Hello All! First let me say, Happy 2nd Birthday to Timothy!!!! We don't know for sure when he was born. In Uganda ,as in most of the rest of the world, most people don't know there birthday. This is his day now and we will embrace it! Timmy, you are a special little guy and we praise God for adding you to our family!! We are excited to see how you change this next year. You are a true blessing and our son that grew in our hearts. We love you so much and we hope you have a great Birthday : )

If you have followed my blog for long you will know I did not vote for our new President Obama. I disagree with him on many large issues. One of the largest is the issue of LIFE, I am a committed Pro-Life supporter. I believe a society is defined by how it treats it's weakest and "unvalued". But, I digress. This post is about positive changes and exciting times! Today as I snuggled my oldest son, Luke, and watched our amazing Democracy peacefully change leaders I was brought to tears. Luke was watching with me and of course he cannot totally understand the magnitude of what occured by President Obama taking office. He said without any prompting "Mommy, he is brown like me and has black hair like me." I said "Yes, Luke he is brown like you and he is our new President, Barack Obama." Next was the line that made me cry, "Mommy, I want to be Barack Obama" He stated enthusiastically. I said through tear filled eyes, "You can't be him Luke, but you get to be Luke Briden and you can be the BEST Luke Briden ever made! You can do anything God calls you to do Luke!" Then in his sweet quiet Lukey way he said, "I will , Mom" I know for my son, Luke, he cannot be President of this great land. He was born in Liberia, so as our laws are currently he could never even run for the Presidency of The United States. This is a day though for both my sons to reflect on as they learn and understand the history of our nation. I am thrilled that our country has come to this point in history. We will be praying for the Obama's and this great nation God has blessed us with. I am so glad my sons look nothing like me, I am so glad God has blessed me with a peek into other racial perspectives and I am thrilled today that Luke can be who God calls him to be. Who knows he could be Secretary of State someday. He would be a good Diplomat. He is gentle and loving with his siblings. Maybe though, he and Faith should not work together in Adulthood: ) They are sort of like Oil and Water, they don't mix!!!

May God continue to bless our country and may his will be done in President Obama! Love, Crystal

Enough Said in that video for this "Right Wing Wacko". It's all about "fairness" isn't it. Let's "spread the wealth around." Doesn't sound fair to this mom of five!! Their is no "fair" in life, parenting, or politics. Let's just watch and see where the tax increase hits bottom, $100,000, $75,000, or maybe $50,000.

I look at the presidency now as similar to becoming a parent. First time parents, while the baby is in the womb, have all these thoughts and dreams of how their children will behave and how they will shape this little mind. Then the bundle turns 18 months and the precious little sinner freaks out in the checkout lane at Wal-Mart because they missed their much needed nap. Presidential candidates can have all these grand ideas, just like untested parents, but actually getting the job done can be harder than the idealized dreams we have in our minds.

Let's be real the President doesn't create jobs. This is Econ. 101, people!! Business and especially small business creates jobs. Tax hikes for anyone at this time when our economy is in the tank will only make it worse.

I will always teach my children to work hard and realize their will always be someone who makes more than you and someone who makes less. Don't steal from others and don't covet. This sounds familiar, did Moses bring those commandments down from Mt. Sinai many years ago? It always comes back to God and parenting for me. I guess because that is my life, I chose to stay at home and "bake cookies" (Hillary quote), I am raising the next generation to be educated and succeed. I don't have to much time to dwell on taxes all day, but it is one thing that burns me up!!! Let's just call it a hobby of mine : ) That and watching Bill O'Reilly at 8:00pm. Speaking of that, look at the time, I gotta run. Remember to vote on Tuesday, it is a honor and a privilege!!!!!!!! Dear Lord, thank you that by your grace I am an American!! Have a good night~ Crystal

Hello All! I didn't want to get political, but who was I kidding. Check out this video here. I wouldn't be being true to me if I didn't include this video clip from my favorite " right wing" morning show : ) I love the line that some women feel their voices are not being heard. Those women disagree with a majority of East and West coast women on issues including education, recreation and procreation!!! You go Jeri Thompson and Sarah Palin!!!!! From one mom of five to another, keep fighting, take a stand for us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now you definitely know where I stand, God bless America : )