SATURDAY SHOWCASE.....

Well, here's the photos for the weekly showcase. These lovely helpers right here. I mean to tell you, you can't find better campaign workers ....... unless you were actually intending to pay them money.
I guess by now you may have heard there was an election in our nation a few days ago. Or maybe you live on Mars, and were only traveling through our neck of the galaxy and happened to be unaware of the happenings........wow.....bless your heart......bet you wish you were back on your home planet.......crazy bunch of earthlings.........do you aliens elect your leaders too? I bet it's a mess up there waiting at the polling site.......

Let me first set the record as officially announcing that I dislike politics. Everyone clear on that. Good. Becuase I really dislike politics. But I would like to offer a small explanation for my strong disdainment.

My father was in politics for most of my childhood and teen years. I really dislike politics. And I have memories that are very bitter.....memories that have nothing to do with your normal adolescent angst....but they have everything to do with politics. I really dislike politics. I can remember being at our local county courthouse during election night when I was around the age of 11 and overhearing someone say something negative about my Daddy.

Now, to only be fair, I can't honestly tell you that I remember "what" they actually said. I can't. But, again, to only be fair, I can honestly say that I vividly remember how it made me "feel". I dislike politics. I can still "feel" it over 25 years later. And it makes me want to throw-up.

The early 80's....what a decade......it had some hard times but I still love their music.

With all that said, I have an announcement to make.......my man may not have won on the Presidential ticket, in this National Historic Election.........but my "man" won at the local level, and it was pretty historic....for our little family, anyway. Temple was on the Republican ticket for School Board. He won. And have I mentioned that I really dislike politics.

To tell the truth it was sort of a shock. I don't like to hop up on a political soap box, so I didn't mention anything about this on the blog beforehand. And for good reason. I dislike politics. But let me be clear on another matter. I support my husband......so much so, I even voted for him. :) HA.

However, even though we are in the new millennium, I still didn't think I could go to the courthouse on election night......so I had a friend, stationed there all night, reporting in just like those fancy folks on the news media.....and by the way, she happens to love the 80's music too. Thanks friend.

• Here's Tyner Beth doing her part to help in the campaign for her Dad's election. And who could forget these "hard-working" hands.......this was Temple's "campaign manager". Ha. I still laugh every time I say that. My Daddy cracks me up. Campaign manager. That's funny. And it's also code for "an old retiree with lots of time on his hands to think up opinions and offer them to us as facts."........ Well, he really did help out a great deal. More than you could imagine.


• In fact he was the only one of the original "committee" that was up bright and early the morning after the election to take up all the signs that had been put out all over the district. I'm thinking about paying him double.......I wonder what good campaign managers are worth these days.....I'll have to google that and check to see....... So, let me back up.......election day came.....and I went to vote. But I waited until after school, because I had planned to take the kids. They had been asking A LOT of questions because of all the attention of this particular National Election. And it was a great opportunity for a little lesson in History......How do you vote? What does it look like in the voting place? What does a ballot look like? How do they count how many people voted? Etc. Etc. Etc.

We arrive at my polling place----see the sign..."VOTE HERE"...... Took them inside, they watched the poll workers check my identification.......and then because I am who I said I was, they saw them highlight my name and give me a ballot, and then they were all given "I voted" stickers.

Next, they huddled around me and watched me use my black marker to connect the lines on who I wanted to vote for.....which they announced rather loudly as I drew a line to each name and amendment. Lovely.....assume that there is no such thing as a secret ballot if you take a 7, 9 and 11 year old to vote with you.

But they thought it was so cool to see their Dad's name on a ballot. And even cooler when I took the black pen and drew the line to vote for him. "Cool." "That is so cool." "I can't believe it, that's really cool." Who knew I could be so cool in a voting house?

I was proud to show them what all this "right to vote" stuff is about, this privilege we have, because of men in their heritage, that fought for that right, those men that sacrificed everything for our rights. I was proud to show them the importance of casting a vote, letting your voice be heard, it is our duty to use the freedom we have been given.

I was proud to show them their Dad's name on that ballot.....because I knew they were so proud to see it.....because they know just as well as I do, that he is willing to put himself on the line, for them, for all the kids in our school system. They knew he was the right choice. And beleive me when I tell you......there voice was heard in the voting house. They giggled with delight at the awe factor of watching me vote for their father. And it made my heart smile.......granted I still felt queasy, but my heart was smiling.

Then we went back outside and before leaving they asked could they play for just a little bit at the park, located in the same area. I said, sure. Now, it's a very old park. Like really old. Like my brother at one point in time played baseball here as a kid.......and he's really old now himself. :)

• Rusted swings, old wooden merry-go-rounds----they went at it like crazy. And I realized I needed to get a picture of that......for what it is.....which is LIFE. Just like that, we leave from turning our ballot in at what appears to have been the most historic national election ever, and jump straight in to the next event.......seeing how far you can jump out of a rusted 50 year old swing. Now, that's America at it's finest, folks.

And the moments I captured are ones that would speak volumes to me later on......after I realized the results of the election.

• Like here....as with our children on this merry-go-round.........it is very probable that Temple will be pulled in all directions.

• And me....I'll try to hang on for the ride, more than likely stay dizzy, try to smile, but still feel like throwing-up.

Temple will do a great job.....and he will put forth his best effort.....that's how he is with everything he does. I am proud of his commitment to helping. I just really dislike all the side effects of politics. And I'm feeling quite like 1983 all over again....my head is spinning and I haven't even been on the merry-go-round......

But the most important moment captured in the day is summed up on Tyner Beth's shirt. Look closely,can you see her "I voted" sticker? She wore it with pride.....as all Americans should.....but more importantly than that, look closely at what the slogan on her shirt says.........."My heart belongs to Daddy"......and I couldn't agree more.

For her, the boys, and myself.......our hearts belong to Temple.....whether he were to win or lose on election night, that fact was never going to change. It's not even something we pull out a ballot to vote on at our house.........it's just common knowledge.....no electoral college needed.