Election Night...My Heart was Broken...but I was there.

I don't throw my political views out there very often but OH DO I HAVE THEM! I have a hard time expressing them in a public forum because I have people who are dear to me who have very different views from mine and my passion for my views is hard to set on the shelf. I could debate until the cows come home but to me there is no point in stirring up those kind of emotions when no matter how strong my argument is, the other person feels just as strong about their side. We aren't going to change each other's minds so out of love and respect I keep my very STRONG opinions to myself...unless you happen to share my views and then we can commiserate together. But since this is MY blog, MY journal, I get to say what I want.

I voted for Mitt Romney. I think he is an amazing human being and I believe with all of my heart that if he was president, even after four short months we would be in such a better position right now as a country let alone if we had given him FOUR years! Even if he wasn't Mormon I would think that. There are still so many things that disturb me about the election...not just the outcome. I could go on and on...AND ON. But I won't. I will, however, document how I spent election night...

First of all, it was the first time Aric and I voted together at the same time. Our voting station was at Eden's school and I thought that was kind of fun. I took a picture with my phone but for life of me I can't find it.

My friend Kristen got on facebook that evening and was all "Who wants to go to the Republican Headquarters downtown?" and I was all "Heck Yeah! I'll go with ya!" My other friend Jamie was all "I'm in!" So we put our kids to bed, left our husbands and took the T downtown. We were giddy with excitement...

We got to the convention center as Romney's motorcade was showing up. It was so cool to watch it drive in. I couldn't get a picture fast enough. 

So we ran up to one of the gates to get in the guy was all "Where are your credentials?" And we were like "Huh?" We didn't realize that you had to have "credentials" to get in. He told us to go into the hotel next door because there was a reception going on in there. We went in and tried EVERYTHING we could think of to get some credentials. Kristen asked everyone that looked remotely helpful if they could find us some...even Tag Romney! Nope, no help. We met a couple from North Carolina who were trying to get in just like us. We were freezing being stuck outside wandering around the convention center but at least we made some new friends.

Finally the guy at the gate felt sorry for us and he told us to go find Lisa in the hotel and tell her Matt sent us. So we found our girl Lisa and she hooked us up!!! We were also able to get credentials for our North Carolina friends.

Look who got their credentials!!! 

Once inside we were all smiles...until we saw the numbers from Ohio coming in :( At least we warm and there was free food.

We would have stayed until the bitter end except that the T's last pick up at the Convention Center was 11:45pm. We barely made that last train and sadly our mood was way different heading back home. Even though it didn't go the way I had hoped, I was still so glad that I got to be part of the process. My kids were absolutely heartbroken when they had to go to school the next day and face all of their Obama loving classmates and teachers. It gave me the opportunity to have a great conversation with them about how when things don't go the way we want it doesn't mean that what we were fighting for didn't mean anything. Even when you know you are in the minority, it's worth standing for what you believe is right. They thought it was the coolest thing ever that their mom was at the Republican Headquarters on election night...and it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Sooooo Cool.