It was a "Mom Moment": The McCain - Palin Rally Part 2

In our hurry to get to the rally Tuesday morning, I had neglected to look at the name of the street where we parked, but I knew that it was off of Main Street so we headed over. I noticed the side streets blocked off with squad cars. There weren't a whole lot of people around. I asked an officer if McCain and Palin were coming this way. "Yes, just as soon as they get done shaking hands down there," motioning a couple of blocks over to where the rally had been.

"Oooohhhh! Let's go back!" said Little Miss, jumping excitedly.

"There's no time for that," interjected the officer. "They'll be getting in their campaign bus in a minute."

A woman came up to me. "Yes, I heard that they're going to be driving right by here, but they'll be going by fast, so be sure to stay out of the street."

We pretty much had our side of the block to ourselves, so we spread out and waited, LM and Mr. E proudly holding their "Vote McCain Palin" signs that LM had made. And sure enough, first came police cars and motorcycles, and then the Straight Talk campaign bus. We could see both McCain and Palin in the front of the bus, and the bus was traveling...slowly!

There were people on the other side of the street as well, and I so wanted McCain and Palin to see these children of mine who'd been such troopers throughout the 4 hours we'd been in Lebanon. I was further up the street from LM and Mr. E and I began wildly waving my hands, pointing down at my youngest two kids as if to say, "Look! Look here! These kids are cheering for you!" And then it happened.

I saw Sarah Palin clearly (well, as clearly as you can through a bus window!) and I knew she'd seen me, had seen the mom wanting her kids to be noticed. Our gazes met and there was an affirmative nod and a big smile, as if to say, "I know! I see them!" It was a "Mom Moment": we'd connected, she knew what I wanted; she'd read my mother's heart.

LM, who hadn't seen me gesturing, tells what happened. "I saw Sarah Palin get John McCain's attention, like, look at these kids over here. And he did! He looked at our signs and pointed!" Oh yes, he did, LM! McCain looked intently (reading them) and then his face lit up and his smile was huge as he pointed and shared the moment with his running mate.

"And did you see Gov. Palin?" LM asked. "She acted excited" [LM demos her pulling her arms close in to her body and sitting on the edge of her seat] "and she waved like this at us!" [LM demos a little wave by bending her fingers forward from her palm, with her arms still pulled in close to her body.] And then they'd passed and the bus was on its way.

We'd only been 3 people in a crowd of 7,000 that morning; while the kids had listened intently to the speeches, they'd seen very little of the candidates. I consider it another wonderful blessing that we just happened to park where we did and to be returning to our car at that particular time. As they rode by in the Straight Talk bus, John McCain and Sarah Palin were only 4 or 5 feet away. Had the bus windows been open, we could have shaken hands. As it is, my kids got the thrill of knowing they'd been seen -- and their signs read -- by the man and woman who hopefully will be the next president and vice-president of this great country ours.