by jenn_davis | personal
Obviously, we are all fully aware that today is Election Day. For months now we have been reading politically charged Facebook rants and our televisions have been inundated with political commercials and debates.
I don’t want to discuss my personal political views on this blog. We write here as a group and I don’t necessarily feel that my personal opinions should ever be mistaken for being the groups.
Having said that, tonight we will find out who will lead our nation for the next 4 years. I have been praying about this for months. Praying that Gods will would be done and trusting in his guidance not only as I decided who I would be voting for, but praying for the future of our country.
For those of you who know me fairly well, it’s no secret which candidate I support. I would like to say, however, that regardless of which man is elected tonight, I am thankful for him and the sacrifices he will and has made for this country.
I am thankful to live in such a beautiful nation filled with great opportunity. I know it may not always feel hopeful, but I believe it’s our responsibility as Americans to understand how very fortunate we are. I have witnessed first-hand, great success being born from hard work and perseverance. We are one of the only nations where we have the power to build something from nothing, all while having the freedom to speak our minds publicly, worship whatever god we choose, love freely, and even select our own leaders. We live in a land of opportunity and the uglier other regions of the world get, the more fortunate I feel.
Tonight after the results are announced, I will pray for our elected president, that he may lead our nation to be better and stronger.
Regardless of your political affiliation, I think we can all agree that we want what’s best for ourselves, our family, our children and our country. So, the next time you find yourself annoyed with someone’s views or their political rants, try to remind yourself that this is what makes America so wonderful.
Not all are as fortunate.
by steph_egan | personal
Like many colleges around the country, the one I went to consisted of brick, ivy covered buildings… a central quad (for Frisbee games and laying in the sun), a student common, a dining hall and dorm rooms of cinder blocks, with a small town to surround it all.
Keene, NH is a quiet place, a typical New England town with tree-lined streets, one or two shopping centers, and at the time we were there.. only a few bars to choose from. It’s a town that noticeably grows in size each Fall as students arrive. And in late October? It realllllly grows in size as Pumpkinfest begins: from a town of about 23,000 to 80,000 visitors arriving from around the world and descending on Main Street.
What’s the draw?
A downtown FILLED with pumpkins: Keene has held the Guinness World Record for the largest number of lit jack-o-lanterns in one place many times over the years. It is definitely something to see! Read more about it here.
And just before Pumpkinfest weekend kicks off, the college fills the quad with hundreds (maybe thousands?) of pounds of pumpkins for students to carve. This year HGTV is featuring Keene’s Pumpkinfest for a special on Halloween Night: Pumpkin Wars. Set your DVR’s so you can see what I’m talking about!
A Pumpkinfest flashback to 2002!:
Do you have a favorite Fall festival in your area?
by jenn_davis | personal
I recently came across an article about Halloween safety for parents and children. If interested, you can read more here. If you don’t have time to open this link of enlightenment, allow me to briefly summarize;
If your kid has a toy weapon, make sure it is a cloth version. Also, check your candy for metal.
I’m sorry, I know this is perhaps useful information for some but I can’t help but think back to when I was a kid. We carried around real BB guns and carved our own weapons from a tree branch with a pocket knife. Also, we got our candy from our grandparents and aunts and uncles, so unless one of them had it out for us, we were always relatively safe.
I guess times have changed. I no longer live in the small town I grew up in and have only managed to introduce myself to a handful of our neighbors. A small part of me finds comfort in this. I could technically be anyone I want and they wouldn’t have a clue.
Can I answer the door in a bath robe and mud mask as I hand out bags of un-popped popcorn to confused children? The answer to this is yes, I most certainly can.
Can I sit on my entry way floor as I wait for trick or treaters to knock so I can slowly crack the door open and sprinkle Reeses Pieces at their feet with an ET hand? Again….yes, I can.
And if I decide I’ve had far too rough of a day, I can always just tilt my glass eye slightly out of socket.
What are you looking at?
“You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.”
-Michael Pritchard
