Not happy with the state of America right now?  Blame Congress!  The majority of them are overpaid, great health benefits having, answering to the businesses who fund their campaigns, partisan cry babies!

In 2009, this current Congress campaigned on jobs, jobs, jobs.  When elected, the head of the Senate Republicans, Mitch McConnell, said his number one priority was making President Obama a one-term President.  Ummmm, what happened to jobs?  Oh yeah, the party that ran on jobs, jobs, jobs, became the party of NO, NO, NO.

So, if you don’t have a job, blame congress!  When a jobs bill was presented to them, they turned their noses up, turned their backs on you and only thought about themselves…not you.

They’ve forgotten that they work for us and we fail to hold them accountable for their non-action.  So, if you’re really unhappy with the state that America is in right now, BLAME CONGRESS!

Do you think Congress is the main reason America can’t move forward as quickly as it could at this time?  Click “continue” to leave a comment.

T.I.C.N. 2012

People vote for candidates in elections for many reasons.  For some it could be about party affiliation.  For others, it could be about economics, climate issues, healthcare, religion and a host of other issues.  Whatever your reason may be, it’s important to study the issue(s), make a decision and vote.  I took time to study and made my decision.

After two chemical (miscarriages) pregnancies, my husband and I greeted a beautiful baby girl in January.  We both said we wanted one child and we wanted a girl.  Our prayers were answered.  She’s our joy and we wouldn’t want it any other way.  We want her to blossom where she’s planted.  Our hopes and dreams for our baby girl are extremely high.  Like any parents, we want her to be respectful, graceful, intelligent and succeed in everything she chooses to do in life.  The decisions she makes will determine her progress and success in life.

However, how can I tell her she’s intelligent enough to reach for the stars and the decisions she makes for her life are hers when we have politicians who can’t tell us whether or not they support equal pay for women and want to reverse Roe v. Wade?  This is very disturbing to me as a mother of a daughter.  I want her to have a fair playing field as she grows.  When she becomes an adult, I want her to be protected by receiving the same pay for the same job as her male counter part.  If not, she can file a grievance and win.

ThinkProgress.org

I want my daughter to be able to make her own healthcare decisions.  God forbid she is raped and becomes pregnant.  I do NOT wish that on her or anyone’s child.  But, I don’t want a law in place in which she will be forced to have a baby she may not want that’s conceived through a criminal and violent act.  She may not be able to financially care for the baby or she may be too distressed to become emotionally attached to the baby.  I want her to have a choice of what she may need to do for what is best for her situation.  I don’t want people passing laws forbiding her to make decisions that are best for her and which in turn may criminalize her.

Sonjabe.com

This is not a blog about abortion and whether or not it’s right or wrong.  Just because I’m for women’s rights doesn’t mean I’m for abortion.  I’m for people understanding that women are capable of making difficult decisions about their personal healthcare needs just as any man would be about his healthcare needs.  We’re not stupid and shouldn’t be treated in such a way.

My daughter is EQUAL to anyone’s son and should be treated with respect regarding her decision making skills.

This brings me to my decision who I chose to vote for as President.  Yes, I voted early!  Yay Me!!  I’m voting for President Barack H. Obama.  I’m a one issue voter this election cycle and my issue is Women’s Rights.  Mitt Romney still can’t tell us whether he supports the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that President Obama signed in 2009.  Mitt Romney has waivered on his stance on Roe v. Wade.

President Obama respects women and has shown his support by signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and he supports upholding Roe v. Wade.  He has NEVER changed his position in what he believes when supporting women.

Saratoga Politics

I’m my daughter’s voice until she turns 18.  Until then, it’s My Voice, My Decision, My Daughter, My VOTE.

Are you a one issue or multiple issue voter?  I’d love to read your thoughts.  Click “continue” to leave a comment.

T.I.C.N. 2012

Many times I hear people talking, yelling and screaming that President Barack Hussein Obama, hereinafter referred to as the President, should not be allowed to be the President because he isn’t a Christian.  Nevermind the Birther stance that he isn’t a U.S. citizen.  Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you can’t fix stupid.  But I digress.  Now, we have former Governer Mitt Romney, a Mormon, as the GOP nominee for President.  You don’t hear an outcry of opposition about him being the President.  However, there are grumblings and a solemn quietness among Christians/Evangelicals who disapprove of him running for office due to his religion.

But seriously folks, how many of us have read or even studied the Constitution since the fourth grade?  Many of us haven’t even looked at the document since the tenth grade!  Well, you no longer have to pick up a book to read our governing document.  Do you have a smart phone?  Did you know that there’s an app for the the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence?  How many of you downloaded it as one of the first apps to have on your phone?  Anyone?  Anyone?  I can actually say that both were amongst the first apps I placed on my phone.

Constitution of the United States

Many people grumbling about a candidate’s religion have forgotten one critical fact within the Constitution.  If you haven’t read it lately, let me re-enlighten you on what’s in the Constitution of the United States.

**Article 6, Clause 3 states: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.**

Religions

So, as the Constitution clearly states, please do not use one’s religion or no religion to determine whether or not they can run for office.  It’s unfair to the person running for office to think he or she must practice a certain religion to run for office.  Candidates should feel welcomed to run for office.  It’s equally unfair to America.  Our country is made up of many ethnicities, cultures and religions.  It’s only right that our elected officials also reflect the people they serve.

Voting Smart (Courtesy of cmfmedia.org)

Let’s chat! Do you still think a candidate’s religion should be a consideration to hold a political office?  Click “Continue” to leave a comment.

T.I.C.N. 2012

courtesy of myfavoritethrows.com

Our next fundraiser is the 12th Annual Robin Lynn Young Golf Tournament. It will be held on June 2, 2012 at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club.  You can find more information about participating in the tournament or becoming a sponsor by viewing the brochure: http://www.akanuiotaomega.org/Site/rlybrochure12.pdf  If you don’t golf or if you need to brush up on your skills, you can attend the golf clinic.

courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

A portion of the proceeds from this tournament will also fund the following scholarships: The Robin Lynn Young Memorial Scholarship (awarded to a female law school student at Florida State University) & The Connie Joyce Davis Memorial Scholarship (awarded to a graduating female high school student).

courtesy of school-clipart.com

Don’t forget to click the link above if you’d like to join us for a day filled with golf, prizes, food and fun!

What organization(s) are you a member of or like to volunteer with?  Click “Continue Reading” to leave a comment.

T.I.C. N. 2012

Fast forward to 2011.  We found out we were pregnant with a baby girl.  We decided her first name would indeed be Gabrielle.  When we shared the name with friends and family, the immediate question was, you guessed it, are you going to call her Gabby?  NO!!  We are NOT going to call her Gabby.  Her name is Gabrielle.  I don’t have a nickname, my husband really doesn’t have a nickname and basically, the majority of my family don’t have nicknames.  We are what we were named.  Again, I thought Gabrielle was just a pretty name.  A name that was elegant, strong and distinctive.  However, when I thought about it…I was like, HOLD UP!  Let me see what our child’s name will mean before I just give her a random name.  Shoot, it may mean fishy mud, fourth son of satan, a trollop or anything else undesirable.

I’ve found several meanings for Gabrielle but all are consistent.  Gabrielle means: Heroine of God, God is my strength, God is my might.  God, God, God.  Now, I’m not a bible thumping Christian but I am a believer in Christ.  I was now even more pleased that we gave her the name Gabrielle.  So why would I now want to conform to society’s wants and wishes to call her Gabby?  Why would I want our child to have half a name, half the strength of God?

I struggled over her middle name.  We thought about Elise or Charlese (after my gone but not forgotten dad.  I love you.).  We thought of Alexandria!  But, the kids would tease her and call her GAS.  The names just weren’t flowing well for me and I just wasn’t feeling a middle name.  Then someone told me, she’ll never go by it anyway so don’t stress about it.  What?!  Giving your child a name is the most important thing you can do for your little one.  Careful thought should go into every letter of the word.  Gabrielle was very peaceful in her safe place and didn’t move a lot.  So much so, I would check her heartbeat with my the fetal heartbeat monitor or I would shake my stomach to make her move.  That was pretty much a no go.  She just wasn’t an active baby.

Gabrielle’s middle name is Olivia.  I’ve always liked the name but as a first name.  I decided to look up the meaning of Olivia.  Guess what I found?  Olivia means: Olive Tree.  It’s a symbol of fruitfulness, beauty and dignity.  It’s also a symbol of peace.  That’s was it!  Olivia!!  Gabrielle was a peaceful baby in her safe place.  She didn’t kick hard and wasn’t a busy body.  She just squirmed when she moved and that was all.  So, I told my husband her middle name would be Olivia because it means peace.

Gabrielle Olivia!  Yep, that’s my baby’s name!  A name with a desired and strong meaning.  Now do you see why I don’t want her to be called Gabby?  She will know the meaning of her names and why we chose them for her.  If she chooses to be called Gabby when she gets older (because she thinks it’s cute), then that will be her choice.  But as of now, her mommy and daddy will always call her Gabrielle….because that’s her name.

5 Days Old

T.I.C.N. 2012

I knew I wanted to get into shape after I delivered baby girl so I planned to start exercising.  Baby girl is going to depend on me and her daddy to raise her to be the best child ever!  Yes, I’m biased!  I knew I needed to get healthy for not only myself but most important, my baby girl.  Now, I’m no spring chicken.  I was 40 years old when I had her so I’ve got some extra work to do to get in shape.  I’ll admit it….things kind of slow down and go down south as you get older.  Those aches and pains you could recover from in one day when you were 20 now take a week or more to recover when you’re 40.

I had a c-section so I knew my recovery would take a minimum of eight weeks.  Me, baby girl and the dog started walking the neighborhood about once a week or so after my eight weeks were up.  I didn’t feel like I could accomplish my goals on my own so my search was on for a personal fitness trainer.  **Ooooo!  She can afford a personal trainer!**  No I can’t!  I’m just making it a priority to divert certain funds to a worth while cause.  ME!  I knew I really needed a personal trainer when my aunt asked me about playing with baby girl.  She asked me, “what are you going to do when she runs away from you?”  I popped off at the mouth and said, “wait for her to come back because I wasn’t running after her.”  I knew then that was ridculous and I needed to make my health a priority! I spoke with a couple of trainers and decided on one.  My plan is to work with the trainer three times a week and do my own thing twice a week.  This may need to be modified but we’ll go whichever way the the wind blows.

I’ve already gone to three sessions.  Let me tell you!  Some of the tasks I had to complete were raggedy as all get out!  But, I did what I was asked of me and I completed the workouts.  I was given praise for what I accomplished and it made me feel really good.  I’m motivated to keep this up and with encouragement from my hubby and loved ones, I should do quite well.

Wish me LUCK!

What epiphany have you had about getting healthy? Click “Continue Reading” to leave a comment.

T.I.C.N. 2012

So we got home, he fell asleep, I grabbed the clippers, went into the bathroom, plugged it in and started shaving my hair to the new growth.  Mind you, I knew it wouldn’t be a perfect cut.  That would explain the couple of bald, umm, low cut spots I had that couldn’t be filled in with an eyebrow pencil.  *Insert your laughter here*  I had to get a couple of wigs *Laugh again* until my hair grew out enough so I could wear it au natural.  Going natural was fulfilling.  I felt like the weight of conforming to what society thought was beautiful was lifted off of my shoulders.  It felt like a HUGE breath of clean fresh air.

This brings me to my current journey.  I was at the salon the other day getting comb coils.  My stylist asked me if I was going to give my daughter a relaxer when she got older.  I promptly told her, “NO”.  I advised that I didn’t want chemicals in her hair and have her endure her scalp possibly getting burned.  No child should have that feeling.  I also expressed that I didn’t think I would be a good example for her knowing my hair was natural and her hair wasn’t.

My daughter is only three months old but I can’t bare the thought of allowing myself to give in to what society thinks is beautiful.  My hair is naturally nappy and I’m happy about it!  I want baby girl to be able to look in the mirror and know that she is adorable, beautiful, intelligent and worthy.  No matter what her hair looks like to others.

When you know better, you do better.  Baby girl and I are going to take this natural hair journey together.  I want her to know that her crown is beautiful just the way it is.

What’s your hair story? Click “Continue Reading” to leave a comment.

Now, I could write about why George Zimmerman did not follow crime watch rules which prohibits volunteers from approaching “suspicious” people and prohibits carrying a gun while on patrol.  He obviously disregarded both rules.  I could discuss gun control and why there should or should not be more strict laws on who should possess a gun.  I could discuss whether the investigation by the Sanford Police Department was sloppy. *Cough, Cough. Excuse Me! Sniff*  I could discuss whether Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” Law, signed by then Governor Jeb Bush, needs to be revamped.  I could even discuss whether racism played a role in the death of Trayvon Martin.

I could choose to write about a host of issues about this case because it’s just that troubling to me.  However, my desire is to express my compassion as a mother to another mother who lost her child in a senseless turn of events by a man who is walking free today.

Usually, when I hear of a child killed by the hands of another, I feel sad and I just shake my head.  One more senseless death.  However, I’m now a mother of a two month old girl.  I love my baby so much!  I want to teach her to be a kind, loving, intelligent and productive person.  I want to protect her from the evils of the the world as much as I can and watch her grow into an adult.  Now that I have these motherly feelings, my sense of sadness has risen to a level of true sorrow and compassion for Trayvon Martin’s mother.  I know Trayvon’s mother felt the same way about her son as I do for my baby.  She still loves him with all of her heart and being today.

A parent is not supposed to outlive their child.  A parent is suppose to watch their child grow into adulthood.  Be proud that he or she finished high school, trade school or college.  Be proud that their child joined the military to serve this country.  Be proud that their child obtained a job, pays taxes and stays out of trouble.  Be proud that their child has an opportunity to vote.  Trayvon’s mother will never be given the opportunity to see what her 17 year old son could have become as an adult.  She’ll never be able to see him become a productive member of society.  She’ll never be able to hear him say, “I love you mom”.

Take away the media, take away the attorneys, take away the police department and take away everyone’s perspective about this case.  At the end of the day and when there is silence; a mother has lost her child.  My heart truly hurts for Ms. Sybrina Fulton.  Her son is dead because he looked “suspicious”.

T.I.C.N. 2012

For instance, I got married in 2008 and my photographer was Jessie Emeric of:   http://theemerics.com/.  She’s been waiting on me to select our 11×14 picture so she can send it to us.  Well guess what?!  I finally sat down reviewed the pictures again, after doing it several times before, and selected a picture.  I believe my procrastination and then finally sitting down to choose a picture made me pick the best one for us.  I just know it and I’m happy about it too!  I feel that if I would have chosen a picture *clearing my throat* years ago, I wouldn’t have been happy with my decision.  So, yes, I’m justifying that my happiness about my selection is based on my procrastination.  I also believe Father Time will always be on my side!

Since it’s been almost four years, I’m sure Jessie changed her policy to advise clients that pictures must be chosen within 90 days or they forfeit the picture(s).  If she did, I’m sure it’s because of me. If she didn’t, then may God bless her because she would be backed up all the time if she had clients like me.

So, tell me your procrastination story.  Thanks for sharing!

T.I.C.N. 2012