election night-

I am sitting here on election night watching NBC after getting back from voting. I felt good about my vote for all the propositions, but I was still really unsure what to do about my presidential vote. I did not want to vote for John McCain but I have a strange feeling about Barack Obama as well. Voting is something that I will do my best to show you is important even when the system makes it feel like one vote does not count. If I allow you to feel like one vote does not count, you may grow to think that all kinds of small decisions don't count either- but they do. Everything you will do will make a difference in some way. If you leave a piece of trash on the ground because it is not your job to pick it up, if you ignore a person that serves you, a person that needs help, if you show love to your family ( especially your mom), everything will have an effect on you and the world around you.

The propositions in the past have not meant alot to me because of my limited experience with different issues that affect the world. But this time around, I saw that these issues are very big- they will affect me directly, you directly and the future of things I see around me now. One is to maintain that marriage is between a man and a woman only. As your mom, I do not know yet what you will see, feel or think about this but let me say at this point- God was not misleading in the Bible about marriage being between a man and a woman only. I know this will be limiting to you in your life if you choose to follow what the Bible says. You will have to use discretion in your conversations, treat ALL people with love no matter who they are or what they do. Another measure was about teenagers having abortions without their parents knowing. This one also made me think of you quite a bit. I hope that we will have a relationship of love and closeness- that you will look to your dad and me to help you through situations in life. Those that are life changing, such as pregnancy, and those that are not life changing as well. We want you to have the relationship with us that we currently have with our parents. Your grandparents (all 4) and I are very close. We talk on the phone often, we look forward to being together. I hope that you will feel like you are part of something in our family and that will lead you to talk to us when you need help.

So, whoever wins the election tonight, there is hope in the air that things will get better- that businesses will be able to reopen, people will be able to keep their homes, put gas in their cars and even afford to go to the movies. I love you baby Murphree. I am excited to share things with you even though you continue to make me feel sick.

Next Tuesday, we may see a good enough picture to know if you are a he or a she. Then, our relationship will change forever- but just because I will know you better than I do today. On the next election night, you will be learning to read, you will have your own personality, and we'll have sloppy joe's for dinner.