The United States. Sometimes that seems like a misnomer, particularly when you’re in the middle of an election year as we are now. It’s easy to see what divides us. You just have to listen to talk radio or watch the news for an update on that. As I watch and listen it starts to feel like everything divides us. I’ll be honest; it worries me and makes me hanker for the “good old days” in America when we saw more eye-to-eye on the big issues. But then I take a healthy dose of reality, and while I don’t feel much better, at least I know where we’re coming from… from good human stock.

Oh yes, we’re all human, and it’s remarkable how little really changes. Somehow I’ve looked back on our history as a time more unified than it really was. Division has always been there. From the earliest splits between loyalists and revolutionaries (Ben Franklin’s son Richard remained loyal to the British and his father disowned him), to the bitter rivalry of our first and second presidents, to regional mistrust and eventual civil war, we’ve seen a lot of discord over the years. And we’ve survived it. I suppose that means we’ll survive another election season and all that goes along with it.

In our hearts we yearn for something more. Rodney King’s plaintive plea, “can’t we all just get along?” seems naïve in this “real” world of ours, but it certainly strikes a chord with me. But it’s unrealistic. It has taken less than seven years since 9/11 for us to be at each other’s throats again and I don’t see that changing any time soon. How soon we forget, but as I watched the colorful flash of the Independence Day fireworks with my young son I found myself wishing for that change. We are all under the same sky. If only we could see it. I doubt we ever will.

Today marks the second week since the birth of our little daughter, though I suspect by the time I’ve finished writing this I’ll have stumbled past midnight and into another day- thus making her actually two weeks and one day old. It is a little funny that at this young age we pay so much attention to every hour, minute, day, and month that passes. I could almost count the number of hours since she was born (349 ½ so far if you’re interested… and only about 340 of those have been spent crying!) I guess eventually we get used to our kids being around and take all those hours and months of aging for granted. Just as well really, it would be a little embarrassing on you 40^th birthday to receive a happy 480^th month card from your mom!

I was just thinking back to our little girl's birth today. I must admit that even though we had been through it all before I was more than a little nervous. Yes, I know what you’re thinking- "What has he got to be nervous about…?" or "You try giving birth buddy!" I’ll concede that point. Sure, giving birth is obviously a little harder than mopping the ol’ brow with a damp cloth, saying “push honey” a few times, and shoveling a few ice chips in for refreshment, but I was still nervous. Remember, it wasn’t all that long ago that we fellows were simply expected to pace around the waiting room for a few hours before handing out cheap cigars to random strangers. Now we’re handed a pair of scissors and asked to cut the umbilical cord ourselves! I politely declined… after all, what am I paying the doctor for?

I must say though that despite the blood, the gore, and a faint queasiness of the stomach I was glad to be there! I’m sure Clare wouldn’t have minded being elsewhere though! It’s certainly an experience! The birth of a new life! Each one is different. One very “different” element in this birth was the CD I chose to put on just before Clare’s labor started getting really heavy. By the time Clare was at the pushing stage this song came on…

Even the doctor seemed to get into the mood of the music! I’m not sure whether Clare will ever be able to hear that song again without it bringing a tear to her eyes (tears of pain, not "For Fears" of course!) Oddly enough the next song on the CD came on just after she was born and began this way…

How odd. Those first few words really seemed to fit! I wonder if the rest of those lyrics indicate that our daughter could be a future president, perhaps even the first woman president now that Hillary has stumbled in her attempt. Probably not. Now that I have a second child to pay for I can’t even afford the minivan I need to store all these kids, much less the tuition to some fancy presidential style college!

Well, things are settling down into a routine now. Sleepless nights and busy days! Ah, the joys of the early years! The little guy is adjusting. He loves his sister, but he isn’t shy about conceiving new ways to draw attention to himself. Just after the birth he took to wearing a paper crown everywhere. Around the hospital, in Wal*Mart, and anywhere else in town seemed appropriate to him. I suppose that was his less than subtle way of demonstrating who the real boss of the family was, even if he did have a new sister! Still, you have to admire his style!

Well, I hear crying upstairs so I better head up. I’m hoping it’s the baby rather than Clare… just kidding. Sleep deprivation is hard, but we’ll make it in the end!

It’s funny how life can change. I was just thinking recently about the games I used to play as a child, and particularly of The Game of Life. I’m sure that must have been designed by some “do-gooder” social reformer who wanted to send us all subliminal messages about what we should really be doing with our pathetic little lives. For example, I suspect that half the reason I eventually went to college in real life was that I was always frustrated in The Game of Life when more money went to those college geeks! It’s just a shame I never landed on the doctor square in real life… that $50,000 every payday would have come in handy!

I remember the thing I liked least about that game was that you had to get married. I’d try and sneak past the church square without picking up a wife, but inevitably some helpful sibling of mine would drag me back to the inevitable nuptials. The only thing that really placated me was that at least I got money from it. I suppose that made me a gold digger of sorts, or at least a mercenary marrier. I’m not sure that was a good lesson to teach the kids!

Then the car started to fill up. Children! You only had four places to spare in that old station wagon and sometimes things got a little out of hand, so you had to perch the “extra” kids precariously between the seats or on their brother’s and sister’s heads. Another poor life lesson there! Seatbelts anyone? I never minded the kids so much in the game. They brought you money! (How realistic was that?) But I must admit that it was only the blue pegs I wanted. I was happy enough in the “Had a baby son” situation, but “Had a baby daughter”? Ewwww!

Things change! When Clare and I were told back in January that the ultrasound was inconclusive on the gender of our new baby I was a little disappointed. They said they would guess a girl, but wouldn’t bet on it. I would have been happy either way, but I knew that deep down I really wanted a girl, just as last time I had really wanted a boy. It would have been nice to know for sure.

Later I was given the chance to find out. On June 10^th Clare went in for a checkup and an extra ultrasound was scheduled because the baby was looking a little big. Clare didn’t want to know, so she looked away as I greedily eyed the screen. Confirmation? Yes!

I knew something Clare didn’t know! Of course that advantage didn’t last long. Less than 24 hours in fact. The projected birth weight of 9lbs 3oz scared the doctor and she decided to induce Clare the next day!

When I think about it I’m amazed. When it comes to kids I’ve gotten what I wanted both times. In life (the game and reality) that rarely happens. I’m blessed and very happy to be putting a pink peg into my car. Times certainly do change!

Wow, tiring day! Yes, I know it was worse for Clare (I thought I had better admit that or face the wrath of many of my friends on here! Not to mention Clare when she reads this! LOL!). Well, I may not have done the giving birth thing today but I'm still tired anyway! *Yawn* It's not easy watching all that hard work you know! (something tells me I'm asking for trouble here...! )

Okay, I want to write more and include some pictures but my eyes are only prized open with toothpicks right now and I left the camera in the hospital room so I'll just stick with the basics here.

We had an 8 lb 10 oz baby girl today! We're trilled! It's one of those rare days in life where you want to go around telling random people what you've been doing! "Hi, I just had a new baby daughter today. So, what's new with you?" Perhaps that's a bit odd, but it's a lot cheaper than handing out cigars anyway! Come to think of it, I suppose it's healthier too!

I'm rambling, so I suppose I should get to bed and attempt to reassemble my brain for tomorrow! I'll try to get on here some time in the next few days to write something intelligable about everything. In the meantime thanks for your kind thoughts and words. Take care!