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Sight: Statue of Liberty: I have yet to see her, but love that she is a symbol of our freedom here in America.
Sound: Boom of fireworks: I still love to oooh and aaahhh with the children at the site and sound of fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Taste: Yummy taste (and smell too) of apple pie, that quintessential American dessert.
Touch: The touch of my family’s hugs…for they are my true home within this United States of America.
Smell: or the lack thereof. I love that the air I breathe in Iowa is clean and clear. I am grateful I don’t have to live in an area with heavy pollution and smog.

This Jen Wilson challenge was to scrap a page about "home", however I chose to define it. The page had to include journaling about all 5 senses and at least 2 circular elements. The journaling on the page goes on and on and I'll stick the rest behind the page. I included it at the bottom for your reviewing pleasure...I'll warn you here; it's more political than usual.
JWD Caring paper
JWD His Tuesday Attire paper
JWD Complete Boy stitching
Dani Mogstand Americana
Kerry Veale statue of liberty
Heather Roselli Sweet Orchard apple and pie
Diane Miller Bitsy brush (steam on pie)
Brandy Hackman Persian Breeze (numbers)
Mandy Steward Chipboard style
Jan Hicks Coin Folder Chip style
Photographer's name available upon request

It’s been years since I’ve felt patriotic to my own country, the “good ol’” USA. I briefly felt patriotic after September 11, 2001, but even before we invaded Afghanistan, I felt stirrings of unrest. Just what was with the bumper stickers reading “God Bless the USA” after 9/11? Why should we assume God is on our side at the expense of the rest of the world? Why not “God Bless the World?” I’m pretty sure the rest of the world is also in need of God’s blessing, and who am I to deny them that?
After the invasion of Iraq I felt even less patriotism than before. I did not agree with that decision of our president. While I think Hussein needed to be ousted, I do not think it was our job to invade without provocation. I thought the days of colonialism were over.
So I spent a few years mildly wishing I could become or had been born into a family in Europe (Italy is beautiful, as is their language-the Scandinavian countries have much to offer in the way of health care and paid time off for new mothers). All or virtually all have better health systems that actually insure EVERYONE.
Now that Obama is in office, I have stirrings of hope again. I think though that the job set before him is way too much for one man with limited (and thank goodness for that) power and limited time. We cannot expect to be “on top of the world” forever-all great “empires” fall eventually, even Rome did. But I sincerely hope our time has not come yet, and if that is a glimmer of patriotism, well then call me patriotic again.
We need to be world leaders in innovation, especially in the realm of energy. Can you tell I just read Thomas Friedman’s “Hot, Flat, and Crowded”? We need to revamp our health care system, preferably from the ground up. We need to cure our incessant materialism and reliance on credit. If you don’t have the money for it, don’t buy it! We need to cure our dependence on foreign oil. Why do we essentially “bow down to the enemy” and ignore atrocities simply because we “need” their oil? Why can’t we reward research and innovation to make free fuels more easily obtained and used? Regardless of global warming, it’s the smart, and money-conscious, ethical thing to do.
(Off soapbox now:)