"Where he is?"

First, I suggest you go over here to read Maia's eloquent post about election day.  Next, I'll give you ours courtesy of Lire:

"Where Barack Obama?  Where he is?"  Lire, in all his literal preschool-ness, thought that Barack Obama would be at the voting precinct.  When I told him that he was in Indiana, he couldn't believe it.    

Al and I took Lire with us to vote early in the afternoon.  He was done with school and hadn't gotten to vote for Barack Obama like his older brother had during the primaries.  He's been talking about this for months.  

"I go Barack Obama!"  

Al and I went in, Lire LOUDLY at our side.  He is small, but loud, and repeats himself.  A lot.  I don't think the name Barack Obama has been uttered more in ten minutes over the course of this campaign than it was in our tiny little meeting house yesterday morning.  Lire caused both great big smiles of happiness and embarrassed, uncomfortable glances.  The former smile-wearers had a spring in their steps, and met our eyes with a "can you believe it, I'm so happy!" look.  The latter grimacers mostly were forced into slight, creaky smiles by Lire's enthusiasm.  However, an entire family that we actually KNOW totally iced us.  Brrr!!!!  Even when we smiled and waved at them.  

Oh well.  Lire tries, but even he can't charm some conservatives.

Later that night, our cousins came over to watch the returns with us.  Lire and Habtam stayed up a bit later to watch part of it.  Lire thought we were going to get to vote again.  He warned Habtam to listen to me and get into his pajamas and brush his teeth:  "Habtam!  Listen Mommy!  Vote Barack Obama later with cousins!"  

I can only imagine the party he envisioned:  All of us with our cousins, Barack Obama in our midst, sharing popcorn and white wine, counting the blue and red shapes on the tv, pulling the lever over and over again.

"Mommy!  Barack Obama blue, John McCain Red!"  This was his morning revelation.  Even though they have scant concept of what a president is or does, H and L were very, very happy that Barack Obama will be ours.

Comments

[Heidi]

What a great story. What a great day.
And, ya know, I can just see our president, Barack Obama, sitting in your living room with your sons and having a great discussion with them!
The future looks brighter. :)

[Erin]

The world simply feels happier now than it did a couple of days ago. I have hope that I haven't had in a long time.

Go Lire!

[Maia]

Yeah! Why wasn't Obama at every voting precinct? I bet he would have gathered up even more votes if he was! Heh.

Love the idea of the voting party. Spike was confused about the one vote one person thing as well. "But WHY can't we vote more than once? I don't get it!"

[Stacy]

Lire, you insightful little man!
Erin, our trail-a-bike came today. Hopefully, not too late for use this year. I was out by you on Tuesday, in Amaganset...is that near you? We went to the Art Barge for "Professional Development." Two and a half hours each way...not worth it if you ask me. The homes out there are incredibly big and obscenely beautiful. And to think, that most of them are just "summer homes." Ha.
I am glad your boys, and my girls, will have the priviledge to see someone of color in the highest official office. It's like seeing the sun after too many days of rain!

[Holiday]

I think my kids would have great conversations with L. EVERY TIME Obama comes on the tv they all scream "aracka bama!" Pure joy.

[emily]

aw! this is great stuff! i wonder if they will look back at this some day... you could print a book each year!