Leftovers

We finally remembered to pick up batteries so I could take and upload pictures of my beautiful anniversary flowers and the fabulous onesie we got for Sam at the vineyard this weekend. It seriously could be one of the cutest damned onesies I ever set my eyes on.

For anniversary dinner, Gregg made a pork roast w/ rosemary, roasted sweet potatoes w/ rosemary and garlic, spiced baked apples, and asparagus (that was for me, Gregg tries not to consume green veggies when at all possible.) I know what you're thinking, Meg's a veg and doesn't consume meat. While that is true, I do on occasion eat some meat. Primarily chicken if I am otherwise protein deficient. This happens about 1-2/month. I don't purchase it, and it's only if it's already been prepared by someone else. (While there is no requirement for Buddhists to be veg, it is used by some of us to accumulate merit to be dedicated to others, like an extra blessing.) If someone makes a meat dish especially for me, I will just say extra prayers before the meal and will eat it. Although I am by no means going to go back to the amount of meat I ate prior to becoming veg, let me just say, that pork roast was FANTASTIC!!!!!!! Of course, my wonderful hubby could make shoe leather taste fantastic, because he's just that good. There was some extra pork left yesterday so I got to have it again. YUM!

I know what you are thinking, what about Sam & siblings? Will the kids be raised veg? The answer is -- they will be raised to have a healthy diet. That healthy diet will include some veg protein, soy protein, egg & dairy protein, and occasional chicken/fish/pork. When they are old enough, they will make a choice for themselves. Just like with religion. Gregg is an ex-Catholic, I was raised Protestant, converted Buddhist. We will raise the kids to have respect for all varieties of spirituality and to have faith of some type/shape/form. I don't care if our children connect with anyone of the Ibrahimic or Dharmic religions, or anything else. So long as they are healthy and happy and well-balanced.

Food, religion, next topic is obviously politics. After saying on a yahoo group post that I don't care who you vote for so long as you vote, which remains true, I had goose-bumps after Sen. Obama's closing remarks. Heck, I have goose-bumps each and every time I hear Sen. Obama give a speech. Sure, he is a well-versed orator with an engaging cadence. But it's so much more than that. I have voted every opportunity since I became 18 (92, 96, 00, 04 and all the local elections in between.) I have taken a great deal of pride in voting, and every time I do so, I always think of my Grandpa, who was a political activist and lobbyist in Indianapolis and Washington for elder rights, after he retired from his work as an ambassador for the World Council of Churches. I have thought of grandpa a lot during this election cycle. Although a registered Dem, I know, from my mom, that Grandpa and Grandma had some less-than-desirable opinions about blacks in America. Specifically, when my mom was a teen in the 60s, they didn't let her date a boy she was quite fond of, solely because he was black and "what would the neighbors think." They were okay w/ Mom going to the March on Washington, but didn't attend themselves because "what would the neighbors think." I cannot understand or explain that viewpoint, and believe it is more a product of the times, rather than my grandparents being racist. That being said, I truly think Sen. Obama would have been the one candidate that would have been able to forever change their opinions, and that both would be proud to announce their support of him in this election. Sen. Obama has a gift -- he truly can bring diverse people together, and get them start talking. I really believe he can finally change the world stage. Let's face it, the majority of the world is NOT white. Having a head of state who is NOT white can only serve to help how other nations feel about America. Please don't think that I'm voting for Sen. Obama purely because he is black. I am voting for him because he gives me hope. Hope for tomorrow, Hope for the future, Hope for my children, Hope for getting out of this pathetic war, Hope for the economy, Hope for education, Hope for health care, Hope for global warming, Hope for EVERYTHING. When I hear Sen. Obama, it lifts my heart and spirit. It makes me believe again. If you are voting for Sen. McCain, I hope he makes you feel the same way. If you are voting for Sen. Obama, I already know he does.

Okay, off my soap-box. I'm actually home a bit earlier today and going to enjoy a bit of time w/ my man.