I Voted

Four years ago, I voted in my very first Presidential election. Going to the polls, casting my vote, getting my sticker...it was all very exhilarating in a way. I believe deep down that my vote does in fact count. And I voted four years ago for the man I thought was best for the job. Sadly, it was also because to me, he seemed to be the lesser of two evils. I hate when politics, as they so often do, come down to that. I love politics. I don't follow them as seriously as some do, but I have very strong opinions and find the whole process incredibly fascinating.

Four years ago, I helped our country enter into four additional years of being led by George W. Bush. Do I regret it now? Sometimes, yes. But I can't say that, given only the knowledge we had in 2004, I would change my vote. Like I said, at the time, he seemed to me to be the best choice.

Time changes a lot of things - knowledge, opinions, beliefs. George W. Bush did not turn out to be an exceptional choice for President. But would Kerry have been exceptional? I can't in all good conscience say that I think so. But those were the choices we had then. And I can't honestly say that, even knowing what we know now, I would change my vote given the chance.

Yesterday, I voted in my second Presidential election. Again, it was exhilarating. Again, I believed that my vote does count. And again, I voted for the man I thought was best for the job. But something was different. This year, I did not have to choose the lesser of two evils. I truly believe that both candidates were good choices, that both have the understanding of the terrible situation they would be inheriting and both would do everything in their power to fix it. I felt oddly blessed that we had such fantastic choices, and I honestly would have been happy with either one of them.

Yesterday, I helped our country enter into four years of being led by Barack Obama. There are lots of reasons I voted for Barack Obama, and I'm not going to list them all here. But one of those reasons is not because I dislike John McCain. And to me, that means a lot. That this time, politics played out as I (and I'm sure many others) wish they would. This was a fantastic race, and at the center were two fantastic men - each competent and charismatic and intelligent in their own way. This is the kind of election we should have every year; to be burdened with having to choose between two wonderful candidates.

Many years from now, my children and grandchildren will live in a world in which a black man had served as president. And they will never be able to fully understand the world I grew up in where a black president was a foreign idea. Nor will they ever be able to understand the world in which my parents grew up, or my grandparents for that matter, where the idea of a black president was laughable, impossible. I am extraordinarily grateful and proud that they will never understand such things.

Yesterday, I believe that I literally helped to change the world. Or, at the very least, my children's world. Barack Obama speaks of change, and many people who did not vote for him do not believe that he can deliver the kind of change to give this country what it needs, to better it. But I think of my nephew who is weeks away from joining this world, and I think of my own sons and daughters who are years from joining this world. And I see, standing before a nation who came together to create the largest voter turnout in years, a strong and articulate black man who came from meager beginnings deliver a speech in which he accepted the presidency of the most powerful nation in the world. And I see a country growing stronger every day because of its ability to overcome a horrifically prejudiced past; a country becoming a place where its future citizens will never know what it's like to be terrified, amused or even surprised that the president can be black.

Will Barack Obama change the economy for the better? I don't know. Will Barack Obama change the situation in the middle east for the better? I don't know. Will Barack Obama change policies and laws and other facets of the country he will soon lead for the better? I don't know.

Will Barack Obama change the United States of America for the better? Will Barack Obama change the world for the better?

He already has.

I challenge any skeptic to dispute Barack Obama's promise of change.

I Love...

I love the World Series. Even though the Cardinals aren't in it this year, it is still exhilarating! The only time it wouldn't be would be a Series featuring the Red Sox and the Yankees, and that will mercifully never happen! Gotta love those leagues! Anyway, I wish baseball season would last year round!

I love The Waxing Soul. Don't know what it is? Ask me! I'm very excited about it, and can't wait to take the next step with it!

I love my new job. It's boring right now, because I haven't had my training yet, but I know it will only get better. Everyone in my clinic is extremely nice, and there are even two doctors, one of whom is Irish and the other English. And you can't be in a bad mood with those accents around!

Amidst all of these things, however, I can't concentrate on any one of them or anything else entirely because I can't stop thinking about my nephew. He will officially arrive on December 4th (unless he's early), and all I want to do is meet him. My life has suddenly become consumed by preparing for him; I want to go out and spend my whole paycheck on him already, I'm excited for baby showers coming up, I want to hear updates from Jess and John as soon as they have them. But more than anything in the world right now, I want to meet him. I want to see him on Christmas morning amid all the chaos of wrapping paper and cinnamon rolls and stocking stuffers, being the perfect, priceless gift we've all been waiting for in his mommy's arms. And I want to meet my sister as his mom. And my brother-in-law as his dad. And my mom as his grandma. And my grandparents as his great-grandparents. This list goes on and on...I can't wait for their family, and also ours, to be complete with him.
I look around and wonder how everyone can't be as excited as I am. Obviously, our families are, but I look at complete strangers and think, "Why aren't you thinking of Baby Anderson right now?! Is anything more important?! Who cares about the election or the weather or television or anything else less significant than the completion of a family?!" It doesn't make sense, I know, but my heart is bursting at the thought of him.
Jessica and John are feeling all of this ten-fold, I know. I'm so excited for them. They've been waiting their whole lives to meet their son, and it truly is God's work that they will in less than a month and a half. I'm so glad our families are so close and they have the support of everyone they hold dearest in their lives. They deserve only the best, those two. They deserve their son.

So, that's where my life and heart is right now. It's a pretty damn good place to be. :)

THE Call

Okay! I can finally post this!

As you know, I have an older sister. Her name is Jessica, she's five years older than me and she is my very best friend. Five years ago, she married a wonderfully wonderful man named John. Three years ago, she and John made the decision to have a baby. And a year ago, they discovered it wasn't going to happen.

At least, not in the "traditional" way. They began adoption proceedings and six weeks ago, were finally placed on the infamous list and left to do nothing but wait. Adoption, as I'm sure most, if not all, of you know is a nail-biting, grueling, painful waiting game. And when you've been trying to have a baby for years prior to being put on the list, it's even more difficult to be patient. People can wait as little as two weeks or as long as two years; you never really know.

On Thursday, Jessica and John got THE call that they are going to be parents! A girl had chosen them three weeks ago, and finally decided to let the caseworker give them a call to make it official!

A perfectly healthy baby boy will be born the first week of December, just in time for Christmas, and he will be Jessica and John's son.

After three years of waiting, we have a timeline of when they will become parents and it's already only two months away! I am going to be an Aunt! I've never been more excited! I am going to spoil this little boy rotten! I can already tell you, with confidence, that he will have the most presents under the tree because already, two months before he's here, he's got every single one of us wrapped around his finger!

This little boy will be loved beyond comprehension because it has been a terribly long and painful road to get to him. But this feeling of incredible euphoria, knowing for the first time in three years that my sister is truly happy, knowing that my nephew is almost here, makes it all worth it.

So congratulate me! I'm almost an Aunt!

BOO!

For those of you who don't know (which, I assume, is most of you) Monday, March 31st is a very important day. Not only is it Ewan McGregor's 37th birthday (I'm only slightly obsessed.), but it is the home opener for the St. Louis Cardinals! If Michael Buble sang the National Anthem, it'd be a dream day full of all of my boys!

In double-checking the Cards' schedule today, however, I've learned that the game starts at 3:15 PM. Why is this a problem? Because I have to work till 5 PM every Monday!

I'm very upset that I won't be able to see the first half of the game. I've been waiting for this day for a long time - I've lived through the Red Sox (*vomit*) winning the World Series for the second time in four seasons while at the same time, being only slightly interested in NCAA football (Sorry, Jessica. I know you're disappointed in me.), suffered through basketball and March Madness (Basketball has never interested me in the slightest.), watched three of my fab five, including my favorite player, be traded and leave, and suffered the humiliation of one of my boys (though he has since left the team) be mentioned in the Mitchell Report. I think I've earned my right to watch the '08 home opener in its entirety!

Is my love for my boys great enough to buy a subscription to MLB.tv so I can watch it in the office at work? Of course! Do I have the money? Not so much.

Bummer. Bummer x 10.

A happy birthday, indeed!

Well, yesterday was my birthday! 22! I've heard it's a good age. Lots of people have asked me if I feel older, but I don't. Not yet, at least.

I went out to dinner with friends and then we went back to my apartment and it was a good time! I celebrated with old friends, good friends, new friends... ;-)

On Sunday, I'm going out with my family and I'm excited! I'm not gonna lie, I love my birthday! I just love being with and hearing from everyone who mean everything to me around that time. I wish my grandparents could've been here, but I got to talk to them and I'll see them soon!

Be sure to note that it is officially spring! My birthday falls on the vernal equinox, so I always remember the first day of spring! It's a great day all around, eh?!

Anyway, thanks to all who called with birthday wishes! I appreciate it!

My darling, you were wonderful tonight.

Where can you get fantastic live music, charisma to spare, and conversations about soft core porn?

Why, at a Michael Buble concert, of course!

His concert was Tuesday night, and I'd just like to point out that he sold out the Ford Center. Yup, that's right! My little Michael is growing up!

The concert was fabulous, and he's just so entertaining! Because not only does he sound exactly like his CD when he's performing live, but he's charismatic and hysterical and you can tell that he truly loves to perform and be on stage. His presence is phenomenal! What more can you ask for from an artist, really?

My only regret is that I did not get to meet him again. Alas, next time perhaps!

I love him.

Finally!

After years of being nominated, my Michael finally won his first Grammy tonight! He won for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance for his CD, Call Me Irresponsible, that came out last year!

*Sniff* I'm so proud! :-)