My boy, Mac!

Welcome to our family, my little man. We are so happy you are here. Your Mommy and I talked for months before you were born about all the fun we wanted to have with you once you arrived.

Don’t let them box you in.

There are a lot of articles being written and shared on social media regarding thoughts on the recent violence provoked by armed racist demonstrators at Charlottesville this past weekend.

There is a lot to say about responsibility and blame and whataboutism and motivation and history and hindsight, but I’m not interested in that right now because I’m seeing what I believe is a bigger problem.

Once upon a time, we reserved our most vicious and insulting verbalized thoughts for bad-day grumblings at the dinner table in the privacy of our own homes. And the only audience to these hidden ideas were people vetted enough to join such an intimate setting.

The way we choose to talk about politics on social media is damaging our friendships and family relationships. I’m hoping to change it from my end.

I don’t want to be THAT blogger who starts off with an apology for such a wait between this post and my most recent. It definitely won’t be the last of such spots of “down-time” that my blog will experience.

I guess I’m starting off like this because I’m apologizing to myself – to my goal of posting a bit more frequently.

I guess I haven’t been able to just sit down to write because I knew exactly what it was that I needed to write and I didn’t want to do it.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that this particular post is more for my self than for anyone who’ll be reading this.

Dear Audrey,

Welcome to the world! Your Mommy and I are so happy that you are finally here! You have no idea how many people have been looking forward to this day and all the people who will want to see pictures of you and squeeze your little cheekies and pinch your cute little bum. You are here in a huge, exciting, and beautiful world and surrounded by a big fat loving family who all love you.