Mrs. Christmas

Dear Little Brother, 

 It's been a whole year since you left Kindergarten, but let's just be honest. It's been quite a year. As with nearly everything I had the intention of writing a blog to you about the amazing Mrs. Christman, but I didn't get to it until now. It seems like 100 years ago that you went to Kindergarten screening. It was such a fun experience. You were so excited to go to Kindergarten. I remember as we walked out of your screening I asked you, "Well...What do you think of Mrs. Christman?" You said, "I think I would like to have Mrs. Christmas as my teacher. She was really nice!" It was so funny to hear you call her Christmas and not Christman. It was even stranger because I always knew Mrs. Christman as Miss Weiss. 

You loved Mrs. Christmas from the start! I can't remember the year that Miss Weiss started at PVE. What I do remember is that that poor teacher was what we call a "late hire." What does that mean? Often it means they end up with a tough class, little time to prepare, and a room far away from their colleagues. Mrs. Christmas took this like a champ. She started out during difficult circumstances and handled it like a pro. I'm so grateful that Miss Weiss was able to stick it out so that she could be your first teacher! 

 It is always pretty strange to have your child be in the class of a colleague. I'm always afraid that other teachers won't be honest with me about your behavior or what happens in class. That fear was tempered pretty quickly because Mrs. Christman had to report to me pretty early on in the year that you were catapulting crayons with a classmate during center time in class. Thankfully there weren't many more  reports like this and you mostly had good "colors." You loved to learn math and took right to reading. What amazes me the most in this world is what Kindergarten teachers are able to teach children. Mrs. Christman took a squirly five-year-old (you) and taught him to read, write, add, and subtract. She also taught you to love learning, sit in a chair, work with a group, and count up past 100. She also had 19 other students in the room at the same time. This is so amazing to me because even though I teach 7-9-year-olds I can't even imagine teaching Kindergarten. Mrs. Christman did all of this with a huge smile and kind words. 

Unfortunately for all of us, a pandemic hit at the end of your Kindergarten year. March 13, 2020, was your last day in the classroom until you were in first grade. Challenging doesn't even begin to describe how it all felt. Home-schooling was pretty awful. Within the first hour of "home-schooling", you accused your mother and a twenty-year teaching veteran of "not ever teaching any kids anything." Pretty sure I said some less than kind words during that time. What it all boiled down to was that I wasn't Mrs. Christmas. "Mom, this isn't how Mrs. Christman does it. I miss Mrs. Christman." That went right to my core. I've heard a quote that there is no substitute for a good teacher and sadly when it was time for me to be the sub I just didn't meet up to the expectations of a six-year-old student who had the rug completely pulled out from under him. I am grateful that I didn't meet the expecations of Mrs. Christman. It made me feel that much better about how great of a teacher she was. Despite your school year ending with helping your mom load up Pete and Ginger while quickly taking down as much stuff as possible you managed to still be able to read, write, and do math relatively well. I will forever be grateful for Mrs. Christman for all she did to help you grow your kindergarten year and I'll always be a bit sad that you didn't get the 2.5 months of that year.

I'm so grateful I was able to snag this shot the LAST DAY of THIS year! Benny and Mrs. Christman, aka, Mrs. Christmas.

Love you, 

Mom 

Mrs. K.

Dear Baby Waider,

Each year around teacher appreciation or within that general time frame I like to take a moment to highlight all of the great things about your teacher for the past year. I'm always in so much awe regarding how much of an impact teachers have on my own children. It seems odd that it surprises me at all given the fact that I have been a teacher for 21 years and lots of parents have shown me much appreciation over the years. Cards, gift cards, cookies, wine, water bottles, and coffee are common appreciation gifts from parents all so very grateful for all I've done for their child. I don't think much of it because I'm doing a job I love. I love the kids and their families and it honestly is my great honor to do these things. I used to hate when teachers would say this, but as a parent, I am completely in awe of all that teachers do for my own children. 

Mrs. K. was someone who will inevitably be etched into your brain as one of your favorite teachers. School is and probably always will be your jam. You seem to love to learn, read, help others, and do math. Mrs. K. carefully balanced having you do your best and pushing you while still allowing you to be a kid with singing and dancing. You soared academically and had fantastic growth in math and reading. You also found a deep love of writing and creating lots of different drawings just for fun. 

Academics are important and as a teacher, I love seeing test scores increase. (I cannot lie. I want you to do well on tests even though I want to not value test scores.) Mrs. K. created a magical classroom for you. You had an absolute blast with everything. She shared a piece of her life with you and even had her husband, Mr. K. sub! You loved to hear about her dog, Patty, and truly fell in love with reading through her read-aloud of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. You have always loved working with numbers, but Mrs. K. made you feel like a true math genius because of how well second-grade math clicked for you. She let you do pick-a-projects, fake news stories, dances, and singing. You are always pretty serious at school, but it was always so much fun to see with Mrs. K. with a big grin on your face.  

It was fascinating to have you be in Mrs. K.'s class because not only was she your teacher, but she was also my co-worker and had been for two years previously. I loved Mrs. K.'s energy and had mad respect for her dedication to the job. Mrs. K. is amazing at self-evaluation. She's always working to see what she can do differently or better. I love her tenacity and willingness to give her students 110%. Last year we were able to do team teaching with two classes in the same room with two teachers teaching. We did a lesson together which was amazing because I was able to spy on you as a student. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. You worked so hard and put your whole heart into the project. We were researching animals. During the lesson, Mrs. K. said something that has stuck with me because it completely embodied her as a teacher. She said, "I'm giving this much. (She signaled with her hand well above her head.) I am asking you to give me the same. I'm giving you 100% of what I've got and I need you to give me the same. If you give me the same you will learn, but you have to meet me there." Teaching with Mrs.K. has made me a better teacher. It's hard to work alongside someone who is so motivated and not do the same. She taught you the value of giving your all during the school day. Your academic gains proved that to be true. She was a fantastic role model for you.

My first principal, Mr. Olson, loved to give nuggets of information. It's amazing how much I've drawn from that advice to lead me in my life. He said that teachers are the best during their third-fifth year of teaching. They know enough to know what they're doing, but they are still humble because they haven't been at it very long. I am so so grateful that you got Mrs. K. as your teacher during that time. She came to your dance recital, basketball game, called you during quarantine, and talked to you on the phone as you skated around the culdesac.  She was your biggest cheerleader and encouraged you to help people out when you see they needed you.   Most recently she was home sick, but you wanted to share a story with her and she graciously took your call and took the time to discuss your writing with her. Mrs. K. loves teaching and that just oozes out of her. 

You could be wondering why it took me nine months to write this post. Honestly, it's because I was so shaken up last spring with the cancelation of school. Part of me felt sad to lose time with my own class, but a bigger part of me was devastated that you didn't get to finish second-grade. It was magical having you be in the same grade-level I taught. I loved that my good friend and colleague was your teacher. Losing that broke my heart and it was really hard to reflect upon that. When we returned to school this past you were no longer a toothless second-grader. You didn't get to do all of the rights of passage that all of my former second-graders were able to do. Rally Day, field trip to Bear Country, and the last few months of being in second-grade were stolen. It was saddest for me because I loved you being able to work with not only Mrs. K., but with auntie, and Miss Selfridge. You loved being pushed in the intervention groups and being with different classes and working with all of the teachers. The end of that was really tough for me. I love my second-grade team and was so excited to have my own daughter benefit from their greatness. When school was cancelled on March 13th you lost so much that you won't ever get back. Fortunately you still get to see Mrs. K. everyday! You even get to help her afterschool sometimes which you especially love. 

I sadly do not have any pictures of you with Mrs. K. I'll add that to my to do list on Monday. For now, here are some pics of the fabulous Mrs. K., our second-grade team, and a couple of you in second grade. 

This was the last grade-level art project before we left school for the year. You can see Mrs. K. behind you. I wish I would have taken one with you with her!!!! 

Mrs. K. takes our holiday contest very seriously. We all do! LOL. 

Mrs. K. is so much fun!

Goofing around with mom

Your teachers and my friends. I'm so glad they ALL were a part of your year. Such a great group of women.

Art party with Auntie!

I'm so glad you got to go to the Art Party.

We dress like we're 100 in second-grade for the 100th day.
You hated it. LOL. 

The second-grade team takes the 100th Day very seriously. 

This was your picture in 100 years using the Age Me App. 

Matching clothes with Kitt and Auntie!

Virtual learning was awful. Even with a good teacher it was awful. You can see on your face that you were not having a great time. 

You wrote Mrs. K. a letter for teacher appreciation and you really summed it up nicely. You write, "You inspired me to want to be a teacher."

Love this and love your writing.

Thank you, Mrs. K. You will always hold a special place in the Waiders' hearts. 

Love, 

Mom

 

Gratitude

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

Be grateful for what you have. Be gracious. Show gratitude. Dad and I are always telling the two of you these statements. Today the temps have been hovering between a -5 and a -8 so it's strange that gratitude is on my mind. It's not like it's Thanksgiving. We've been essentially cooped up for a week straight aside from going to school and being cooped up there with more people and noise. In fact yesterday they canceled school because it was too cold. With the windchill, I believe it was around -45. This morning I ran outside to get something out of a car and it felt...warm? At least in the sun. Dad went outside as he does no matter what and cleared some snow and determined that you guys could go sledding. He got the ice shack sled and we pulled it over to the park. The two of you had a blast. I walked Mavis to the park to meet you. The funny thing about when it snows is that it sort of puts a blanket over the world and makes it quiet and peaceful. Pair that with frigid temps and there are not that many people out. It was too cold for headphones and listening to a podcast because wires just snap in weather like this so I was really left to the quiet and my thoughts. I think that's why I went to gratitude.

Recently while planning for future lessons I see the ones that we completed back when we had no idea that the year was about to abruptly end for face-to-face learning and also the lessons that we attempted to deliver to families remotely. It's sort of been a reminder that last year was traumatic. Your school-year ended with no warning. You left your friends and teachers never to return to that classroom again. You didn't get to see your grandparents and other family members indoors in the typical ways you used to. It's been such a strange year. By year I mean March 13, 2020 to March 13, 2021.  I've spent a good amount of time being salty this year.  I've been salty about school being canceled and not getting to have the last of the school year in with my students, I was salty about no one listening to my concerns about the pandemic all summer, I was salty that we couldn't get a mask mandate anywhere in this town, or in our school district, and most recently I'm salty that I was told I'd have a vaccine by three weeks ago...I'm still not vaccinated. I've been teaching face to face for six-months. Sigh... Salty!

Admittedly I've veered from gratitude, but I'm getting to that. Today as the snow crunched under my boots (one of my top favorite sounds) my heart felt warm. Mostly because I had on appropriate layers, but also because I'm so incredibly grateful for so much. I'm grateful that I still have my health. I'm grateful for my children being in school this year with teachers who love them and have helped them grow socially and academically. I'm grateful that I still have a job I love and coworkers I love just as much. I'm grateful that despite all that's going on in the world we've still made some incredible memories the past year. 

Despite major political upheaval, contentious protests, an election, an insurrection, and a pandemic this past year has had some pretty amazing moments. Today I was reflective and took the time to really enjoy all that went so well. Which I will need to draw from for the next few weeks because Trump was acquitted...Again. I'll refrain from going into that. 

I love you both, 

Mom

 

Inauguration Eve

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

January 20, 2021. It is a date I've been waiting for since January 20, 2017. It has been a long, hard-fought battle to get to this day. I'll never forget the night after the inauguration in 2017. It rained. In South Dakota. In January. This is just not typical. It was the perfect metaphor for how I was feeling. Even the sky was crying. Dad and I were chatting in the hot tub as it rained. It was easier to cry because of how hard it was raining. It all just ran down my face. Dad and I had discussed what the next four years would bring. We were nervous about living near an airforce base during what could become a contentious time in our world. Dad can generally temper my concerns with some practical, less fantastic theories, but he was genuinely concerned when it came to the Trump presidency. Spoiler alert. I'm dramatic. Always have been dramatic. I am informed but dramatic. I knew that 2017-2021 was going to be quite a ride. I truly didn't know what it meant, but I felt certain uneasy anxiety that night after the inauguration. I would call it dread. This morning I am reflective of how I felt that day/night. I reluctantly decided to google, "The worst parts of the Trump Presidency." Not because I wanted to reaffirm what I was feeling, but to validate that if I were to look back on the last four years (pre-pandemic), would I really think that this presidency was THAT BAD? Spoiler alert: I still think it's crazy. I actually think it's crazier. The list was beneficial for me to give you a synopsis of why I am so ready for the past 4 years to be over. 

1. Child Separation Policy

2. Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. 

3. Attacks on the Affordable Care Act. 

4. Racism.

5. Enlisting foreign officials to help his candidacy.

6.His use of the treasury to line his own pockets. 

7. Handling...would we say he handled it? the COVID-19 Pandemic.

8. Regressive changes to the tax code.

9. Inhumane immigration policies. 

10. Lies. 

Four years ago this very weekend, I lamented the loss of my most favorite president from office. I cried many tears when Obama left the office for so many reasons. He was a man who gave me hope in our country. He made me feel like this country was a place I could bring my children into. He restored my faith in the system. He was not perfect, but he was so endearing and kind. I always risk going off on an Obama tangent whenever we talk politics, so let me snap back into focus.

You'd think that four years later, I would be elated about the inauguration of Obama's VP, Joe Biden. THE FIRST FEMALE VP!!!! You would think that would be enough to be ecstatic. Rather. I feel tentative. Skeptical. Fearful. You will most certainly remember the riots that happened on January 6, 2021. It is now officially called the insurrection. Even more than a riot, really. It was yet ANOTHER night where I watched a continuous loop of news and analysis on the event. Before I go too much into that, I've realized that I haven't even blogged about the 2020 Election. Processing our world seems to take more and more time because nothing is certain and nothing is simple. So I feel like commenting too soon about these events will leave out critical details that show the whole picture. Here is my timeline (as I remember it) *Full disclosure-I drank FAR TOO MUCH on election night, which ultimately has clouded my memory.

November 3, 2021

I go to work as usual. Check the news at lunch. Polls are open, and high voter turnout. That makes me happy. High turnout is good for the Democrats. My class engages in normal election day activities. We were also preparing for Veteran's Day, so we engaged in awesome patriotic crafts. Again-I felt encouraged and happy. I love to listen to music in class as we work. I put on a patriotic rock playlist. It was mostly Brooks and Dunn and Bruce Springsteen. I hadn't noticed that the playlist had ended, and the music stopped. We continued to work, and then, out of nowhere, "Philadelphia Freedom" begins to play...Instantly I was euphoric. For a month, I had heard that it would all come down to Pennsylvania. It was almost as if Sir Elton John himself had told me that it would be okay. Philadelphia would save the election!

I went home and began my last shift with the DFL at 4:00 PM. I sacrificed watching the news that night (which, as you know, takes a lot) so that I could call as many voters as I could before the polls closed. I worked until 6:00 PM. I felt relieved, proud, and scared shitless.

Polls close, and results roll in—Florida trends for Trump much more than expected. I start drinking Miller Lite Pounders. 

Polls continue to look bleak. Cousin Brook announces he's going to bed. The anchor people remind us that there are lots of votes left to count. I continue to consume Miller Lite Pounders. I start to cry.

Minnesota is called for Biden. The district I did the most work for is a solid blue. I feel SLIGHTLY BETTER. Many states are too close to call. I stay up, no longer consuming Miller Lites praying for a glimmer... The only thing I hear is votes are still being counted. Unsurpassed mail-in votes. Still too close to call in lots of places. House Democrats did not do as well as anticipated. Senate is clearly not a sweep as Democrats hoped. Votes are still being counted. 

Biden addresses the nation, urging us to not lose hope. He's got this. The votes are being counted. Democracy can be messy. 

Trump addresses the nation, and I'll just paste a direct quote from his speech because paraphrasing him is difficult. "An unfortunate group of people is trying to disenfranchise [those voters who voted for me], and we won't stand for this ... We'll be going to the US Supreme Court, we want all voting to stop. We don't want them to find any ballots at 4:00 in the morning and add them to the list ... As far as I'm concerned, we already have won this."

I go to bed annoyed that this election wasn't the type of election night that Obama gave us. He won so big so quickly that we were often in bed by 9:30 certain of where the country was going for the next four years. I'm also annoyed because the current president refused to acknowledge that the votes counted were legitimately cast and deserved to be counted! I'm going to give you my normal caveat. I've been a political junkie for years. My current dream is to have Kasie Hunt's job. You will remember her as the host of "Wayy too Early for This," the podcast we listen to every morning. I would love to be a correspondent and spit politics all day long. In all of my years of clinging to the news, I have always had mad respect for a unifying concession speech. John McCain's is the most memorable in recent history. “I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together,” McCain said, “to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.” McCain wanted to be president badly, but he acknowledged that he lost to Obama. He did not accuse those of us who voted for Obama as not casting legal votes. There is such a difference between how Trump acts as opposed to other modern-day politicians.  I went to bed disgusted. 

November 4, 2020

I wake up to Gail King, still wearing an adorable yellow dress. The same one she had on the night before. You both noted that she, in fact, had been up all night. The AP called Arizona (NBC did not). Along with my coworkers, we continue to monitor the election during lunch and after school. Michigan and Wisconsin are inching closer to a win all day long. I believe at lunch, Michigan is called, and I run and hug Miss Selfridge as she tells me this. This is shocking because of COVID. It was a Cornoafoul, but totally worth it. That evening it is clear that Michigan and Wisconsin are a win. I go to bed around 7:30PM feeling optimistic. 

November 5-6, 2020

More states called, claims about fraud are being brought up more and more with no proof. A win for Biden seems to be a clear win.

November 7, 2020

Oddly straightening my hair, I really don't know why because I was getting ready to walk Mavis. I receive a message from my good friend, JoLisa Hoover. It says that Joe Biden is the projected winner of the 2020 election...BECAUSE OF PENNSYLVANIA. I immediately acknowledge that Elton John was right, ask Alexa to play "Philadelphia Freedom," dad and I crack a Mich Ultra, and we CELEBRATE! One of the most memorable clips of that day was Kamala Harris, who was out for a jog, and finds out that they won. She calls Joe and says, "We did it, Joe, we won, you're going to be president of the United States." I acknowledge that Kamala is not just talking about her and Joe, but all of us who resisted and worked the past 3.5 years. We head to the lake for some boating with a significantly lighter heart. That evening Joe Biden and Kamala Harris deliver an inspiring speech. All seems okay.

The days that follow the elation that was felt on November 7th become less and less as we hear the current president deny that he lost the election. He continues to be a poor loser whining and complaining that the election was stolen. He rallies his supporters to feel the same. I proceed to ignore the president because he seems to be increasingly crazier than the day before. I catch bits and pieces of the lawsuits regarding the election, but I chose to trust that Biden won the election. Tons of crazy conspiracies were floating around, but I chose to focus my energy elsewhere, like getting the two senators in Georgia elected.

January 4, 2021

Dad's birthday. We had eaten dinner and cake. It was the night before the Georgia election. CBS News sent me a push on my phone. It was President Trump speaking before the Georgia election. I was appalled by what I heard. Blatant lies about the election. He was basically getting people all stirred up about Biden not legitimately winning the election. He told his supporters that they wouldn't quit until they won. We listen to the entire disgusting speech. Really horrified by what we heard. 

January 5, 2021

Election results pour in. We watch as the percentages change on the New York times site. Warnock and Ossoff are doing well, better than I expected. I had to slow my obsessing over the results because Baby Waider stuck her hand in the back of the door just as Little Brother was slamming it, resulting in the breaking of her middle finger. To say it looked like a cartoon is an understatement. Thankfully dad drove in a way that got her to the doctor before they closed at 8 PM, got an x-ray, and understood what we needed to care for her finger. Aside from being extremely upset about not playing on the monkey bars for a few weeks, Baby Waider was unscathed by the event. Both mom and dad are exhausted by giving the threat "Someone is going to get hurt" and being ignored. "Quit messing around with the doors!" I hope both of you learned a valuable lesson. Election results continue to pour in. I go to bed with Ossoff behind by only a little over 300 votes. Warnock is the presumed winner. 

January 6, 2021

CBS News continually sends me pushes of major, and not so major events as they occur. They sent me a push that Ossoff and Warnock were the projected winners of South Carolina's election. Shortly after that, a push that stated President Trump was addressing his supporters. Shortly after that push another push that had clips of the address with these quotes. “If you don’t fight like Hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore;” “When you catch somebody in a fraud, you’re allowed to go by very different rules;” “You’ll never take back our country with weakness.” Then, finally, the push that the protest had moved to the Capitol. I waited for what seemed like a bazillion hours for school to get out so that I could begin my news binge. That binge carried on for days, really. We are still getting reports about what happened if Congress members were involved, who is responsible, and the President was impeached a second time. What we know is that it was an insurrection. This was an attempt to overthrow the government. What is interesting is that the videos of the insurrection show men with Trump flags and confederate flags. Scenes that are kind of common around here. Little Brother actually thought that it was a video of Pierre because we saw so many people in Pierre this summer with the Trump Flags and confederate flags. President Trump was impeached a second time and it is actually unclear what will happen now. A conviction by the Senate seems improbable, but time will tell. In my opinion, it is clear that the president emboldened his supporters to orchestrate an insurrection at the Capitol. He thought that he would stay in power if the Senate did not confirm the election results. 

So, that pretty much brings us to today. January 17, 2021. Three days to the inauguration. We're taking the day off to watch all of the happenings! I guess the events leading up to this have me feeling less enthusiastic than I want to feel. The Capitol is full of National Guard, the White House has a huge fence around it, and no one can even get near where the inauguration will occur. This is so different than what it has been like during past inaugurations and not just because we are living through a global pandemic. 

One year ago, I would not have believed this past year. Here are a few tidbits I've learned over the past 10 months. 

1. I know who most of the governors are from the 50 states. I never really thought I would be able to hear a governor's name and then know which state they are in charge of. Jim Justice? That's West Virginia. Mike DeWine? Ohio. Andrew Cuomo? New York.  I even know some mayors! Bill de Blasio? New York City! Eric Garcetti? Los Angeles.

2. I also know many of the Representatives in Congress and which state they are from. I am usually pretty good with Senators, but not Representatives. 

3. Insurrection. 1. I didn't know what this was. 2. I would have not really thought it was even a thought during this day and age. I thought that, as AMERICANS, we had respect for our governmental system. 3. I thought that we were UNITED in our belief that it is an individual who runs this country, but the constitution follows. Might doesn't make right in these instances. We have a system of checks and balances. An acknowledgment of right and wrong.  Winner and loser. Each state runs its own elections. I was sadly mistaken in regards to all of this. 

4. Until now, we've taken the "peaceful transition of power" for granted. I will forever remember the people who enabled Trump to carry on and on about the election being stolen when it wasn't. It was unpatriotic, and it wasn't true. Saying it doesn't make it true. People starting working against the election of Trump on January 21, 2016. The fact that he lost in 2020 is not surprising. Before this event, I am not sure that I ever wondered if there would be a peaceful transition of power? It always seemed to be a given. I don't think we will ever feel that way again. 

5. I don't know what is next. I keep thinking that now we can go back to the status quo. I'm increasingly unsure what that means. I hope that I can watch the news without cringing, but I can't be convinced that that will happen right away. 

6. I have mad respect for (many) people who choose to serve in these public political positions. It has proven to be dangerous, constantly critical, and unforgivingly scrutinizing. I often wish they would do more but seldom do I acknowledge how brave they are doing to what they've done—specifically Liz Chaney and Nacy Pelosi. I do not always agree with them, but the past week has proven that they are fearless. 

7. I have mad respect for (most) journalists. They continue to ask hard questions and report on events even when they are in danger. Many of them provide us with facts and information that we would not otherwise get. They are a crucial part of keeping our government in check. They have had a difficult job these past four years. They have been called horrible names and unfairly criticized. They have been made the villain when that is not the truth. 

8. Alternative Facts. I remember LOLing when Kellyanne Conway told Chuck Todd on Meet the Press the Sunday after the 2017 inauguration that the inauguration crowd's size was alternative facts. This meant that while the photos and actual numbers showed one thing, the Trump administration touted and propagated that it was larger than Obama's inauguration crowd. Little did I know that alternative facts were the new norm. Lies would be accepted and spread wildly. 

9. I do not know where this leaves us as a country.  Divided is an understatement. I don't pretend to understand the opposition.  The "us and them" mentality is debilitating, and I am not sure how we come together again. I think, for now, I'll take it case by case and day by day. We will be forced to forgive and find ways to navigate with those we do not and have not agreed with. I'm not convinced we can heal from this. I know that Joe Biden said that we are in a battle for this great nation's soul. I want to believe that he can win this battle, but I am just not so sure. I'm afraid we could be a nation without a soul. 

10. Accountability. I have spent my life making 8-10-year-olds accountable for their actions.  Tell the truth. Be nice. Be a bucket filler! Have empathy. Show compassion. Help your classmate who is struggling. Accountability for "some" is out the window. If you have money, the right color skin, the right gender, and know the right people, you can do as you choose with little consequence. Until we can hold people accountable, we cannot have unity. I heard that on a podcast, and I believe it whole-heartedly. 

I so often ask myself what the children of this crazy time will remember? What will you both remember? I'm not entirely sure. You are more politically engaged than most kids, and you also helped me make a killer display for the inauguration. Photos below. 

You are filled with excitement and optimism. You both have high hopes for the future. I hope your generation does better than mine did because if I had to give my generation a grade for saving the country, it would be an F. I'll leave you with this quote from one of the many shows I watched this morning.  "Inauguration is a great reopening in our country." Here's hoping we have a successful reopening.

Love Always, 

Mom

Time to Admit Defeat

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

As the days of 2020 drag on I keep thinking the same thing over and over again. We are living through history. We will learn from this. We will come out better. Those are uniquely American thoughts and outlooks. I have come out of the past 9 months jaded, frustrated, defeated, and disappointed. Along with all of these feelings I also feel an incredible sense of rejection from my school district, city, and state. I've always felt pretty alienated. A blue dot in a sea of red. Reading my blog long before this one you know that if nothing else my life is just a series of connections that I make. Today I am channeling Baby from the Movie "Dirty Dancing." You will have seen that movie with me because it is my favorite. It is not entirely appropriate for tweens, but that's when I saw it and look at how I turned out? Anyway, the quote "You were right, Johnny, you can't win no matter what you do." A defeated Baby is responding to Johnny because she had tried all along to help various problematic situations. This quote is the culmination of her working her butt off to help people, but in the end  she isn't really able to make that much of an impact. She's defeated.

I feel like I have been one of the many "Chicken Littles" in our state. Instead of saying, "The sky is falling!" I've been saying, "We need masks or this spread will be out of control. We need lockdowns! We need to stay home. We need to reduce capacity in stores, restaurants, and bars. We need to extend our school breaks to provide adequate time to quarantine before and after families get together for the holidays." I have written letters, made phone calls, and public posts on Twitter and Facebook. The same thing has happened time and time again. Some agree, some disagree, and the people who are indifferent ultimately listen to the LOUD minority that is in favor of money over people. 

This has been a stark reminder of the fact that I am a ridiculously privileged person. I can tell this is the truth by how deeply disappointed I am in how I'm being treated by so many elected officials, business owners, and positions of authority. This morning I recognized how similar I am to Baby. Don't worry everyone. I never conned my dad into paying for someone else's abortion. The traits I do share with her is the belief that I can help solve problems. I am a hard worker, but I also have my race and social class working for me. It was easy for me to buy a house or anything else I wanted to. I went to a high-quality school because my parents paid for me to get a stellar education. College was a breeze for me because I won scholarships and my rigorous high school made it simple to complete my college work and also college work for others. (That's a story for another day.) My point in saying this is that I don't take no for an answer. I've tried to be the type of person who helps out when I can. I don't pretend to think that I make a huge impact, but little by little I'd like to think that I make small differences for people who matter to me. Just like Baby. I wonder if she ever did go to Peace Corps?

This past summer I dedicated my life to making schools and communities safe during COVID. I thought through my union work, contacting school officials and boards, contacting the governor and state legislators, begging the Rapid City Council to deliver a mask mandate, and even networking with other moms who felt the same way I did would make it so we could go back to school safely. I urged Sturgis City Council members to stop the Rally from coming. I wrote countless letters to my own school board to adjust the back to school plan for safety. I listened to HOURS upon HOURS of zoom city meetings, school board meetings, legislative hearings, and union meetings. I gave input to everyone who would listen and I forced input on those who refused to listen. I was taught early on by your grandparents that if you don't like something you work to change it. You put your mind to it and you do something about it. I've staunchly lived this value my whole life. I have always been one to take on a cause and make something happen. I am persuasive and I am relentless. I don't take no for an answer. 

But...for the first time in my life I am met with...adversity. I'm being ignored, passed over, and completely disregarded. I'm not alone. I am with an entire group of people in this state and country that are experiencing the same thing. Retrospectively I see that I was either yelling into an echo chamber where people felt the same way I did or I was yelling into a vacuum where my voice was muffled long before it got to anyone's ears who disagreed with my feelings. Today I realize that what I've experienced during the past nine months is what people of color and women have been experiencing for decades. It's entirely frustrating and exhausting. 

This morning I am deeply regretful for all of the hours I essentially wasted this summer trying to make a difference where there was absolutely no chance I was going to make a difference. No matter how many letters I wrote, no matter how many phone calls or facebook posts I made I wasn't going to make things any safer for anyone. If I could go back to myself in June I would tell myself to admit defeat much earlier than I did. I want to tell that woman to enjoy every second you have where you are living in a safe bubble because those days are limited. I want to tell her to let go of the notion that when the pandemic is raging in South Dakota you will be safe at home because someone, anyone would step in long before 2,000 new cases would be added per day. Someone would stop this madness long before 1,000 South Dakotans would die. I would tell myself that I needed to prepare to know multiple people who would contract this virus, die from this virus, and ultimately recover from this virus. I would also tell myself that I would love being back in school with the students. In many ways it is like we've never left. We're doing lots of the same things we've always done only now it is with masks on and the dull thought in the back of our minds that people we know and love are battling this virus as we live our lives like there isn't a pandemic. I had no idea back in June that our community would become so callous and obstinate against science. I thought that elected officials and administrators would have our safety and best interest in mind, but time and time again that does not seem to be the case.  Jump ship. Quit trying. It doesn't matter. Enjoy your summer and quit trying to make anyone believe that we need mitigations because as I type this today I know it's only going to get worse. 

A good number of people here still aren't taking this seriously. The advice of the White House Corona  Virus Taskforce has advised that people in our state constantly mask when indoors. We are not to gather in large groups and capacity of indoor places like bars and restaurants. We have not adopted any of those recommendations formally because of our "freedoms" here. Our governor went to the NFR in Texas this weekend to shout into her echo chamber about how successful she's been at preserving our freedom here in South Dakota and having such low numbers of virus and deaths. What her echo chamber does not probably know is per capita. South Dakota has one of the smallest populations in the country. Comparatively we have some of the highest deaths and infection rates in the country. To compare you can look at Vermont. Similar population to South Dakota. They rely on tourism, animal products, and farming for their economy. (Note they also have a strong manufacturing faction as well which we are lacking.) Vermont has had 4,894 TOTAL COVID cases and 79 Deaths TOTAL. South Dakota has 14.43 times more infections at 85,304 TOTAL COVID Cases and 13.81 times more deaths at 1,091 deaths TOTAL. Today Vermont has 22 people in their hospitals in their entire state. Of that number 4 are in the ICU. Today South Dakota will celebrate that hospitalizations are down because we have ONLY 512 people in the hospital. That's down from what has been closer to or over 600 people. I can't keep track anymore what the records are anymore. The reason our hospitalizations decrease is we have between 30-53 deaths almost daily. Today we have 110 people across the state in the ICU. So while there are 4 families in Vermont sitting on pins and needles while their loved ones battle for their life like never before there are 110 families in that position in SD today. That's 27.5 times more than our Vermont friends are experiencing. Twenty-two Vermont families have loved ones who aren't with them enjoying Christmas decorations and are likely alone in the hospital. SD has 512. If you like math like me that's 23.27 times more families suffering in our state.  Meanwhile our governor is in the public eye, speaking to her base, and celebrating HER version of freedom. We live in a military community so we often see or hear the quote, "All give some, some give all." That's in reference to the military protecting our freedom. That's also the sad case here when describing how we are handling COVID. Some have literally died protecting what some view as their freedom to go out, not mask, and gather with family and large groups. 

The White House Coronavirus Taskforce says  that schools are not a source of spreading this virus. That has stuck with me all weekend. While I agree that it isn't as prevalent as my personal prediction was in August the number of children infected in our state is stark. On Friday it was 12,160. Ages 0-19. For those who love math that's 2.48 times more than the TOTAL infections that Vermont has. Also, its 946.46% increase since August 4th. That's just in South Dakota. I don't know how many children ages 0-19 have been infected in Vermont. It's probably because in the past 9 months they've had as many total cases as SD has in four days. It's also interesting to note that the most students in Vermont are partially or fully remote learning. They are having an increase of 120 cases per day, the same amount Pennington County has in one day in SD and we mostly have in person learning, full time, face to face. Stark differences in mitigation and leadership. Much different results and preservation of life. 

My heart aches because I partially feel like I didn't do enough for the people who have been sick, died, or lost loved ones. I should have tried to do more to protect the people who will still become infected.  I also feel like I probably made it worse by constantly asking for more protections which ultimately emboldened my opposition. This post sounds like I'm asking for sympathy and pity which is absolutely not my intent. I just want the both of you to know that I tried my ass off to make this better than it turned out. It just didn't work. When the people of 2120 ask what was done during this time, I want you both to know that your family really did try to make it better.

The rest of the conversation between Johnny and Baby went like this:

Baby: So I did it for nothing. I hurt my family, you lost your job anyway! I did it for nothing!

Johnny: No, not for nothing, Baby! Nobody has ever done anything like that for me before!

Baby: You were right, Johnny, you can't win no matter what you do!

Johnny: You listen to me; I don't want to hear that from you, you can!

I can't help but be a little inspired by Johnny Castle this morning because from all of these hours I spent advocating and fighting I've also met some really cool people. I've connected with like-minded South Dakotans that exist in numbers I never thought possible. I am not safe by any means, but I am in agreement some pretty great people. We may not win this fight, but with the network I'm now a part of we might be able to win some we couldn't have before. Baby did not change the negative opinions and disrespect directed towards the hard-working, blue-collar dancers who worked at Kellerman's Resort. The rich patrons there never saw past themselves to see the people behind the "entertainment staff." She did make a difference to Johnny. I'd like to think that she possibly changed his life? Made him believe in himself? Maybe he went on to pursue an acting career?  I think I need to acknowledge while I didn't change minds of large groups of people I did make impacts that are not as easily recognizable...Engaged other teachers or citizens to contact elected officials. Made others aware and got them to pay attention! Your dad was talking to me after I gave him the summary of my blog and said something that made a lot of sense. You don't know the impact you made. You will never know how bad it would have been if you did nothing. 

I refused to see a bright side in any of this. I've lost friends, respect for a great deal of people in leadership positions, and respect for so many people in my community. I've also seen resilience, camaraderie, and a coming together where we do the best we can to take care of those we love and those around us. I've seen incredibly inspiring members of our City Council speak out in ways I'd never imagine people in Rapid City could do. Some day I could do the same. I wear a mask and so do almost all of my colleagues at school. The vast majority of the students wear masks when we are in major traffic areas and we have done all we can to help out and check in on our friends who are sick. I've tried to give money to those in need. My love for those in in my life is more fierce than it has ever been and the time that I've had with my little family of four, staying home, doing everything together, without the distractions of activities has been invaluable. I think that's why I wish I would have just stayed in the moment during the summer of 2020. Not worried about the future because worrying about it didn't change one damn thing. It just made me stressed, salty, and distracted. 

In addition to all of these conflicting and difficult emotions I also feel incredibly grateful to have a job I still love, a home, a healthy family, an employed husband, a second job, and the resources to provide for all of the items listed above. Second-graders as always provide a great deal of laughter, perspective, and love. Them and my coworkers have been so invaluable these past few months as well. 

I can't help but visualize that when this is all over (whatever that even looks like) maybe there will be a dance performance where I emerge as a secretly amazing dirty dancer. I will have just mastered doing "the lift," a difficult dance move that my insecurities have previously inhibited my ability to complete this complex move. It could happen?

I am sorry for not being as present as I would have liked over the summer.  Now, we are at the holidays. I am going to vow to stop obsessing over how to change this situation.  I will admit defeat, wear my mask, stay out of public, and wait for a vaccine, because honestly, I'm not sure what else I can do. 

Love always, 

Mommio

P.S. Links to where I want to make my new home: Vermont! 

https://education.vermont.gov/news/covid-19-guidance-vermont-schools/reopening-status-of-vermont-public-schools

https://www.healthvermont.gov/covid-19/current-activity/vermont-dashboard

Election Day PTSD

 Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

I'll never forget Election Night 2016. Ever. I vividly remember snippets of that day still 4 years later.  I had written and posted a blog the night or a couple of nights before. That morning of the election I got a FB message that nicely told me I had misspelled Hilary in the blog. I noted that I needed to fix the misspellings later that night after we voted. Truth. I didn't fix it until tonight. I just couldn't go back to that blog and even see what I had written. The days following the election became a blur. I wouldn't have recognized the optimistic mom who wrote that blog anyway and I didn't have the energy to correct the name of the first viable woman candidate who didn't pull off a win in the end. I remember spending much of the day nervous, but confident. The USA wouldn't elect a reality TV star to be the president? Would they? or WOULD THEY???? I was ecstatic to vote that evening especially with you, Baby Waider. Taking my daughter with me to vote for the first woman president was a moment I will never forget. I was proud and hopeful. We drove home to the most beautiful sunset. When we got home we cooked dinner and got super excited to watch election returns. Much of that night was gut punch after gut punch. What started as bleak optimism quickly degraded to sadness, and finally despair. I watched as the pundits went from gleeful and excited to astonished. I'll never forget the looks on their faces as they reported over and over again that Hilary lost one state, then another state, and another.

These four people, mainly the two adults had no idea what the next 24 hours would hold! Actually, what  the next four years would hold!

So tonight I did some time traveling and read that blog from 2016. I was surprised by how nervous I was for that election. The one phrase I seemed to keep repeating was not being able to imagine Trump as a president. What's funny now is that I sort of could. Sexism and racism have become much more prevalent. Blaming, no regard for the truth, cheating, and violence have become more and more acceptable. The Trump family themselves are completely out of control. The fear and desperation I felt that night was warranted. The one prediction I failed to make about a Trump presidency was a global pandemic that he would downplay, disregard, and force the country to work through, all without masks. Didn't see that one coming!

I've gone back and forth about Election Night. Do I watch the returns come in as the pundits report on it? In 2008 & 2012 I have fond memories of feeling elated as the returns poured in in favor of Obama. Even on crazy nights like 2000 it was fun to watch the returns come in and Al Gore didn't even win! So I've made the decision to engage in the status quo tomorrow night. We will watch Chuck Todd report the returns on NBC with Lester Holt. I am not going to avoid social media and the news. I am going to cling to it. I am not going into this one with blind optimism. I'm going into with brutal skepticism. The kind that comes from four years of watching someone get away with everything shy of murder without having consequences. President Teflon. Four years of announcements and news about more and more atrocities that seem to progressively get worse. I have no expectations that this election will go as planned so it will be hard for me to be disappointed.

Without a doubt the year 2020 will bring out lots of memories and feels. In short we've done and been through some crazy shit. The one thing from 2020 I want you to remember is that we did all we could for this election. I say we because it was a collective effort. You both gave me the time and space to make calls to thousands of voters in Minnesota to ensure that state stayed blue. While I added making calls to our weekend to do list your dad picked up the slack so that I could have the time to do what I felt was so important. Your dad and I donated and donated and donated until we couldn't donate anymore to the campaign. While it was not a situation where you went without so Joe Biden could air another commercial in Wisconsin I do want you to know that we gave all we could. What's the point in saying this to you? It's so you know that we feel that the 2020 election is pivotal and so important. So much of YOUR future rides on this election.

The one thing I did not mention in my blog in 2016 was the fact that I did NOTHING for Hilary Clinton besides voting for her in a state where she had a zero percent chance of winning the three electoral college votes they hold. I made zero calls and donated zero dollars. I did nothing. This year I vowed to do and be better. I vowed to be engaged, vote, and donate. I did all three of those things and you helped too. Yesterday you even helped dad replace our stolen/blown away Biden sign. You even sat through long car rides to Pierre where I called voters all the way there. Tomorrow, no matter what I'm going into this knowing that the Waiders in Rapid City, SD did all they could do! We left it all on the field.

I am scared for Election Night. Maybe terrified is a better word. It is my distinct hope that I will be able to reverse the PTSD from 2016. I'm not sure that can be reversed. There are many theories that tomorrow night could spark a scary journey for our country into doubting the results or not waiting for all of the votes to be counted. I'm not going there for now. Tonight I feel proud, happy, patriotic, engaged, and incredibly nervous. I want to believe the polls, but I also just want to be scared. 

You both already voted with us because we mailed our ballots in a month ago. You've listened to the podcasts on the way to school following the polls and hearing all of the predictions. You go into tomorrow prepared for a long night of watching the returns pour in.

Love,

Your Extremely Nervous Mom

Link to 2016 blog: https://www.blogger.com/u/2/blog/post/edit/6544222748399049601/64905411828810250

P.S. Election 2020 Pictures!

The sign you two painted!

Sign dad made a stencil for and painted. 

Biden stencil. 

Cousin Brook in his office hosting a Zoom meeting. 

Jim Carey playing Joe Biden on SNL and my Biden mug.

My all time favorite. Obama! I didn't take this picture, just saved it from the web.

Mandatory campaign pumpkins. 

Minnesota campaign crew!!! 

Sporting our Biden shirts together one last time! 

One Mom's Irrelevant Presidential Endorsement

Dear Baby Waider + Little Brother Too,

100 days until the 2020 election. Yesterday I called 100 people in Minnesota and today I hope to call 100 more. My cousin, and current hero, Brook is a field organizer in Minnesota. He's doing the really hard work of making a bazillion calls, organizing volunteers, and making sure all the little details are worked out. His whole life is dedicated to Joe Biden and getting him elected. Not only is he working for Joe Biden, but he's trying to flip the Senate in Minnesota and get other candidates from there elected. He's doing a job I admire so much and am so grateful for him doing. You two are also incredibly proud of him too. Yesterday it was announced that he also was the top recruiter for volunteers! 

                                     You both love to see this picture of 

                                              Brook with Joe Biden. Little Brother 

                                             you always ask if you can meet Joe

                                             Biden too.

 He's got Aunt Becky, Uncle Joe, and I super engaged in making calls for the election. The two of you have also been inadvertently been involved too. You can, and often do recite what I say with each call. 

Me: Hello, my name is Carol and I'm a volunteer with the Minnesota DFL. Is _____ there? 

Caller: Yes. This is them.

Me: I'm calling to see if you will be voting for Joe Biden, Tina Smith, and the rest of the Democrats on the ticket this year? 

Caller: Yes. 

Me: Do you have the information you need to vote by mail?

Caller: Yes I do. I've already requested it. 

Me: Are you interested in calling voters like I am today? 

Caller: Sure! 

Me: Terrific. Someone will be contacting you in the near future. 

Naturally, not all of the calls go THAT smoothly, but many many do. It's so funny to hear the two of you pretend to be making or being the person on the calls. I'm incredibly honored and proud to be a part of the campaign and grateful for Brook's willingness to keep me busy with the campaign and also the reminder that we're doing important work. You and dad are all my biggest cheerleaders and given me a reason to keep making calls even when the calls are not very simple. 

When I woke up the morning after the 2016 election I felt an intense amount of shame, guilt, and sadness. Not only did the candidate I did not support win, but I did absolutely nothing to help the candidate I supported. Not one call. Not one dollar. That morning I vowed, never again. No matter how unenthusiastic I am about a candidate running I will be an active volunteer in the election. No matter how busy I am and no matter how terrifying it seems I will be making calls, sending texts, or even knocking on doors if there is not a global pandemic. 

I've been working for various elections since 1996. Calling people can be intimidating work. You never really know what you're going to get on the other end of the line. Most people are nice, some yell, some are really rude, some are downright nasty, some are old, and some are people you really really wish you could meet or talk to again. Early on in this election I called a woman who was in her forties. When I asked her the question, Will you vote for Joe Biden, Tina Smith, and the rest of the Democrats on the ticket? She said to me, "Why don't you tell ME why YOU are voting for Joe Biden." She naturally caught me off guard because usually when you make calls people don't start off with a question. They answer your questions first. 

The truth was...I had taken a good amount of time to research, attend meetings, and campaign for Joe Biden, but what would surprise many people is that he really was not my first choice as the nominee. I loved him as the VP to Obama, but I was really hoping for a more diverse candidate. Not another old white guy. However it went down the people had spoken. Whether it was the vast numbers of Republicans voting in open primaries, the DNC deciding that they wanted Biden, the Lincoln Project or other Republicans for Biden, or any other hosts of reasons Joe Biden is on the ticket for the Democratic Party. 

After fumbling for a good five seconds words finally came out of my mouth, "Because he cares about people. I genuinely believe that he cares about America and Americans." My answer sounded unsure and feeble. Thankfully the lady said, "Of course I'm voting for Biden. I'm just not excited about it and I hoped that you would help me be excited." I then confessed to her that he also wasn't my first choice, but that I knew he was what we needed.  "Joe will surround himself with good people who will get us out of this mess." 

Since that phone call the United States has spiraled out of control. Baby Waider, you especially will remember lots of these events as they unfolded. The Minneapolis Police murdered a Black man by the name of George Floyd. They kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 second until he died. We also learned that many, many other Black people have unjustly died at the hands of police. Beonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Philano Castille. So many more names found at: https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/know-their-names/index.html  Due to George Floyd there were protests, riots, and continued poor behavior by our president. The protests continue and the president has decided to send border agents to select "cities run by Democrats" to stop the protestors. The claim being that they're destroying federal property. The only footage that there seems to be is that of people protesting and these federal agents being abusive to them. Never in my life could I imagine this scenario playing out in the United States of America. Rapid City had a large protest that we were a part of in the car driving by and honking. 

The Third of July will likely forever be tainted by the disgusting event of Trump's visit to Mount Rushmore. It seemed deeply personal that he was coming to our state, in our hills, and would be so close to my house. In fact, he flew over our house in a crazy military helicopter. I yelled at the helicopter and the neighbors yelled at me. Not my finest moment, but I was very upset. The events that led up to me yelling at a helicopter that the passengers inside would never hear me was watching hours of a protest by Native Americans because the land where Mount Rushmore sits is  actually THEIR land. The whole protest was live streamed. We saw them block the road with vans and take off the tires. We watched as the president's supporters spit at them and tried to punch them. You were so puzzled as to why adults were being so mean to the protestors. You watched the National Guard (or whoever it was) push into the protestors and eventually gas them. We watched as the video ended and the protestors were taken to jail because they refused to disperse peacefully. It was awesome and devastating all at once. I wanted to know what the president could possibly say on the eve of Independence Day at the Shrine of Democracy as over 130,000 Americans had died from a pandemic he denied even happening. So I watched and listened as he said that, "Children go to school to learn to hate their country." It was the perfect crowning moment to a day of being utterly disgusted. Yep. He went after teachers.... 

The pandemic is totally out of control. We lose about 1,000 people per day and between 50-70,000 new infections per day. It's unfathomable. I can't think of anytime where we knew that we would indefinitely lose 1,000 American lives per day. No end in sight. It is devastatingly sad because many  people really see no need to alter their lives to slow the spread of this disease to help people most at risk. It is widely known that masks help slow the spread, but people argue against that too. They think it is stifling their freedom. People still go to restaurants and bars. Oh, and school is ON for the fall. It's almost like we're to the stage of saying, "Pandemic? What pandemic?" 

So many people in our country are out of work, due to the pandemic. Even though a huge chunk of people don't believe in the pandemic it is leading to joblessness that is similar to the Great Depression. You may have to google Great Depression. People don't have enough to eat. They're in jeopardy of losing their homes or rentals. They could be sick. So many awful things are happening concurrently that I know this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of everything happening right now. 

I wish that I could talk to that lady today. I know I would be able to answer her question so much more robustly. I'm voting for Joe Biden because he is the best hope to heal our badly hurting nation. He has a plan to increase funding for schools so that they can be better prepared to teach during a pandemic. He has a plan to expand broadband to families who need that in order to participate in virtual schooling. He wants to boost teacher pay and make sure that teachers and students would not go back to school until it were safe. He believes in raising the minimum wage, paid sick leave, and making sure all Americans have insurance. He has a plan for the pandemic that includes testing, tracing, and acquiring PPE for everyone who needs it. Just a quick trip to his website, https://joebiden.com/joes-vision/ provides the information needed to see that Joe has a plan for Black America, Jewish America, Catholic America, and Hispanic America. His all-inclusive approach is comforting and exactly what this country needs. A man with a plan. 

We hear a lot of noise around elections. Voters and states that matter. Sadly, I am not one of the voters that matter. I am white, Catholic, and from an incredibly RED state where the Republican candidate could murder kittens in the street and people would still vote for them. I'm exhausted by the lack of influence my vote has. I'm exhausted by a world that is full of people who could benefit from the policies that a candidate like Joe Biden could bring to the table, but they refuse to see what he could offer because he's a...GASP...Democrat. I'm tired of living in a state that will blindly vote for someone who does everything in his power to hurt the very people who live here but they have too much pride to admit that maybe the person they supported isn't a very good person. So, I know that it doesn't really matter, but I proudly endorse Joe Biden for president of the United States of America. I know that he will do the hard work to heal this great country we live in. I know that he will surround himself with people who will also work hard and will not be sent to jail on a regular basis. Lastly, I am endorsing Joe Biden because he has a heart and I believe that he knows that as a mom of two young children I'm terrified of the country they are growing up in. 

Love, 

Mom