Yes For Marriage!

Tonight the hubby,

the youngest son

and I

had the opportunity

to volunteer

and make phone calls

about Proposition 102.

There were several reasons

why I wasn't very excited

about doing this.

#1. I hate talking on the telephone.

I mean absolutely detest calling

even my very best friends and family.

I think this is very close to a phobia.

Talking on the phone scares me.

My most fear-filled memory of my mission

involves calling someone on the telephone.

Weird, I know.

#2. I hate it when people call me about political issues.

I will admit I usually just hang up

when I receive political calls.

#3. This is a controversial topic in Arizona right now.

I am not a controversial person

(although my husband may disagree

with that statement sometimes).

I don't like to argue with people

and even though I believe strongly in

the importance of marriage

being only between

one man and one woman

I don't feel like I am very good

at expressing my feelings about

this Proposition in a clear and concise way.

I was afraid to do this

but I decided that sometimes

I need to be willing

to leave my comfort zone and

speak up for what I believe in.

With that long preface

let me just say

that I had a positive experience tonight.

Even though my heart

nearly pounded out of my chest

each time I dialed a number -

I survived.

I spent 3 hours making phone calls

and probably spoke to about

25 actual people.

Of those 25,

probably 10 of them

were wrong numbers,

a few of them hung up on me,

and the others were all

willing to tell me they were

voting yes on Prop 102

and were quite pleasant

while doing so.

It didn't turn out to be

nearly as traumatic

as I had imagined

and I even got my

very own Yes on 102 sign

for my front yard.

Another step out of my comfort zone.

Today I am grateful for

sons who are willing to help me when I need their help.
a husband that lets me volunteer him for things and doesn't complain.
the privilege to live in a free country where I have the right and responsibility to vote according to my conscience.

Mamma Mia

I have put off writting this post long enough.
I have something I know that I need to say
but I really don't want to say it.

I went to the movie Mamma Mia
for my birthday with my hubby.

I enjoyed it a lot.
It made me laugh hysterically.
It made me want to fly to Greece with my best friends.
It made me remember what it felt like to be 20 again.
It made me want to lose 100+ pounds
so I could don metallic pants and go-go boots
and dance
and wiggle more than waddle
and sing at the top of my lungs
and run up mountains
and jump on beds while doing the splits.
It made me feel good
and happy
and accepting of life.

I wish I could just accept entertainment
at face value
and be entertained
and leave it at that,
but I can't.

I have to think.

I have to look beyond the fun
and the laughs
and the light hearted moments
to the message that is being sent
in that feel good package
to what I am really being accepting of.

That 3 dads could possibly be better than 1.
That dot, dot, dotting with 3 boys in the same week,
none of whom you are married to, is awkward,
but not necessarily wrong.
That getting married at 20 is limiting and short-sighted
and it's much better to go explore the world with a boyfriend
than to settle down with a husband.
That men liking men is just a way of life.

Now, I will be the first to admit
that I went into this movie with my eyes wide open.
I knew from the previews the basis of the story
and I still wanted to see the movie
because it looked entertaining.

Sometimes I chose being entertained over
doing what I know is right.
What the Holy Ghost tells me is right.

I knew that the content of this movie,
while possibly not being explicit,
was not going to reflect my standards
and my values
and by beliefs.
I knew it before I went
and I went anyway
and I enjoyed it.
Except when I felt the spirit
pricking me in my heart.

I am disappointed in myself.

I read that 92% of the people who saw this movie
would recommend it to someone else.

If I recommended this movie
what would I be recommending?

The entertaining, possibly harmless parts
or the values that don't reflect my own?

My recommendation is
Go out and buy the CD,
Collect all your best friends,
Go to the beach and rent a villa
and sing and dance to your hearts content.
Oh and if you need to lose weight before
you can safely jumb on a bed
go ahead and do that too.