Thoughts on Inauguration complete with fancy photos

Mama and Dad got a much needed night out last night with friends to celebrate the Inauguration with some fellow Palmetto staters.

The evening was made that much more special by some of our new parent friends joining us for the celebration.

We've come a long way since our 1st date eight years ago, at the same ball. (The 1st picture)

Shawn and I have to constantly remind each other how lucky we are to have seats in the front row of history.  DC isn't perfect, but we get to do and experience things that those not from DC could never even dream of.

We are lucky.

We're lucky to live in a country where everyone can gather to celebrate peacefully.

We're lucky to live in a country where we can discuss the good and bad things that are happening, and hopefully work together to create some solutions.

We're lucky to live in a time where our children will have every possible opportunity presented to them.  Hopefully a time that EVERY child will have every possible opportunity presented to them.

We're reminded when we share a cab with a driver who has brought his family to this country and they've had every opportunity he hoped for.

We're reminded when we see a nation gather to celebrate our President.  To celebrate democracy.

We may not speak out as often as we should.

We may put on fancy gowns and tuxes and drink champagne instead of attending rallys and passing petitions.

Maybe it's easier than agitating and acting out.

Maybe it's enough to participate by raising our family with the values that turn them into good people that care for ALL of their neighbors.

We've joined a new church.  I've been lucky to spend some real time talking to a real Pastor who happens to be a real person.  It's challenging me.  It's making me thing about things that have been put on the back burner.  Things like my place in the universe. My responsibility to my children and family.

I want to teach our children that the world is a good place. That people are inherently good, and they should be as well. That they should live by the Golden Rule. That they should and will be help accountable for their actions. That they should be socially conscious and mindful of those with less opportunities than they may have in the future. It it right to teach them to pray for those things? Or is is most appropriate to tell them to LIVE them. 

My personal faith is built around the intangible things. The sunset. The things working out when they seemed they wouldn't. Our family being built when the odds were against us. The goodness of family and friends I've been blessed with. I haven't prayed for these things. I haven't asked God for them. But somehow they've been given to me. Through God, or luck, or opportunity, or perseverance, I don't know. But I know my cup is full..

It's a good time right now.

We are lucky.

Also, damn.. I look good for just having had a baby seven weeks ago!

Life...

It's not so bad.

No Heady Blogs

No heady blogs tonight- just photos for the grandmas.

A Family Motto

We've joked in the past that things haven't been easy for the Edwardses.

If things can go wrong, they have gone wrong.  Flood, fire, pestilence, sickness, finances, infertility a ghost... everything!  You name it?  We've touched it.

But we have always managed to come out the other side relatively unscathed. 

We'd like to think that it is because of the strength of our character, and our perspective on life. I know those aren't things you are supposed to say about yourself, but I'll be bold enough to do it.  

We've done a great job of weathering the storm.  Our lives and our marriage are stronger for it.  Shawn does it intuitively.  He's as solid as a rock and one of the best human beings I've ever encountered.  Those that know him would agree.

I'm not as intuitive.  I have to work hard to be easy going.  I have to anguish to let go.  I get mired in the stress.  I do well under stress.  I excel in crisis, but I usually collapse on the other side.

We have learned to take things in stride, and make the best of what we have been given.  Hence the first of our family mottos:  Nunquam Securus (a poor reverse google translation of "Never Easy").
Shawn has a hat that says it.  We joke about it often.

It dovetails into the two Miller family mottos:  "Do Poke the Sleeping Bear" (yes, you read that right... not don't... do), and "Suffering Builds Character". 

The Millers have always been able to roll with the punches.  We moved.  Often.  We made new friends and went to new schools.  We had changes.  But we had each other.  We laughed early and often.  We bugged the shit out of each other.  We didn't rest on our laurels.  We suffered together.  It built character. And we all turned into pretty awesome people along the way.

And now we have two great kids.  They seem to be "good" babies.  Are we that lucky?  Does the universe owe us?  Are we amazing parents?  Have we suffered enough and had it not easy enough that we are due?  Am I jinxing it all by typing out these words?

What's your family motto?  Do you have one?  Should you have one?  Does it affect how you act and the choices you make?

Anna Helen has been studying up.  She'll get back to you.

 

What?  It's Naked Tuesday up in here.

 



Today

Today was a good day for lots of reasons.

Fantastic lunch and great company.

I felt like myself.

Susann the person, not just Susann the mom.

And I was reminded how lucky I am to have the partner I have in life.

There's no one else I'd rather take this journey with.

(Schmoopy.  So sue me)

Sue Anna Helen.