Presidential Optimism and "my spouse packed a poiki for Iraq"

I worked yesterday during the Inauguration. Many rooms at the hospital had it on TV. I was placing a PICC line in a room during Aretha Franklin's song. My patient was 85 years old and had dementia, rather severe so our conversations were limited. He was sweet and said he was from Chicago and worked for the railroad. Anyway, I made some comment about Aretha's amazing voice and all he said was, "That is a silly hat."

The administration at the hospital played the inauguration in a few auditoriums for those employees that have the kind of position that allows them to leave the floor or their office and go to an auditorium (not mine...or ...not any of the nurses in the hospital). My floor, well I think I have mentioned that I am the ONLY Obama supporter in my department. Beyond that, the majority of the people I work with are more that non-supporters, they are angry and not afraid to say derogatory things about the new President and the election. I was told that it was crazy that people were claiming he was the first African American President when his mother was white, he was raised by white grand-parents and his father was black but a Muslim. It was also pointed out to me that he lived in Indonesia much of the time. I just sighed and left the conversation. Why even try to defend the beauty of this Presidency? The color of his skin, the message of hope, the unyielding confidence and peace present while making decisions. I am so proud of our country and the excitement we had for this election. I am more excited to see various people think about it more and make plans to "be the message" to get involved, to volunteer. I am so proud and optimistic.

Lee is not feeling well in Iraq. He may be getting a cold. He does not deal well with little upsets like this and requires tons of sleep. He gets grumpy and resentful that he has to miss a workout. So it is difficult to talk to him right now, he is moody and detached. Big things for the kids in the past week could have used a few kind words from him or a sweet e-mail or a picture but he is working late and feeling ill and his head is in Iraq, missing us and wishing that we could do more make him feel less lonely. We really do not hear from him much lately. He is not writing on his blog very often which I miss because it gave a lot of insight to his days. He worked hard on the composition and messages he was putting forward. I know it was a lot of work and I can see how it can get tedious especially when there are so many Army details he has to leave out -- and his mind in on the Army details. I can feel already how difficult the transition is going to be when he returns. But, my, how we miss him at home.

Liam was looking for gloves today because it is SO COLD! I thought Lee might have some so I unpacked a bag he had packed for Iraq but ended up not taking due to space. No gloves but I did find some dirty cloths (yuck...4 months old) and a large cast iron pot and his Latin dancing shoes. I was laughing thinking that at some point in his packing he must have forgot where he was going and thought he was going to be cooking a South African Poiki and then going dancing?