good morning, Sarah!

I am sitting in long-johns and fleece pants, having just removed my snow pants and down coat. At 5:30am I was lacing up my bunny boots (BIG winter boots) and stuffing mittens into my kids' coats. We were told last night that the Palin motorcade would be passing through Wasilla between 6 and 6:30am so Sarah could vote and we were invited to come wait for it with the Keller family. The Kellers were dancing and waving signs on the side of the highway in Wasilla yesterday and we were told it was COLD work. SO we bundled up and were in position by 5:50am. The Kellers had hot chocolate and heat lamps, but I never needed these things. It was just too exciting to be supporting our friends and waving at the start of rush hour traffic~ especially when the Palin motorcade passed by. We waved and jumped around and were gratified when one of the drivers in the motorcade honked for us.
We danced around for a little over an hour but Ash had to get to work (and Charlotte had to find a bathroom), so we decided to make our way to City Hall, where we are registered to vote. We figured we might see the Palin motorcade there, but apparently, if we'd arrived a little earlier we could have taken pictures with Sarah Palin. As it was, the little city street next to City Hall was packed with dark SUVs and vans and reporters and police officers and the secret service. We heard cheering and Sarah had just left City Hall to cross the street and talk to the reporters.


It is just so weird for all this to be happening in Wasilla. City Hall was once an elementary school with characters from books painted on the walls~ I went to school there. When we went in to vote, the women checking ID and handing out ballots were mostly women from the Primetimers group at our church. Charlotte has a really good relationship with several of these women, so the moment we walk in wearing our snowpants, hats, and down jackets, Charlotte races across the room to dish out hugs to the women who were probably just on the cable news channels. The woman behind me was showing me the pictures she'd taken of Sarah moments ago, her cheeks rosy from having waited since 5:30am to see Sarah. Most people awake at 5:30am this morning in Wasilla won't have seen Sarah, but it was sweet to see how everyone wanted to show her support. Across the street from this next picture, where we waiting to make a turn for City Hall, was a huge sign that read, "Welcome Home, Gov!"
I am so thankful for the privilege of voting, but most of the time I think, "Well, the election is decided long before Alaska's votes are counted and our measly 3 electoral points are even added." And while that is still true, it's just amazing to think that millions have people in a time zone four hours ahead of mine, have already voted~ have already made a choice for or against my neighbor. Those votes are already being tallied and anxiously watched. It is amazing to me to imagine those millions sitting up LATE tonight anticipating results, probably not even thinking for a moment about the numbers that will eventually come through for Alaska. But if you're reading this, and you are one of those souls glued to the results late tonight, when you do see Alaska's count, think of me. Think of me standing in my private ballot box amazed that "Maybe Sarah placed her vote in exactly this booth using exactly this pen." Think of me getting a little emotional relishing the privilege of voting and the history that is being made with this vote. And then think of me with a little girl clad in snowpants tugging at my leg, her eyes really tearing up because she can't hold it anymore. I hurry and slide my ballot in its privacy sheath and feed it to the sucking machine. Virginia from church hands me and Charlotte "I Voted" stickers with the eight stars from the Alaska flag on them. What an amazing morning.