I love Romney!



I just had to title this post with that...mostly because about 16 years ago, that would be what was written all over my journal.  It all started the summer after my freshman year at BYU.  I was taking my first required upper division Political Science class. I remember sitting towards the front of the class and the teacher calling on a someone in the back row.  I turned around to see who was answering, and that it when I first laid eyes on "black beauty".  I didn't know his name, or anything about him...but it was instant love.  I never spoke to him that entire term, but when the class came to a close I conveniently placed myself where he would be walking past me.  He actually STOPPED to talk to me and told me he was going to Israel for the summer.  Oh, man. I was head over heals and crossed my fingers I would cross his path come Fall.  Meanwhile, I found out he was a Romney. This was back before Google, or actually before the internet.  So, what was a girl to do?  I put my research skills I had learned in that class to use. I quickly became best friends with LEXUS NEXUS.  If anyone covering Romney's run for president this past year has any questions about BAIN Capital, or Romney's run for the Senate in 1994, they could just come ask me.  I was very thorough in my research!

That Fall (1995)  I was in a few other classes of his, and we sat next to each other.  I was in heaven.  Let me give you a quick summary of the rest of the year...lots of stalking, lots of humiliation, my first major crush followed by my first major heart break. 

Fast forward one year. I am attending the wedding reception of my beloved black beauty.  He married his beautiful blonde bride.  My BFF at the time and I still laugh at our dress of choice that we wore to the swanky reception.  We seriously looked like two "Sister Missionaries" stuffing down wontons in a sea of sheek skinny supermodels.  We ended up spending spending quite a bit of time talking to Black Beauty's younger brother.  He was fresh of the plane from serving a mission in England.  He seemed so nice and geniunly interested in chatting it up with us.  Looking back, it all makes sense. He had just returned from an LDS mission and was probably a little ackward...so where was he going to feel most comfortable?  Find the Sister Missionaries and chat with them.  As usual at that time in my life, some really logical thoughts were running through my mind..."Oh, my goodness, I picked the wrong brother.  Maybe I was supposed to like him just so I could meet THIS beauty."  So feeling "prompted", and learning nothing from the last experience, I promptly fell in love with Romney #2. 

Luckily, it was a little more short-lived and I found my true black beauty that semester.  By summer the Romney's were a thing of the past and I was engaged to my true love-Ryan. However, for years to come, whenever the name of Romney would come up, there would be lots of jokes and snickering going my way.  I felt like I was re-living the nightmare everytime they would pop up in the media. 

Six kids and a lifetime later, this is now just a funny old college story!  Being the political-junky that I am I can't stay away from politics just because of an old college crush!  I can now say, "I love Romney!" and I don't have to worry that the secret service is going to come after me for my mad-stalking skills. 

Sooo...naturally when I found out that Romney was going to be in Idaho Falls, we all jumped at the chance to go cheer him on!  (How did I find out?  I woke up to three texts, three phone messages, and several emails.)  Ryan and I were going to take the girls with us and my dad.  However, Annie was so sick all morning, that Ryan told me he would keep her at home and to go ahead and take the boys instead.  (We took Joshua to see President George W Bush on the campaign trail in 2000, so this might be his second president to meet-and-greet!)

We had so much fun!  Here is the re-cap...

Here is James, with Aunt Jennifer and her daughters, and Grandpa.  We had to wait outside in line for about an hour and it was CHILLY!  It was worth the wait though! 

Once inside the building, it was still a long wait. Now we had our big coats on and we were HOT!

Abigail, Grandpa, and Sadie



Here I am with Jennifer...

James, Joshua, Emmaline, and Isabelle were able to squeeze right in the front.  I wanted to get a better picture of them, but no one would let me any closer!  I had to hold my camera high above my head to get this shot! It was like we were in a political mosh pit. 



Here comes Mitt!  Yahoo! The High School band was playing, the crowd was pumped up, and everyone was screaming.  Mitt definately got a warm reception in Idaho!

He gave a great speech.  Joshua got it all on the iphone, but I thought I would spare you!

Here is Grandpa listening to the speech. On the way to the event Emmaline said, "Grandpa, why don't you run for President?"  I thought it was cute. We would vote for Gary!

After the speech, Mitt made a circle around the edges shaking hands.  Each one of our kids got to shake his hand.  I didn't bother, remember...I shook it at the wedding. :)  I was too busy taking pictures! 



We asked the kids what Mitt said to them...

Isabelle: "Hi, sweetie."

Emmaline: "Well, you are cute."

James: "How ya doin'?"

Joshua: "Good to see ya!"

Old lady in Pink to Mitt Romney, "We are Mormon too, and we are praying for you."

Mitt to Pink Lady: "Well, that's just fine."

I thought that last part was especially funny, but you would only think it if you are a political junky. Remember when he said that in that one debate, "Well, that's just fine."

Reaching in to shake hands with Sadie and Abigail. (What a nice guy, huh?)

The kids decided going back to school for only one hour was silly.  Instead, Grandpa took us to Wendy's....Grandpa for President!

David and Melissa were at the Rally too...but my pictures of them turned out fuzzy.  We had a great day!  Cheers to Mitt for President in 2012!