Post-Election Post 2012

With the election over (finally!) things seem relatively quiet around here.  We spent so much time talking about everything related to the presidential vote, as well as state and local elections and measures.  When the big night arrived, I traced a map of the U.S. from one of those educational placemats we have (those are such terrific reference tools) and gave it to Carmen.  While I cooked dinner, everyone sat in the kitchen by the radio and, from 4:30 on, we listened to the election coverage.  When the polls finally began closing and each state's results were announced by NPR (National Public Radio), we wrote it down and Carmen colored each state the appropriate color (blue for Obama, red for Romney).  It was a loud, tiring, exciting and, finally, melancholy evening.  By 9:30, we were done and turned off the radio.  We missed Mr. Romney's speech but that's o.k.  I heard some of it the next day.  Anyway, we learned a lot and had a great time.  Todd was done by 7:00 and went off to watch Star Trek.  The kids and I stuck it out and I think Carmen wanted to stay at it until the Florida polls closed, bless her heart.  We used the Internet to find out what the radio didn't provide.  All in all, it was a good evening, another historical event and a great way to get the kids interested in politics.

We have a child in our family with political aspirations and I want to do all we can to encourage it.  I don't care if they ever actually run for a position (although that would be cool!) but we need our young people to care about these things.  They are, after all, our future, however repetitive that may sound.  And when I get excited about something, they are more likely to join in.  What a blessing.  I just found out that two teenagers in my husband's extended family are doing drugs, with all the family problems that causes.  That makes me all the more thankful for the relationships I have with my kids.  And thankful for the kids I have.

So, now, as we heard on the radio yesterday, we look forward to the 2016 election.  Who might run?  Chad and I had just talked about the head of the CIA this morning.  He had looked promising, we both surmised, but hearing tonight that he resigned has changed that (we won't go there in this post right now!)

Like Mr. Romney said he would do, we will (continue to) pray for our country and our leadership.  They need it.