Friday, December 31, 2010

Grass Roots Immigration

The mess that we've made of immigration scares me. It scares me for my children, my grandchildren, and my heritage. I agree that we should love one another and help one another, but at what cost? Our infrastructure can only support so much, even the great America has limits. I welcome anyone who wants to go through the proper channels and I thank God that I was born in such a great nation and I'm sorry for those who weren't. Truly sorry. However, I believe to keep our nation as great as it can then we have to adhere to our rules.  If we abandon all order we will all be equals, but we will be equally dragged down.

In my home, we have rules that help maintain it successfully.  My rules aren't perfect, and there are times when it would be easier to overlook the rules completely and throw caution in the wind but there are always side effects to such things.

One of our rules is that we keep the doors closed so we don't have uninvited guests roaming in and out (insects and neighbor pets in our case or even strangers) however, come to my door, ring the bell, and introduce yourself and we'll probably invite you in and treat you hospitably.

Another rule we have is that everyone is expected to know the rules and obey them. We have taught our children the rules and I expect them to do what they know they should. If there is a question, ask. If they don't obey the rules, there are consequences.  Claiming that they didn't know what a rule was will get them nowhere!  They have been taught and I expect them to know what the rules are.

The last of our house rules I'll mention is that everyone contributes. Even the smallest member of our household is expected to uphold certain responsibilities. (Lydia's are pretty basic, but we are laying the foundation).  We work together as a team and we all do our part, there are no free rides in our home.  It is full of love and support but everyone does their part.

I say all of that to say that even though grace has allowed many of us to be Americans, not hard work or sacrifice, the foundation is still there and needs to be maintained. We have an obligation to maintain, obey, and enforce the rules of our nation in the same manner we run our households and with the same purpose-to make it be the best it can be!  We need a grass roots immigration policy!

A Look Back at 2010

As I sit in my childhood home on New Year's Eve I can't help but reflect a little.  I thought I'd live and die in Centertown, KY.  The fact that I've moved all over and lived in so many different places never crossed my mind as a possibility when I was younger.  I LOVE my life, and I feel so blessed to have this life but it is in no way what I would have predicted for myself-it's better!

We spent our first full year in our home in 2010 and I'm still not feeling antsy!  This is a very good sign for me!  I haven't spent any time in 2010 perusing the internet to find a new place to live, not a new house, new town, or new state!  Unless you count Hawaii and I stand by that one...if Keith ever comes across a good paying job there we will be HI bound!  I feel pretty confident that I wouldn't bump into the Obama's anyway, but it'd be worth the risk!

Keith was baptized in May of 2010!  Great news for our family!  That may come as a surprise to anyone who knows Keith, but he is a definite "look before you leap" kind of guy and he doesn't do anything unless he's picked it apart and is sure!  It's all in God's time though!  I can say that and mean it now that I'm on the other side of the waiting game too!  I have always felt blessed to have Keith as a husband because he's such wonderful man and an amazing daddy but now he's a strong christian too!  God is GREAT!

I had my gallbladder removed in 2010 and I must admit, that sucked!  I'll pass on anymore surgeries!  Bleh!  I felt terrible for days and I had an allergic reaction to the meds which really made it interesting.  On the positive side, I no longer tell Keith that if I have a heart attack later in the night to tell the ER that I'd been having chest pains all day and I can eat nearly anything I want again!

I've been on the HOA board for a full year now, and I've learned that it takes more than I thought to keep our little neighborhood running!  I haven't decided if I'll do it again when my term is up or not.  There are parts that I love but honestly, using QuickBooks has made it pretty horrible.  In case you didn't pick up on that, I HATE quickbooks!  I feel like I use my brain more and I like being involved in what's going on and then I realize that I have to add the info to quickbooks...bleh!

There seems to be a little more peace in our lives that there has been in awhile and I'm so thankful for that!  In September I started feeling very overwhelmed and realized I was taking on too much.  Anyone who isn't a stay at home mom will probably guffaw when reading that.  I told one of my best friends (who isn't married and doesn't have kids) and she was like "WHAT could possibly have you this overwhelmed?"  She didn't mean it in a catty way, she just thinks that I'm a stay at home mom and I should have TONS of free time-I agree!

Turns out though, when you over commit it doesn't matter if you have a "job" or not!  I was on the hospitality team at church so I was doing welcoming things on Sunday mornings, then teaching the 3 year old class, and occasionally doing Kindgom Kids, which is our kids ministry during worship time.  Add that to me working at Hadley's school 1-2 times a week, a women's accountability group on Monday evenings, a women's bible study on Wednesday morning, being a member of our women's ministry committee, a tag along bible study with another dear friend via the phone, being the HOA treasurer, taking Hadley to her activities, taking Lydia to preschool twice a week, being Mom and wife and I WAS EXHAUSTED!  I went into autopilot and realized there was a problem.  I was at an HOA meeting with Bob and his wife and started crying telling her how overwhelmed I was, then I went to my doctor and started crying over the same thing and she very bluntly told me to lighten my load a bit.  She explained it to me in a way that no one else had before. 

As a woman who formerly had a "real job" I couldn't understand why I couldn't do it all but my awesome doctor helped me slow it all down and I've relinquished some of my responsibilities and started enjoying the ones I'm still committed to, turns out that the world can spin without  me driving it!  My bible study group (who I also cried in front of, um, can we say HOT MESS?!?) gave me the most empowering advice...Instead of making an emotional commitment and saying yes because I really want to help out, tell the asker "I will pray about it and get back to you in a day or two" I know that sounds simple, but wow!  I'm trying to live that now and I'm feeling better, I've even said no to a couple of things!

I got to fulfill a lifelong dream in honor of Hadley's seventh birthday.  In September, I saw the Grand Ole Opry in the Ryman Auditorium!  On top of that, they were filming Extreme Home Makeover while we were there!  This was Hadley's birthday gift from Nonna but I got to tag along and it was amazing!  It was so surreal and I was giddy through the whole thing!  Carrie Underwood sang and the Riders in the Sky were there, along with Hank Jr's daughter, and a really awesome bluegrass group who I can't remember (shame!)



Hadley started full time school this year and it nearly broke my heart!  I prefer to have my babies at home with me, but she's loving school and doing great so I can't complain.  I try to keep my internal grumbling, internal!  I see so many flaws in the school system that it makes me a little sick but we are blessed with a very good school and an awesome teacher so that helps.



Hadley has continued to amaze me with her kind heart.  She is such an amazing little girl who cares so much about people.  She is very intuitive to others, more so than me and a lot of adults.  She still relates better to adults than children and she is unimpressed by a lot of first grade antics.  She's an old soul and we are blessed to have her as our daughter.

Lydia is still keeping us laughing!  That kids keeps us on our toes and keeps us smiling.  Lydia started school this year too and I hear that she's well behaved and keeps her teachers laughing too!  Keith has asked me, more than once, if Lydia's "okay" because she's wound so tightly and my answer is always the same.  "She's fine, she's just a different kid than Hadley."  And, she is fine, she's perfect in fact! 


Overall, 2010 has been full of surprises, blessings, and love!  We have had a wonderful 2010 and I pray that 2011 is just as good  or even better!  For all of you who have helped contribute to our wonderful 2010, I say THANKS!  LOVE YOU!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Santa Does WHAT?

Last week Lydia and I delivered Christmas cookies to member of our church who are in a local nursing home. The bible class I go to on Wednesday morning does a cookie swap and packages up cookies to take to the firehouse and shut ins and Lydia and I volunteered to deliver to the nursing home. We had such a great time! I grew up, basically, in a nursing home because my mom was a nurse and I would go with her to work and visit the patients and hang out. I've always had a soft spot and a fascination with elderly people and I hope to pass that on to my kids. I remember many residents not having family or friends visit them and I always thought that was tragic. How do people dump someone off like a stray puppy after they have been a part of their lives? I don't understand it, but that's a whole other blog posting! ha!

I should start by telling you that Lydia is terrified of Santa! TERRIFIED! Hadley was always in love with him and since she could walk, if Santa was near, she'd tackle him with a hug! I just assumed all kids were like that so when Lydia was six months old I plopped her down in Santa's lap and said "smile." She froze for a minute and then screamed and panicked! It's been that way ever since!

So, as we were delivering cookies all of the people we would see would ask Lydia "are you ready for Santa?" and she would smile and say "nooooo..." and then do something else and pretend this conversation wasn't happening. Each person who asked thought it was the attention span of a three year old, they didn't realize it was her defense mechanism against a phobia!
We visited several folks and had some great conversations and Lydia was SO WELL BEHAVED! (Divine intervention, I'm certain!) and it was a great day! We had one more person to see and then we'd be done. We went to Will's room and he wasn't there so we scurried around until we found him in the dining room. He was a nice guy and had a fun personality so we chatted for a bit and that when it happened...

Lydia noticed out of the corner of her eye that there was a "Lydia Sized" Santa standing near the Christmas tree. That's when the day started spiraling down hill! She began hiding behind me and got very shy and was basically just acting strange. This nice man that we were visiting noticed and was trying to smooth it over a bit and said,

"Don't you like Santa? He's a nice guy."

Rapid head shaking in the NO direction from Lydia

"Santa comes to your house and brings you presents, while you sleep" he says with a big smile.

"HE WHAT? WHILE I SLEEP?" with a shrill voice and wide blue eyes!

"Yeah, and he's always watching you! He knows that you're a good girl" Will says in a comforting tone.

"HE'S WATCHING ME NOW?" she shrieks!

"mommy, is he watching me NOW?" panic growing in her voice.

To which Will overhears and responds, "Yes, he's always watching! I'm sure he sees what a good little girl you are!"

Well, that about wrapped up the day for us! I thought it was probably a good time to go on and say good bye and Merry Christmas.

On the way to the car I stopped Lydia and told her to put her coat on when she says with a little fear in her voice, "Mommy, is Santa, really always watching me?"
And, in true mommy fashion, I couldn't help but say
"yes, but put your coat on and he can't see you!"
Yeah, it was probably mean but it worked! And, it was cold outside! Ha!

All of this happened on Wednesday and we went on Friday night to the mall to get a picture with Santa. It took a lot of conversation, bribery with a trip to Godiva, about 10 pictures, 15 minutes, and a lot of patience on Santa's part but we DID get a picture!

Merry Christmas!


Friday, December 17, 2010

It's Not Always WHAT You Say...

Today, I can't get a memory out of my head...dare I say, the holy spirit has planted it there for me to work with?!?

A while back, a very dear friend of mine was having marital problems. It seemed to me it was the type we all go through occasionally. (Except for Keith and me, because we are perfect! ha!) I listened to her tell me she wasn't happy and defend herself as to why she wasn't happy and something kept tugging at my heart through this whole conversation. (That pesky holy spirit again, possibly?)

I wanted, so much, to reach out to my friend and say "Leave the slob, you DESERVE to be happy! You DESERVE better!"

(There's that word again! That word seems to get us all in a lot of trouble! We use it liberally and believe it every time we say it!)

I didn't know her husband at the time, and I loved my friend and wanted to make it all better. I wanted to follow my gut instinct and tell her she DESERVED to be happy, but, I couldn't. I didn't know what she deserved. I wasn't in that marriage, I didn't know her heart, her motives or her husband.

I had no idea what I was supposed to say and how I was supposed to react. My heart hurt as I listened to her, and throughout our entire conversation I kept a continuous dialog with God running in my head.

God, this feels like something big...I don't know what's going on in her life, but PLEASE do the talking for me. PLEASE don't let me blow it!

So each time, I felt that "D" (deserve, not divorce!) word creeping up in my throat I swallowed it back. I let her talk and I listened until God decided to do the talking for me. I don't remember word for word, but I remember telling her repeatedly to make sure that what she wanted was to serve Him and not her, God's needs come first.

I drove home after that long talk with my dear friend praying each mile of the road. I prayed for her husband, I prayed for her family, and I prayed for whatever God was going to do with their situation.

This is one of the first times that I've gotten out of God's way enough to let him handle a situation and what He did with it was amazing! I'm happy to report that through much hard work, love, devotion, and prayer my friend and her husband have gotten over their hump.

I had zero influence their success story, and I don't even know if anything I said that night mattered, but I do feel pretty confident that what God kept me from saying did matter. God kept me from telling her that she deserved better, and God decided what she deserved! He kept me from encouraging her to make the wrong choice, and He led me to encourage her to come to Him.

I'm humbled that God worked on me so hard that night and kept me from blurting out what I thought she deserved. (He must have big plans for that marriage! I know keeping MY mouth shut was work!) I'm blessed that He has let me watch as my friend and her husband remodel their marriage into a true christian definition of marriage, and I'm so happy that I now have made an effort to know her husband and I think he's a pretty cool guy!

I've learned a ton of lessons from that night and I'm so blessed that God used her situation to teach me so many things, and I'm so honored that He continues to bring us all closer to each other and closer to Him!

Passive Agressive is NOT Good on Me!

I have a real hate of passive aggressive behavior. I mean, it makes me want to punch someone in the nose, seriously. There are very few things that make me angrier than a passive aggressive attack, however, I occasionally catch myself in the middle of a passive agressive battle.

In life we all have disagreements with people we love (and people we don't!) and I'd much prefer to just hash it out and be done. Punch me in the nose and let's walk away friends! That's how boys do it, right?!?

As women it's much more difficult than that. We have to get mad, be emotionally injured, tell someone who's not involved about it, replay it over and over in our heads, then launch an attack. In the end, a friendship may or may not be salvaged and will forever be damaged. It's painful, pointless, and tiring, yet we do it over and over again!

I shared with a friend when she "hurt" me. I told her what hurt, why it hurt, and how it hurt. I thought we'd worked it out. She apologized, I apologized, we went on our way as if nothing happened. And there was the problem...as if nothing happened.

Well, something did happen and we should have learned from it but we didn't and that's too bad. Since then, this friend has done the same thing to me as before and instead of going through the process again, I ignored it and played it out as I described earlier in the blog and I am relatively certain that our friendship is not only damaged but probably destroyed.

I, finally, apologized and assumed everything was okay, forgetting about the cycle we'd completed and the damage that was done. The crack in our friendship progressively got worse until it is seemingly destroyed.

I walked away, cried a little, mourned the loss, and moved on but then the passive aggressive attacks began finding their way into my life. I first said something that was perceived as a passive aggressive attack (I PROMISE, it wasn't geared toward this friend in any shape, form, or fashion but she believes otherwise.) and a passive aggressive counter attack was launched. (Or at least that's how I feel-who knows).

But, this time, as I started to react (and I had quite the zinger prepared!) I caught myself and I prayed.

I said "God, please help me here. I'm feeling way too much pressure from way too many sides and I'm getting ready to make a bad decision. I can feel it. Please, God, don't let me take this farther than it already is, please don't let me make it worse."

And, He didn't. I kept my catty reply to myself and although the friendship is still damaged pretty bad, God kept me from destroying it completely. We may never be the friends we once were and I'm sorry for that, but I can now walk away without shame.

James 3:6 says: And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

It doesn't matter which translation you read, it all sounds bad! Women fight with our words (tongues) and they are a powerful weapon. Without even a thought, our tongues can destroy friendships, hurt lives, and scar us forever.

My goal is to eliminate passive aggressive behavior from my repertoire and to bridle my tongue better. Praying for help really worked (who knew!) and I'm trying to slow down and remember that! If I will let Him, God will help! And, if by chance the "friend" I'm referencing reads this-I'm sorry. I truly am.

What really makes me happy?

Lately I've been thinking about what makes me happy...I've spent time telling everyone what I want for Christmas and listening to what they want, but I am trying to figure out what makes me happy.

On my wish list...
Black Uggs
Comfy Sweatshirts for the LONG winter
Southern Plate Cookbook
A Massage from Dolce
THIS awesome necklace

My shopping list isn't bad either, but I can't share it...just in case Keith ever stops by to read the blog!

With all the hustle and bustle of shopping and buying I've been focusing on who gets what and why. I'm still really focused on basing our Christmas around homemade gifts of love but I feel this pull of buying gifts too. The way I've defended this to myself is by making sure I'm not just buying stuff. I'm actually putting thought and consideration into the gifts I'm buying. Some of them are cheaper and some are more expensive but I figure it all balances out in the end and each gift is bought because I think the recipient will like it, not because I have an obligation to buy for them.

After looking at my wish list though, I won't deny that opening those gifts and having them will make me happy but what really makes me happy is knowing that my husband is spending hours working on Hadley and Lydia's big gift and that I'm working hard on their other gifts. We are putting a labor of love into each gift they are getting, whether they are homemade or bought with love, each gift has thought behind it.

What really makes me happy is that we strive to make each other happy. We devote time together, enjoying each other. We eat dinner together, pray before meals, read books, watch TV, and snuggle together and that's what REALLY makes me happy. So, this Christmas, whether all or none of my wish list gifts are under the tree I know I will be happy! I am loved and that makes me happy! My family loves me, my friends love me, and my savior loves me and that makes me HAPPY! Merry Christmas!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Hospitality...to Be or Not to Be

We have had an excellent series of sermons about hospitality and what it means to be hospitable and describing what christian traits we should be exhibiting. I've really enjoyed the sermons and I like hearing things preached that I was raised on. These are the things my Grandma Ruth LIVED, and I love to hear them. In fact, last week while our minister, Tim, was preaching Keith began nudging me at all of the bullet points. So much so that I finally said

"WHY do you keep doing that?"

To which Keith replied "because these are all the things you are always harping on."

I don't know if he meant it as a compliment or if he was giving me a hard time but either way, it's true. I do harp on hospitality and I make it an effort to be hospitable. I've lived in places where they wouldn't know hospitable if it slapped them in the face and while I was there, I vowed to myself to do it the way I was raised! Be hospitable in the ways that my Grandma was, and in the grand scheme to be hospitable like Jesus was. When we bought our house I told Keith as soon as we settled I was going to start hosting again. My Grandma always had people over for dinner, coffee, tea, lunch, conversation, prayer, and the list goes on and one. When we moved to Louisiana I had people over all the time. Probably not as much as I would have liked but I did have a baby in the midst of it all! I got out of the habit when we moved to WV (but that's a whole other story!)

When we first moved to Indy I seemed to always have an excuse...we were in an apartment and it was too small, then we didn't have a dining room table so there was no way because I didn't have enough seating, and the list goes on and on. When we bought our house that's when I made the personal commitment to do better! I have tried to make sure to have someone over for dinner at least once a month and to allow Hadley to have a play date at least once a week. I don't always adhere to that and I definitely don't let that hold me back if I want to have more people over more often, and I love it! My daughters have come to expect to have our house full of people and they think nothing of bringing a gaggle of friends in. It's never even occurred to them that there can be such a thing as "too many" kids at a play date or that there might not be room at the table or enough food for everyone to eat. I try so hard to have an open door policy and it's paying off!

Last Sunday at our small group (or home church, or one another group-whatever you may call it) we were discussing the morning's sermon and what we all think hospitality is. There were a couple of people who made comments that "the Richardson's are examples of hospitality" and it humbled me beyond belief! I'm not bragging when I say this, I'm truly humbled that others see this trait in my family.

My food is not always the best (usually edible though!) and my house is rarely "company" clean, and to be honest you probably wouldn't even use the word clean on most days, but my door is opened and clean or dirty, good food or just edible food you are always welcomed here! A good friend once told me "If you're coming to see me, you're welcome anytime. If you're coming to see the house, make an appointment." That's some of the best advice I've heard too because my house is not a show place, we live in it.

I love seeing my friends kids feel comfortable enough to come in my house and grab a cookie, and it feels so good when one of them tackles me with a big hug, or I notice when one of them has a new hair cut. Having our lives intertwined through our children and through shared time together over meals.

I always say (jokingly, but with a lot of truth!) "if we can live in it, company can visit in it for a few hours!" I came to realize that I'd rather have a dirty house full of love than a clean house that's empty! There will always be an excuse not host, the house is dirty, the food didn't turn out right, the kids are cranky...yep, I have all of those things too, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying good times at my house! I quit looking for excuses not to host and started finding reasons to celebrate!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Lydia's Zingers

When chinese carry out was delivered
"Hello Chinese man!" "Hello Chinese man" "That Chinese man was nice!"

and yes, since I've been asked-the delivery guy appeared to be of Asian descent.



"Mommy, can you give me something to pick my nose, it has boogers"
I reply, "go to the bathroom and get a tissue to BLOW your nose."



We said our prayers at bedtime and they were sweet and good, then we finished by saying "Amen"

Followed by Lydia "AMEN BABAY!"



At Lowe's a couple of weeks ago when the employee told her she looks pretty, she says
"Thanks BABAY!"



When she spilled her drink,

"Don't worry babay, it's not a big deal."



Every time she's excited "ROCK AND ROLL, BABAY!"



When we're walking into preschool
"Let's Rock and Roll Mama!"




I DESERVE that...you WHAT?!

I'm so sick of hearing people (in real life and on commercials) talk about what they deserve.

It all started with a Nintendo commercial where the kids are putting on a Christmas play and suddenly everything changes and they set up a scene from Super Mario Brothers, one of the lines is "we deserve..." Are you kidding me?!? What makes anyone think they deserve anything?

This ever present sense of entitlement is not only frustrating but depressing. My kids are not immune either, as much as I try to make it different, they still believe they are entitled to whatever they want. They think nothing of assuming that I will take care of everything, all the time. Hadley loses her new pack of ink pens and assumes I will replace them. Lydia trashes her bed room and assumes I'll clean it up. Hadley brought home a scholastic book catalog and circled several things she wanted (8-10, seriously) and just assumed I'd get them ALL for her.

I added up the cost and said "you asked for 9 books that cost $48!" (estimating by memory)

She looks at me with all sincerity and says "WOW! That's not much, you can get me ALL of those!"

I nearly lost it, and then I said "fine, if it's not much-go get your money bank and YOU can pay for it!" I was SO mad and really just wanted to scream, but I held my cool.

Hadley brought her money bank down, emptied all of her money out and began counting. A few minutes later she realized she didn't have enough money for it, so smugly I waited for her to tell me, and she did...

"Mommy, I only have $36 so you'll have to chip in the rest and then I can get all the books I want"

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?! THE WHOLE POINT WAS FOR YOU TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU WERE ASKING FOR, NOT DEMAND MORE!" I may have replied a little louder than necessary.

Cue tears and pitiful, victimized, look. No, I shouldn't have yelled at her, but for crying out loud, it's not like I slapped her or even said anything unreasonable. And, I was SO mad!

Jennifer Lancaster is one of my favorite authors. She's not a deep thought, provoking author but she's extremely entertaining and I LOVE her! I'm convinced that she and I would be best friends if we were ever to meet! Erika has always said how much Jen L. and I are alike (with the exception of her abundant use of the "F" word!) and her husband is SO similar to Keith. She's a bit obstinate, a conservative, NRA supporter, and she's even from Indy! Can you tell why I think she's awesome!?! Ha! Anyway, she did an interview not long ago where she really describes herself well.

On her blog, in October, she said everything I've been feeling this holiday season.
She says:

I'm frustrated by the lack of respect/sense of entitlement I'm seeing more and more often. There's a whole generation of Special Snowflakes out there who've been raised on soccer and social media and cellular communication. If you want to talk about narcissism, I refer you to the kids who've yet to accomplish anything, but have been acting as their own ad hoc publicists for years, broadcasting messages about themselves since the minute they got their first internet connection.

Isn't that the truth! And, things are changing around here from my special snowflakes! None of us "deserve" anything, not as Americans, Christians, or Humans, and it's time we realize it! We can work towards happiness and make our happiness but we don't just deserve it. Christ died for our sins and we certainly didn't deserve that grace.

I PRAY that we can all FIND happiness and that we can have everything we need, but it's time to learn need versus want and earn versus deserve.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Sarah Palin and Aunt Julie

Love her or hate her, Sarah Palin is coming to town! I'm not convinced I want her to be the next president of the US, although she'd beat the heck out of the current one, I'm just hoping for a Regan incarnate-rock star republican. However, she's a great speaker, a wonderful motivator, and an interesting person.

Lydia was playing with my iPhone on Monday and has managed to lock me out of my voice mail and delete my ring tone so I've been slightly incommunicado this week. Keith's Uncle Bob calls me every few weeks just to check in, and he's called several times this week and I kept forgetting to call him back. Finally, today, we got in touch with each other and as it turns out it was actually his wife Julie calling to see if I wanted to go to Meijer with her this evening for the Sarah Palin book signing.

First of all, I thought he was only calling in to check on us and Keith's grandma, so I hadn't made a great effort to call him back (oops!) and secondly, I didn't know Sarah Palin was coming to town tonight!

Bob who I'm pretty sure swings to the left a little but won't talk about it with Julie and I, who are both hard core conservatives, said in a very unimpressed tone

"Julie's been calling to see if you wanted to go sit in a parking lot and wait for Sarah Palin sometime."

"Sure, when is this happening? I'd love to hear Sarah speak and I'd love to hang out with Julie. Do you know any of the details?"

"I don't know, I'll have her call you. She asked me to go and I told her she was crazy if she thought I was going to sit in a parking lot for hours! I wouldn't wait in Meijer parking lot to hear the president of the United States speak!" Says Bob.

"I wouldn't wait to hear that guy either!" I quickly chime in.

"Well, Julie's wanting to go but I'm not sure when it's happening. I think it's crazy to wait for hours for a book signing or to hear her speak. I wouldn't wait to hear President Obama speak" he says again.

Must not of heard me the first time so I say it louder and with more feeling "Yeah, I wouldn't wait to hear Obama either. In fact, I probably wouldn't even open my door if he was on the front porch." I added that last part just to make sure I drove it home!

Insert patronizing chuckle here, as Bob changes the subject!

I just googled to see the details on Sarah's arrival and I see why Julie hasn't called back...people actually camped out in Meijer last night for the 6pm arrival (TONIGHT) of Sarah Palin. I'll be the first to admit, those folks are more hard core than me! There is NO WAY I'd sleep on a cold floor of a super store to wait for Sarah Palin. In fact, I can't think of many people who would be able to get me to do that!

On a side note, Obama was in Kokomo last week and I don't remember hearing anyone camping to see him...maybe a few enthusiastic T.E.A. Party-ers who wanted to make sure their signs were visible, but there wasn't a fan club waiting for "I told you so Tuesday." I'm just sayin...