Monday, January 26, 2009
A Good Day...
Today was a really good day as far as the after work rush. I made it home by 6:15 (new record) after picking the kids up from their grandma's. Nikolas worked on homework while I made dinner and I was so proud of how he just kept at it and got it done right before dinner. We managed to eat dinner, get Stefan's homework done, have coffee ready for Darko when he came home for break, get baths, find a few silly jokes for Nik to use at school tomorrow and still had time to read everyone a book before bed at 9pm. Damien picked the book tonight and it was "If You Give a Pig a Pancake". I love that story, it sounds so much like our crazy life sometimes. That is a lot to cram into three short hours, but we did it and these are the nights that I just can't get enough of. We'll see what tomorrow brings. I am off to bed to start all over again tomorrow!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
And One More Thing...
Boys--you know how much your mama loves to listen to Aretha Franklin. She did a wonderful job at the ceremony and I want you to watch it someday. I read somewhere once that "if you ever want to hear the voice of God, listen to Aretha Franklin." Just some advice from your mom, you used to listen to it all time time in the womb!
A New President...
I have gotten seriously behind in my effort to keep this up for my boys, and I am going to try to do much better. Take note, my boys, when you read this later, you will thank me for making you do your homework even if you hated it at the time. Life lessons, kiddos, life lessons.
So I wanted to put my thoughts down about the inauguration. I have mostly kept my political views confined to my household and a few friends. But I am absolutely thrilled that our new president is Barak Obama. And I am even more thrilled that so many others feel the same. Part of me gets a little bothered by all the anti-O stuff, but that's to be expected in American politics. What I didn't expect was for Nikolas to come home after school (before the election) and tell me that Obama kills babies in mommies tummies. Who teaches their children that? I am guessing it is the same people that still use racial slurs and tell all immigrants to "go back to their own country" without even stopping to think that unless their own family tree has Native American blood, then all of us are immigrants. My boys need to understand that yes, their dad was a refugee to this country. Not by choice, but because he was held prisoner in a concentration camp in Bosnia and that his home and all he had was ruined by a stupid hateful war. That he was beaten daily, had his teeth knocked out with a rifle butt, saw friends beheaded, saw his uncle shot straight to the head, nearly starved, burned with cigarettes, and stabbed. But they will also understand that their dad was brave enough to escape, and take four others with him, only to swim for six hours and cross into Serbia where he could be a little more safe. And most importantly, they will understand that it takes a heck of a man (and some help from God) not to wake up every day and be a bitter, ruined person because of it. Maybe my marriage has changed my views on things and has made me more accepting of people no matter who they are or where they come from. Maybe it was the hate mail I got right after we got married calling me a "foreigner-loving #$#%" and that I should be very scared. And that was only because he was a Bosnian Serb. Maybe it was the realization that there is a bigger power than me, because how else would I have met and married someone from halfway around the globe?
I have never been decidedly Republican or Democrat, I always waited to see what each candidate had to say, did my research, and made the decision that was right for me based on my own core values. It is tough to listen to all the bad things that are being said right now about our new President. It makes me wonder if it is because he is black? If it is because people are scared to change and do things a new way? How will they respond when a woman becomes president? I can't wait for the day. I will instill in my boys, though, to take their right to vote seriously. It is one way for their voice to be heard and for change to happen. Either way, no matter who wins, I will teach them to respect their president. And if their choice doesn't win, there will be another chance in four more years. Who can't love a democracy and a peaceful transfer of power? Sure beats civil war, boys, just ask your dad.
So I wanted to put my thoughts down about the inauguration. I have mostly kept my political views confined to my household and a few friends. But I am absolutely thrilled that our new president is Barak Obama. And I am even more thrilled that so many others feel the same. Part of me gets a little bothered by all the anti-O stuff, but that's to be expected in American politics. What I didn't expect was for Nikolas to come home after school (before the election) and tell me that Obama kills babies in mommies tummies. Who teaches their children that? I am guessing it is the same people that still use racial slurs and tell all immigrants to "go back to their own country" without even stopping to think that unless their own family tree has Native American blood, then all of us are immigrants. My boys need to understand that yes, their dad was a refugee to this country. Not by choice, but because he was held prisoner in a concentration camp in Bosnia and that his home and all he had was ruined by a stupid hateful war. That he was beaten daily, had his teeth knocked out with a rifle butt, saw friends beheaded, saw his uncle shot straight to the head, nearly starved, burned with cigarettes, and stabbed. But they will also understand that their dad was brave enough to escape, and take four others with him, only to swim for six hours and cross into Serbia where he could be a little more safe. And most importantly, they will understand that it takes a heck of a man (and some help from God) not to wake up every day and be a bitter, ruined person because of it. Maybe my marriage has changed my views on things and has made me more accepting of people no matter who they are or where they come from. Maybe it was the hate mail I got right after we got married calling me a "foreigner-loving #$#%" and that I should be very scared. And that was only because he was a Bosnian Serb. Maybe it was the realization that there is a bigger power than me, because how else would I have met and married someone from halfway around the globe?
I have never been decidedly Republican or Democrat, I always waited to see what each candidate had to say, did my research, and made the decision that was right for me based on my own core values. It is tough to listen to all the bad things that are being said right now about our new President. It makes me wonder if it is because he is black? If it is because people are scared to change and do things a new way? How will they respond when a woman becomes president? I can't wait for the day. I will instill in my boys, though, to take their right to vote seriously. It is one way for their voice to be heard and for change to happen. Either way, no matter who wins, I will teach them to respect their president. And if their choice doesn't win, there will be another chance in four more years. Who can't love a democracy and a peaceful transfer of power? Sure beats civil war, boys, just ask your dad.
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