Gracious, Competent, Opinionated, Insightful, Unflappable Willow.

My 7 year-old sage Willow is upstairs asleep, her arms wrapped protectively around an oversized T-shirt with Barack Obama's face on it.

Our adventure started when I picked her up from school today and told her we were going to see him give a speech in Grand Rapids. For months she's been asking questions about both Clinton and Obama(she's sharply observant and heard something at school that grabbed her curiosity near the beginning of the primaries). She and Ginger are funny as they converse in the backseat like Bert and Ernie meets NPR, switching support from Obama to Clinton and back again based on who-knows-what..
She was very excited because the evening combined several elements which held strong appeal for her: A night with Mom and no other kids(rare), a trip to Grand Rapids(never fails to elicit jaw-dropping awe from her as she stares up at the tall buildings and informs me(?!) of the latest construction changing the skyline), and a chance to see Barack Obama(maybe the first famous person she's paid particular attention to).
While munching her favorite vegetarian taco in the back seat, this is what I heard:
"Mom? I have a question I want to ask you..but it's a hard question, and it's ok if you can't answer it at all, or right away.."

Needless to say, the inexplicably articulate child I gave birth to seven years ago had my full attention.

"So..the question is, How Did War Start?"

The combination of simplicity and gravity in her inquiry left me speechless. She clarified that she doesn't mean *this* war(the one which she's aware of no matter how much I try to keep it from her consciousness). She means War. When did, how did, humans decide to turn against each other?
I have never been more grateful for the chance to think before answering. I praised her for the kind way she framed such a difficult question and promised to get back with her soon with my best effort at a good response. Her eyes in the rear view mirror were(as they often are) unwavering pools of gentle solemnity.

The optimism which carried us to GR was apparently not speedy enough..since by the time we parked, still blocks away from the arena, Ryan called to say he(and Keith and Maya) were inside already but it looked like they were shutting the doors. With Willow on my back we ran the few blocks(again, the fuel of optimism failed to be adequate) to the already closed arena. It was an hour and fifteen minutes before the event was due to begin - I started to plead with a campaign spokesperson but quickly realized it was out of her hands and there were about three thousand others who wanted the same thing we did..
Willow accepted this news with mellow resignation and smiled at the women nearby, her chin draped over my shoulder. Later she would tell me that she heard the woman beseeching the security guard to let her join her husband inside, who was holding a seat for her, to no avail. Willow said she felt bad for the lady because at least we could still have fun with each other but she'd probably just have to wait around for her husband to come out. ((This is just one recent example of Willow's rapidly developing sense of compassion and perspective. ))
During this time I also learned that my sister and her friend were indoors as well in the overflow area. They showed incredible kindness by walking back out of the auditorium, giving up their chance to see the speech they had travelled to see in favor of coffee with Willow and I. Aunt Lara couldn't abide the thought of Willow missing out on a great time.
We met a shaven sheltie dog and her hopefully harmless eccentric owner who proudly showed us his photo album of the dog posing with many notable politicians. Apparently he follows them around the country with his dog till he gets a photo opp. By the way she laid her face on my sister's knee and refused to remove it for minutes, we guessed she's tired of the hat, or the gig, or both.

On our way to find the Four Friends coffee shop, we stopped to let Willow pick a T-Shirt from a New Yorker selling them outside VanAndel. For ten bucks, she walked away with her choice, which included a picture of Obama, the standard Yes We Can and Change slogans, and an addition at the bottom that read "This time I want a smart President!!!"
I didn't look closely at that last part till after we bought it...ah, well.
The coffee house would have been boring for Willow had it not been for Paul's quick thinking as he grabbed games from the shelf for her to play with; and later, a gymnastics display shared with Aunt Lara(who can still walk on her hands effortlessly) in the middle of the shop floor.

Before I had the chance to worry about a bedtime snack for the road, Lara produced a perfect organic orange from her knapsack which Willow gladly devoured as soon as we got to the car.
On the drive home, I wanted to offer her something to solidify her experience and help make up for the initial disappointment of being turned away, so I offered her the next-best thing I could come up with; a promise that next time Barack Obama comes to town we'll try again if she wants. And that tonight she'd be able to stay up later than usual in order to see a portion of the news coverage surrounding the event. I told her that there was a chance we'd even be on TV, since several of the major channels had their cameras pointed directly at our spot in line. When we found out that John Edwards had been there, too, I said they'd probably have parts of their speeches online and we could watch a couple of minutes before bed if she wanted.

I could tell she was tired when we pulled in the driveway, but she sweetly reminded me of my promise, so before long we were cuddled up on the Story Couch together. I knew she was just trying to extend our evening together and the special-ness it's rarity presented..but I had promised, so I opened the laptop.

She surprised me by being completely disinterested in any clips that may contain footage of us outside. She asked if there was a video that showed "the whole thing inside".
The entire speeches?
Yup.

This kid of mine snuggled in to my side watching intently from the moment John Edwards and Barack Obama stepped onstage to the last 'God bless America'. Asking thoughtful questions periodically, or wondering out loud why someone had written a particular slogan on one of the many bobbing signs behind their heads. I kept asking her if she wanted to be done, but she was determined.

Her first observations included murmured approval for John Edwards' kind words regarding Hilliary Clinton at the beginning of his endorsement speech.

Later she said, "Mom, here's another hard question to answer - one that you could think about in your head or answer out loud, either one: How does 'President' work? Like, how do you have a job and also be President?"

I told her that being President is a job, a very hard one because you have to make important decisions every day, and not everyone will like you..but some things about it are probably also very nice, like living in the White House and being a part of history...then trailed off watching the speech.

After being quiet for a minute, she asked very quietly, "Do you think...well, do you think *I* could do a good job with being President?"

I honestly didn't have to fake my answer one bit when I squeezed her a little tighter and said, "Absolutely. You could be the best President ever. You can do anything you put your heart into."

When she asked if a President can have friends, I told her that they are just people; they have friends, families, hard days, interests, favorite foods...
She asked to see the Obama family, so our evening ended watching this clip of Michelle Obama introducing herself and their girls. Both Willow and I were surprised that their ages are so close to her and Ginger. I thought out loud, "I wonder what it's like for them right now, having their Dad running for President. Kids your age..to them, he's just their Dad.."
She chuckled her response, "Yeah - crazy. I mean, they don't call him *President Dad*!"

Just Passing Through(more to come)

I have wanted to post something almost every day in recent weeks, but invariably become distracted before doing anything about it.

So, I wish that you could have been there to see:

~The view from the tower at the top of the Grand Hotel on our honeymoon..the tower that we had to ourselves for a moonlit songwriting session with the beautiful white piano and the Bridge twinkling on the water..

~Ginger and Willow wearing their beautiful wedding ballerina skirts, twirling in hazy beams of sunlight at the old piano factory..

~the happy chaos of our home as our family of six filled the previously vacant spaces..


and so many more moments which have crowded together lately, creating blurred-around-the-edges memories in a string of happy days and weeks..with the promise of many more ahead.




I've always told the girls that you don't have to choose between the people you love. That your heart can grow to allow more people in without pushing anyone out.
My heart was already so full of love for Willow and Ginger, but letting it expand to encompass Isaac and Will happened more naturally, rapidly, and completely than I could have expected. It's stunning, and I'm unspeakably grateful.

I hope to have more time to write soon..and pictures, too. :)
Thanks again to everyone for your support as our new family settles in!