To start we had to bring Jeremy’s car to the shop.  Ok, no prob.  Get Jeremy to work, then Elena and I have dinner and go to the manicure place.  Elena picks our nail colors, she gets nail art all good.  Then we get back to the car to head over to her school to meet the teacher the car won’t start.  Oh yeah, dead battery.  I call Jeremy, then I call the Nissan place, then I call the tow truck.  Elena is very upset, the day appears ruined.  After waiting in the hot sun for the better part of an hour the tow truck shows up and Elena is so upset she has yet to see the adventure in the moment.  We get to Nissan and they will get it into the shop asap to diagnose the problem in the meantime Elena and I need to get to the school!  Jeremy works just down the road but his car is in the shop for brake work…both cars in the shop!  Oh boy…

Thank you Nissan, they had their courtesy car take us to the school.  There was 30 minutes left in the open house but that was enough to get in there and meet the teacher etc.  Then  I get a call on Jeremy’s car - it’s done and they will send their curtesy car.  Another hour in the sun and we get picked up.  We get the van and take it to Jeremy.  then walk down to the Nissan place and get my car.  Now it is 4 in the afternoon, Elena and I are hot, tired and hungry. 

Not how we planned to spend the day but that’s life.

 So let us apply this to religion.  You have so many arguments within religion because certain persons interpret the written word in a certain way and because there are now multiple written versions of the same basic text out there.  Yet each version does not naturally take into account the growth in our knowledge of the world around us, the changes in how we live and what we know.  For example:

 My co-worker, a regular church goer, pointed out that the bible says that slaves must obey their masters.  Does that mean slavery is ok?  That used to be one of the arguments but now our moral compass says, for most people, that slavery is wrong.  Then I pointed out the strict Hebrew tradition of seperating out foodstuffs.  A great tradition in a time where there was no refrigeration and cross contamination meant food poisoning but now it is not needed but they still do it. 

 No, I respect the traditions of other and have no problem with ones that do not lead to the harming of others but there are many traditional activities that have not changed with our understanding and they lead to the pain of others.  So I wonder did the printing press help us or hurt us?

Now, I admit he is a radical in his extreme concepts for government reform but a balanced government would prevent him from going to the extreme.  This balance would come not only from giving the Democrats control of the Congress, real control that includes the ability to override the Presidential veto which they do not have now, but from the fact the Ron Paul himself is not loved within his own party.  He is as close to a third party as we have right now, Gravel being a bit to laughed at to accomplish the same thing on the Democrat side.

One of the things that Bush has had going for him is the strong inner party support that all elected Republicans seem to blindly grant each other.  Neo Con Republicans stick together, tied at the wallet you could say.  If anyone wants to succeed in the Republican party they must play ball with the top dogs.  In doing this they abandon the basic principals of the grassroots Republican and violate the trust of those who voted for them.  It works in making them look strong and organized and that looks really good when you are picking people to run the government; however, it means that there is no real debate and oversite within the government and government becomes competely self serving.

The Dems may not be as organized but that has more to do with the fact that they are more likely to choose their own path over the one the leadership chooses.  Not to say they aren’s as likely to be selfish in their choices but when they do not all stand as one they are less likely to cause as much damage.  In fact, they are more likely to do some good for the voters because such good things will bring Dems together faster than the selfish things. (wish I could find a better way to say that but I hope you get what I mean.)

 Anyway, check out Ron Paul of Texas, watch the debates and file as a voter for one party or the other long enough to help choose the final candidates for President.

-Layle

First, I got to see Mom, Dad, Kam, Eric and Morgan.  I love those people just a wee it and miss them all the time.  Morgan makes the time apart more apparent than anything else could.  She is growing so fast and so beautifully.  That girl is going to break hearts and challenge minds her entire life!  I love to watch her and Elena playing together and getting along, I hope it becomes a true, lifelong friendship for each of them.

Second, I got to hang out with Jeremy alone for a few days.  There is a freedom in being alone with ones husband that you forget when you have a child constantly around.  I would not trade Elena for that freedom, ever!, but recapturing it for a few days was wonderful.  Just thinking about it makes me smile.  We had a dinner date, hung out, walked around Baltimore and talked.  Knowing you can talk without interruption is so cool!!!  I highly recommend that all parents take a few days and go away alone as soon as possible!!!

Third, I got to watch my daughter enjoy the company of her Granma and her cousin.  Whenever we around those two I could disappear and Elena would never know!  Going to New York and getting to hang out with those two made her happier than I can describe.  I can never thank my family enough for the gift they gave her in taking her there.

Overall, the best time we have had since the family visit in 2006 when we went to the Space Center.

-Layle