at Georgetown. (Don't tell her Daddy, but I think E would rather be listening to 'Ginia - as in the Mountaineer Marching Band.)
• The heat wave we got today (low 30's)...enough to help the ice thaw around the back of the house so we could shovel it away...
• The Mountaineers for getting a big win on the road against #14 Georgetown
• For HOPE...for our new President
  

Party Like It's 1.20.09

Thanks to Anne, I have a shirt that says that, "Party Like It's 1.20.09." What a moment! What a day! What a great country in which we live!

I'm bummed that circumstances have made it such that I am not in DC for the craziness that is this inaugural day. However, I'm currently sitting in MY chair, witnessing history from the warmth of my living room...with my mom & Sweetness...the Obama champagne is chilled...ready to be uncorked.

I thought I would write this Blog entry as I watch today's ceremony unfold...

From the Capitol steps to the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall runs 1.9 miles. When in our nation's history have we had people standing nearly 2 miles deep to watch a presidential inauguration? NEVER! This is absolutely amazing to watch! (This was certainly not the case for W's first inauguration...we were there with Rikki...and there was plennnnty of elbow room amongst the crowd...no need for anyone to be behind the ticketed area...just plenty of rich rednecks in their fur coats with silk lining...complaining about how cold they were (it was sleeting, after all)...none of those rich rednecks had remembered the famous "Checkers Speech" by former President Nixon who talked about Pat wearing "respectable Republican cloth coat." Much better suited for the sleet than fur...)

The Obama girls, Malia and Sasha couldn't look any more adorable. Just like the type of girls, for more than the obvious reasons, that I hope will become Elizabeth's friends one day! Malia has her digital camera out...sooooo cute!!!

MSNBC is talking about the Lincoln bible. I am really suprised that Barack Obama is the first president-elect to request use of the Lincoln bible for the swearing in ceremony.

Reid is amazed that after her appearance on Oprah yesterday, Dr. Jill Biden is appearing without a muzzle. I think the Bidens were quite charming on Oprah yesterday. She also won't be near a microphone.

VP Cheney didn't get pushed down the stairs and off the platform. Damn!

W is walking out to the boo birds. Kudos to the commentators on MSNBC stating that it is in bad form for people to be booing W's entrance. (Reminds me of the crowd booing the crap out of Bill & Hillary Clinton...and Al & Tipper Gore, especially the latter, in 2000. Made me quite cranky that the crowd wasn't more respectful of the Clintons & Gores...not cool to boo -- even W...and I think everyone that knows me knows I have NEVER been a fan!) At least for the formal announcement of W, it sounds much more like polite golf clapping...much better form, there, audience.

VP Joe Biden...to a sea of flags waving...

And now...PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK H. OBAMA!!!! Woo Hoo!!!

I wonder where Rikki & Doug are in this sea of people...and Andrea Mcelroy...and Todd Pickett...

I was hoping for a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T from Aretha Franklin, but will settle for My Country Tis Of Thee. But what in the Hell is that thing on her head???

Joe Biden takes his oath of office. Yea!!!! How cool...his 91 year old mama is there to witness that!!!

Ahhhh...hopefully the performance of John Williams, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Gabriela Montero and Anthony McGil is a sign of things to come - more funding for the arts. Simple Gifts -- makes a WVU grad verklempt!

Some time between Joe Biden accepting the oath and the music, http://www.whitehouse.gov/ got updated...

I'm totally choked up now. It's official - the 44th President of the United States of America, Barack H. Obama! Spotted our Senator, Jay Rockefeller, over his shoulder during the swearing in...

The inaugural address...happy to hear that "We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost"...that we have been called to service (reminds me of the part of the Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose which I hold so dear to my heart, "To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world's work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied.") ...that "America is a friend of each nation"...that "On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord"...

I love the quote from George Washington, "Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."

I'm so thankful that I no longer have to wish that the man residing in the White House is named Dave - or Josiah Bartlett.

God Bless you, Mr. President -- and the United States of America!

Yes We Can!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for/to/about:

• A smarty-smart gal named Elizabeth who was officially moved up to the 3 year old room (yes, 3 months early!) this week. She is cuddling next to me right now forcing me to type with the use of only my right hand (depending on how thankful I am today, this one hand typing might make the inaugural "Frankly my dear...Friday" blog post.)
  
• That Elizabeth is almost excited about her Halloween costume as I am. "I be Wonder Woman [for] Halloween! Chhhh! Chhhh! Chhhh!" (fighting off bullets with her indestructible bracelets)
• That my Sweetness gets me...and didn't bat an eye at my need to turn away from the Sox at the moment. For this and so many other reasons that I will get to in just a second (this one handed thing is already wearing on me) I am such a lucky girl!!!
• That I have a new dishwasher in my old house!
  
• That I have such an awesome mom...not just that she cleaned my house when she was here earlier this week (and no, Jake, she isn't my "new dishwasher"!). She's just fun to be around...and did I mention that she cleaned my house?
  
• That West Liberty hosted Dick Morris on Tuesday. I found him quite interesting - even though we don't quite see eye-to-eye on several major issues.
• That my Obama signs finally came in the mail today...can you believe that I was getting impatient???
• Facebook - just having fun this week with several blast-from-the-past connections!
• How would it be a Thankful Thursday if I didn't mention my original "Sweet Baby Girl," Kennedy? Happiness is a warm puppy!
  

SNL is baaaack

If you didn't catch this on Saturday, it is pretty funny...frightening how much Tina Fey looks like Palin...enjoy!

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm?

Anyone who thinks that John McCain is a viable option to be the next President...especially in light of the vetting process for Sarah Pallin - wow! The Christian Conservatives must be banging their collective heads against a wailing wall somewhere...

This postcard that I got in the mail several months ago. I find it rather amusing...let's see who else can figure out why I find it so amusing (give me a jingle if you need help):

Why we seem to be having issues with the US Postal Service at our new home. First it was the graffiti on the house. (It was removed, BTW, after the phone call to the Postmaster General of Wheeling who laughed at me for telling him something so crazy as my delivery dillhole wrote on the side of my freaking house. Then it was me not receiving a package that was mailed to me after an eBay win - it was sitting in Wheeling for over a week...I had to go through the hassle of calling USPS general customer service to register the non-delivery of an item with a tracking number. Now the latest is another eBay item that has been shipped to the house. I was home on Friday when the mail was delivered, but the Delivery Dillhole (DD for short) couldn't have run the bell to get me - that's crazy. So he slipped a little "you weren't here but need to sign for this" notice in the slot - partially - not enough for it to come through on the house side. I didn't see it on Friday. We weren't home on Saturday, so another slip went in the box. This one I saw. I signed both slips and put them out for the Monday pickup & delivery. DD didn't bother to show up at all on Monday. How do I know this - because I was home all freakin' day! When DD does bother to show up, there is a note on the new slip that says the item is too large for the slot and we now have to go to the PO and pick it up. Hey, DD, you couldn't have told us that like say on Friday of last week? Also, the other "Hmmmm" factor - does it cost extra to have your mail delivered 6 days/week? If so, where can I sign up?

Party Planning 101: Don't spoil the surprise! Be sure to check the dates on this announcement that Papa Rick scored from the Times West Virginian for me!

Thankful Thursday

Today, I am thankful for/to/about:

• That I'm looking to my left hand side and I can see Elizabeth cuddling with her precious lambie and her Daddy. They are two peas in a pod! And I look to the right of my feet and I see my sweet baby girl, Kennedy. It's good to be home!
• That Barack Obama is accepting our party's nomination to become the 44th President of the United States. A very proud moment...and I am totally geeking out on the Democratic National Convention!!! (Next week I'll be geeking out again, but you can bet I'll be much less happy and a ton more cranky!!!)
• That Barack Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate. Solid choice, IMHO, a guy with no internal filter...I have a bit of experience with that a time or two (like when I told my former idiot boss, not to be confused with my current idiot boss - who by the way is a bigger idiot if you are into comparing idiots, "I can't fix stupid.")
  
• I found a heck of a sale at Belk's on bedding...now if only their "over sized" king bedding will truly be over sized so that I'm not having to hawk the good find on eBay in a week or so...
• That we got to go home to Mom & Daddy's last week to spend time with Anne, Sean, & Alex...
• For Elizabeth's "special box" (photo to be uploaded and put with this post later...I think the camera is in Reid's vehicle)
• That I was able to find a back-up lambie...and it is en route to me as I type...it would be most disastrous to not have lambie...seriously disastrous...
• That Nana, Papa, Rikki, & Doug will be coming for a weekend visit...
• That football season is upon us...Let's Goooooooooooo Mountaineers! Strange, I've got a craving for Jim Beam - wonder why? (Answer (to the tune of Iron Man by Black Sabbath: "Jim Beam's good for you; has nu-tritional value! We drink Jimmy Beam - Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy Beam...)