attitude of gratitude :: november 2

lately life has been busy and a bit stressful and my energy level and creativity is on low empty.  i don't know what it is.  so in an effort to force myself to write, and to recognize all of the blessings in my life i thought that i would post those things that i am grateful for.  i would like to say that i will do this on a daily basis but i hate to put that out there and then disappoint, although i think i just did.  so i'll just post when i can, even if it's just a line or a picture.  november 2 is a good place to start and i even have a gratitude for yesterday.

so here goes:

november 1: my 200th post - kind of exciting.  i didn't even realize it yesterday when i posted that it was so monumental.  i started this blog as a creative outlet, a place to record our lives, a way to communicate with family.  i look forward to posting and sharing.  as i read through some of my previous entries i can find the voice that loves her family and kids, that deals with challenges, that has the best of intentions, at times i even think i'm kind of funny.  this blog reminds me what an amazing life i have.  i think about writing all the time. i think about making this blog bigger and more creative.  i know that just a handful of people read it and that's ok. it's a safe and honest place for me.  that's all i need right now.

november 2: the right to vote - i hate to be so obvious, but it's the truth.  i was the first person in my family to be able to vote in the united states.  my parents didn't become american citizens until later and both of my brothers were born in baja california and naturalized just a few years ago.

as soon as i was 18 i considered voting a privilege and an obligation.  granted i am not very political and i hate to admit this here, but i tend to vote on instinct rather than doing research.  but i am proud of the choices that i have made.  i usually keep my political opinions to myself, mostly because i get worked up talking about it.  but i will say that my views are not necessarily affiliated with one political party.  i know what i stand for and if you fit the bill (ok, lately it's been if you come close), you get my vote.

did i ever tell you about the time i ran for student body president of my elementary school?  yep, me. quiet, shy, me.  i had a campaign manager and had to give a speech in front of the whole school, teachers and parents.  and i won.  do you know why?  maybe it was my brilliant speech and my outstanding campaign slogan, that i can't remember at the moment.  but i'm pretty sure it was because everyone else used an interpretor to translate their speech to the spanish speaking population.  i did it myself, grammatically incorrect and all.  and i got the most applause.  my mom and grandma were in the audience that day.  later in the year my 5th grade teacher signed my yearbook and she wrote "i promise to vote for you for congress one day."  ahh, a short lived dream. i would have preferred she voted for me on "Star Search" since my dream was to be a singer. i'm sure i did not have a huge impact on the student body that year, but it was fun leading the pledge of allegiance at assemblies and being recognized at graduation.  and i am thankful for every vote i received.

so i vote every time i can.  and i watch the results on tv.  and i hope someone will make a difference.  and i hope that things will get better. it has to, right? i voted for that.

ETA:  this post was meant to go up yesterday but we were dealing with stomach flu, mock trial and election results.  best of intentions.