So Happy Together...

"Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:

If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 New International Version (NIV)


I have been on cloud nine now for about a five months now... I am engaged to the love of my life and I have never been happier. When I heard people talk about wedding and engagements before I always felt like it was so far away for me. And now it is here and I can't get enough! All the wedding hoopla is awesome, and well, to be honest, I bought a dress two weeks into our engagement! But, that isn't why I have a smile permanently situated on my face! That isn't why when I walk every other step feels like I am subconsciously skipping! It is simply because the person I love has promised that we are going to share the rest of our lives together. Yes, I am excited to be-bop down the aisle with a little bit of style and I am excited to see my little brother all dressed up in a tux, but I am more excited for the day, week, month, year after that! I have always wanted to do something meaningful with my life to serve God and others, and knowing that I get to do that with someone else is more than I ever knew I wanted! Does that make sense? I guess I am saying that this promise is more than I ever hoped it would be... I wish I could give a little piece of my happiness to everyone!

Fabric Covered Walls--whose idea was that?

I once had an office whose walls were full of history, of well kept (and not so well kept) political secrets, stories of social, political and economic change--they creaked with centuries of historical content. I looked out the window and could see the Lincoln Memorial. I spent my days one hundred feet from where some of our country's most important "group decisions" are made. I rubbed elbows with Ted Kennedy (c'mon, I know you are jealous)!

Now I sit in a cube--four walls of fabric and plastic. Strange where life takes us, isn't it?

"Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements." -Peter Gibbons, Office Space

Time for a tubby! Yay!

Yeah, so kids make life so much better. As I chased my soon-to-be niece down the hall towards the bathroom (half-naked singing the ABCs no less), I realized they've got it all figured out. I dread getting up in the morning and having to shower...she thinks taking baths (eh hem, also known as a tubby) is the coolest thing ever! I just want to take a nap...she wants to stay up and live every moment she can! I try to ask as few questions as possible (being inquisitive is sometimes exhausting)...her favorite word right now is "WHY?" She is curious about everything... Wow. Sure she is only 2 and doesn't have a very expensive liberal arts education under her belt (for Pete’s sake she can't even speak in complete sentences yet!), but, she seems to be one step ahead of me when it comes to enjoying the small things in life. After two hours of babysitting I am of course exhausted,though at the same time rejuvenated. She breathes life into me after working all week and living the "grown up" life. Thanks, Jenna. Aunt He-rey loves you! :)

Why the world needs Republicans

As I was walking out of work this week, I was reminded briefly (very briefly) why the world needs Republicans. As I quickly walked toward my car at 6:15 pm, the very conservative owner of the company I work for conveniently pulled up next to me in a candy apple red Dick DeVos polo. Before I could get into my car, hit the A/C, and turn my I-POD to "Its 5 o clock somewhere," he went out of his way to distastefully discredit everything I believe in based on his assumptions of ALL Democrats. I think one of the names he called me was "loser"--and I was seriosuly offended. And some may ask what prompted this? Through some magical all knowing Republican mind reading powers (and maybe the picture of me posing with Jennifer Granholm in 2002 on my desk) he has determined I am the liberal enemy and he needs to "help me." And, besides the regular chit chat of the office, that is all he ever chooses to talk to me about--or should I say harass me about.

So with this encounter (one of many in my last three years at my current job) I decided the world does need Republicans. Moslty because our country is founded on the two party system, therefore making their party a important part of what we know as democracy (fostering healthy debate, etc). But for me personally, I need them because it makes me realize why I believe what I believe. I guess is what I am trying to say It makes me realize more and more that I could never vote Republican because I care too much. Having conversations with people of a conservative nature reaffirms who I am and what I want our government to be. Thanks, Mr. H--as annoyed as I may have been driving away from our little parking lot conversation, I now thank you for helping me to see why I lean to the left. Disagreeing is OK--for pete's sake it is healthy! But next time lets talk about our differences--don't try to change me! I (with every ounce of liberal dignity I have) have no intentions of changing you--just listen to what I have to say...that's all I am asking. My point here is, if the world didn't have any Republicans, who would I have to (constructively) argue with? And, how much fun would like be if we were all the same? OK, so it would probably be a lot easier, but then what would I have to blog about, right?

Hillary enters the world of blogging

Well, I did it. In an attempt to keep up with this crazy web-driven world, I am officially a blogger. More to come soon...