HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dear Daughter!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DAUGHTER!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!

I Love You, Mommy

Thursday Thirteen -

Thirteen things I'd do for DD's birthday if she wasn't turning the BIG blank-0 ...

1. plait her hair


2. put day of the week barrette's on the ends of the plaits


3. buy her two scoops of Baskin Robbins' Cookies 'n Cream ice cream


4. read with her in the bed


5. brush her hair from her face - ( the plaits always untwist)


6. have a "movie mania" day ( that's when I'd let her and her brother watch movies until their eyes popped out...okay maybe just two or three in a row)


7. have her friends over and watch her interact with them


8. cook with her


9. dream out loud


10. have a family room picnic with shrimp and scallops


11. eat out


12. stay up talking and doing needlework together


13. tell her "I love you"; "I miss you when you're away"; "I'm so very proud of you!"

hmmm...looks like some of this I can do even if she is turning the big blank-0...

so do you think she'd wear the barrettes? (LOL)

Happy Birthday DD!!!!!! - Love Mommy

Birthday minus 2

DD's birthday minus 5 - take 2

I enjoy watching my DD negotiate her life. She is beautiful, capable and strong and I really appreciate how well she speaks up. "Speaking up" is really important to me for all kinds of reasons and I mention it here and now because she didn't always. She used to shut down. She used to hold it in. ...especially if she had a different opinion than mine or if she was angry with me. I didn't want her to be like that. Not with me ...not with anyone. I wanted her to express her opinion especially in opposition with others and I wanted her to also learn to express herself well when she was angry.
It was not the easiest lesson for me to teach. Sometimes when she was angry with me I was also angry with her...not necessarily the best environment to create lesson plans! But I figured working it out with me at lleast was the "safer" environment if not the most conducive environment because I love her and have always wanted the best- better than the best- for her!So I made a point to encourage her to speak up and to stand up for herself and for her thoughts and opinions.

and now what do we have? Through a combination of DD's experiences, her own skills, her personality (and a little loving push from her mom) and we have an awesome, strong, articulate woman in any circumstance (and with any emotion!)

Happy (five days before your) Birthday!! ...I am so proud!

DD's Birthday minus 5

It is about five days before my DD's birtday. I hope to complete five entries as birthday reflections for us both.

On her birthday DD will be the big blank -O this year. she mentioned it with some wonder and bemusement the last time I saw her. I was listening but inside I was in some stunned state wondering "when did I get to be the mom of a blank year old?! ARGGH!!"


Of course I am aware of and have been present for many of her major life events.

I have been there through it all...but still I want to know...when did it all happen? I can see that she is different than when she was born. I can even see that her children are different than when they were born (even though it's only been a few months --no wait!--yikes-- years?-- oh no! )

But for the record let me say that truly I don't feel any different. I mean yes... I have to take 3 pills daily that I wasn't taking before...and yes there are more pounds between the size I want to be and the size I am than ever before... and yes the thought of sharing my space with pet or person makes me shudder..and yes (pitiably) - I dream and scheme for ways to get blissful sleep rather than bold adventures...but no, NO I, (me, myself and I) am not different.

well sort of... but not really...okay wait, this started out as a birthday wish/entry for my DD.
let's see ...sigh...I can't remember what I wanted to write...sigh ... I guess that's different.

The World Celebrates!

A sand sculpture on a beach in Puri, India, offers congratulations to Barack Obama. The global celebrations often were tempered by an awareness of the serious challenges Obama will face. (Biswaranjan Rout / Associated Press)

President-elect Barack Obama, left, and Vice President-elect Joe Biden celebrate after Obama's acceptance speech at the election night rally in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Doesn't he look PERFECTLY presidential?!!!!!!

YES we DID!!!!!

President-elect Barack Obama gives his acceptance speech at Grant Park in Chicago Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008.(AP Photo/Morry Gash)

President-elect Barack Obama, left, his wife Michelle Obama, right, and two daughters, Malia, 7. and Sasha, 10, wave at the election night rally in Chicago, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

President-elect Barack Obama speaks to supporters during his election night party at Grant Park in Chicago, Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

Supporters cheer as they hear results from television that President-elect Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States at Grant Park in Chicago, Tuesday night, Nov. 4, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

She looks like I felt!

The Way I See it - waiting to exhale

My daughter mentioned lst night that she realized that she was holding her breath as she watched the returns. When she said that I realized that I was holding mine as well!

I guess I was being "cautiously optimistic" as one reporter said. Particularly since I know how things can change quite unexpectedly and quite unfairly for persons of color. So I didn't get too excited when now President Elect Barack Obama [ I soooo love saying that!] was ahead by 70 electoral votes. I didn't jump or pump or 'holla when he had 207 to McCain's 141. I didn't clap even though I know he is right for us...all of us. He is bright. He is articulate. He is informed. He cares. But right does not always get a fair hearing. So yes I was holding my breath. Yes I was waiting to exhale.

But today seeing photos like this...even with the full impact and implications yet to hit me... yes, I will exhale and jump and pump and 'holla!

The Way I See it - the morning after!

The morning after often has negative connotations. It implies regret. It suggests a clearer perspective over actions, thoughts, promises made in the dark that would have been different in the light of day. but not this morning! Not the morning after Barack Hussein Obama - became the president elect; the 44th president of the united states. On this morning after there is no regret; no belief that another decision would have been better; no thought that the light of day would have changed the outcome.

I am aware of those who say they are "afraid" for our country now; [ I listened to those who called in on C-Span - sigh] I heard the woman who plans on "launching investigations" into his citizenship and worthiness [seriously she doesn't think that our numerous covert "alphabet" orginations did that already?]; but I know these people were feeling this way before the win. They will most likely feel this way no matter how well he does. The way I see it that is truly unfortunate particularly for them.

For they will miss the beauty of this moment - that not only is this a good day for African Americans and Americans and the world over [you know our reputation was at stake, right?]

It is a good day... period!

Amid a sea of cheers and joyful tears, President-elect Obama takes the stage at an election-night celebration for hundreds of thousands of supporters in Chicago’s Grant Park last night. (CHUCK KENNEDY / McClatchy-Tribune)

The Way I See It - President Elect Barack Obama!

Every time they said "President Elect Barack Obama" I literally got chills! I cannot believe it! Not because he isn't capable because he most certainly is! Not because I didn't want to believe it because I most certainly do. But I have lived long enough to see things go sour (for one - Florida - 2000 presidential "election" of George Bush) .

Wow! He did it and we helped! Hallelujah! Praise God!

President Elect Barack Obama! Wow! (President Obama - I will not be able to stand it!)

I am so pleased, so proud, so excited ...(I guess I won't sleep at all tonight ;)

The Way I See It ...we finally allowed the best person to win.

the Way I See It - Election Day 11-4-2008 - 3:33pm

The Way I See It - I will probably post several election day thoughts so I'm time stamping them. I can't even begin to express the pride and incredulity I am feeling right now.

• Although I am not old enough to remember when paved roads abruptly ended at the edge of where white people resided and turning into dirt roads at the entrance to the black part of town [my mother is, that's how I know about these things]
• I am old enough [barely] to remember the southern hotel signs being switched from vacancy to no vacancy when my father entered to rent us a room on our vacation to see relatives in the south.
• I am old enough just barely to remember the signs with the "N" word held amidst screams of "kill Martin Luther Coon".
• I can remember the first time I had to explain to a frightened, angry, hurt twenty something white person what "affirmative action" was not [ I was an undergrad - if I tell you the year - you'll instantly disappear!]
• and I can certainly remember the most recent time -which unfortunately I do not believe it will be the last time - which was Sunday November 2, 2008.

I could go on but I won't. My point: while I can easily delineate how things have not changed, how things have not improved...today I won't. Because today is a day I thought I'd never live to see. Today there is a brother, an African American man, who is making me happy, making me proud. Today there is an African American man, who is married to an African American woman who together are making me happy and proud. Today I have an image of two happy, loved, safe and proud African American girls, instead of an image of the frightened little African American girl in the 1960's walking the gauntlet of angry white adults in Little Rock, Arkansas. TODAY there is an African American family who represents the best of all I know in my own family; who represents the best in families across this country - the best, not the perfect. TODAY this African American man and his family are anticipating their first walk in the front door of the first house to become the first family. The first, first African American family of these barely united, United States.

TODAY. This country has a chance to demonstrate that she is better than her past, better even than her most recent past. Today I hope, I pray she doesn't blow it.

Two-s - Day

I just found out that there is a "protocol" for Thursday Thirteen. So until I work through it I'm creating a Two-s - day list...Two things instead of thirteen.

Here are Two things I want to accomplish in the next 200 days!

1- clear out every unneeded, unnecessary thing from the basement

2- turn the middle bedroom into a tranquil study