A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos) - 12.12.03

yahoo.com, whitehouse.gov | 12.12.03 | ohioWfan

[ohioWfan]

The President today announced his next choice for Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Alphonso Jackson in the Roosevelt Room in the White House. Mr. Jackson is replacing Mel Martinez who resigned last week. Laura spent the morning at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, where she read to sick children, and watched the premiere showing of “BarneyCam II: Barney Reloaded” with them. Some goodies tonight, so enjoy your Daily Dose of Dubya!!

[Bama Tom]

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,

I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.



My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,

my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.



Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,

Transforming the yard to a winter delight.



The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,

Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.



My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,

Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep

in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.

So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.



The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,

But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.



Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,

Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.



My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,

and I crept to the door just to see who was near.



Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,

A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.



A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old

perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.



Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,

standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.



"What are you doing?" I asked without fear

"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!



Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,

you should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"



For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,

away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,

to the window that danced with a warm fire's light

then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night"



"Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,

that separates you! from the darkest of times.



No one had to ask or beg or implore me,

I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.



My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"

then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."



My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam

and now it is my turn and so, here I am.



I've not seen my own son in more than a while,

but my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.



Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,

the red white and blue... an American flag.



"I can live through the cold and the being alone,

away from my family, my house and my home,



I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,

I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,



I can carry the weight of killing another

or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers

who stand at the front against any and all,

to insure for all time that this flag will not fall."



"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright

Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."



"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,

"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?



It seems all too little for all that you've done,

For being away from your wife and your son."



Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,

"Just tell us you love us, and never forget

to fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.

To stand your own watch, no matter how long.



For when we come home, either standing or dead,

to know you remember we fought and we bled

is payment enough, and with that we will trust.

That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.



WE ALL NEED TO PRAY FOR OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL EVERY NIGHT, THEY ARE IN SOME

VERY VERY TIGHT PLACES.

Author-unknown

[homemom]

THANKS!

Hope you'll post some "nice" ones after so I don't have nightmares!

[prairiebreeze]

but have mostly been banned from FR.

Oh yeah, real deep thinkers at that place. /sarc

Lots of places on the internet can give you warts....and LP and DU are among them.

Prairie

[tinacart]

What a beautiful picture of our President and First Lady. I read the book by Gary Aldridge, and I bet none of the "art" that made it onto the White House Christmas trees when the buffoons from AR where in office are present today (well actually, most of it would be considered filth by anyone other than a liberal or member of the Nat'l. Endowment for the "Arts"). That makes me very happy!

[homemom]

What a beautiful poem! It brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing with us.

[prairiebreeze]

Criminey I need to preview better, sorry for the typos.

I had some acrylic nails put on (first time) and typing is a little more challenging, LOL!

Prairie

[ohioWfan]

Well, well, well......look what I found! The President speaking sternly to the wayward Barney who had just scared the kiddies..........

(Am I good, or what?? :o)

[Bama Tom]

You are very welcome. After reading the poem, this is the first and best place to share it.

[homemom]

***It's called Liberty Post, and it's a gathering place for Bush haters who CALL themselves conservative, but have mostly been banned from FR.
I call it the dark side......***

Is it scary, or does it mostly piss you off?

Perhaps I should stay away tonight as I have a massive case of PMS and I can't afford a new computer right now--sounds like I'd be tempted to throw things at it . . .

(I have a friend who saves all her messed up phone bills, appliance malfunction complaints, etc. till she is either mad at her husb or has PMS. Then she calls, and gets big refunds, a new stove . . . )

[homemom]

***If I had a functioning scanner, I'd do it, but alas.......I haven't gotten it hooked up yet.***

My scanner kept causing my computer to crash so it's back in its box waiting to go back to WalMart.

***It's a beaut, and I'm sure someone else who has a scanner could post it.................someone?? (The ranch picture in the RNC Calendar where Laura is giving her husband an extra friendly pat......)***

Oh please, oh please??? wouldja? Wouldja? (panting like a puppy) Please? I'm baking biscotti and making truffles this weekend and will trade you some for that picture!

[ohioWfan]

OH, Bama.......that's absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

Thanks for posting it!

[MJY1288]

Howard Dean and the winner of a date with Dennis Kucinich, The Runner-up got two dates with Kucinich :-)

[Mo1]

Yes.....this is an amazing expression, and I've been trying to come up with a word for it.

That expression was when some reporter asked .. yes ... another stupid question

The reporter asked something to the effect about Powell and the Middle East talks and how he and his Administration have changed their stance on the process for peace

As soon as the reporter said that .. President Bush gave a look like .. Where the hell do you get your information

But instead, the President reminded this reporter of a speech he gave back in June of 2002 and he hasn't changed his view on obtaining peace in the middle east

[prairiebreeze]

That's beautiful. I'm so grateful they are keeping watch over our country.

It never occurred to me until I read this poem, how difficult a Christmas it was after Pearl. I never really connected the date with what must have been a very hard Christmas for those families and the country.

Thanks for posting this.

Prairie

[ohioWfan]

As far as I'm concerned there was NO one in the White House between George W. Bush and his father.

My mind has erased the memory for its own protection........

[prairiebreeze]

It absolutely sickened me to read about what the Clintoons decorated Christmas trees with. Disgusting, trashy. Fits them.

Prairie

[prairiebreeze]

You're great Ohio!

Prairie

[ohioWfan]

Lots of people think they're just harmless flakes, but I think they're dangerous.

They have no values, IMO.....just hate. Hate for the President, and for all of us who admire him.

They lurk here on FR, cut and paste what we say, and mock us there.

Total losers. No life. No principles. No courage.

[MJY1288]

That's a beautiful poem Bama Tom, Thanks for posting it

God Bless and Protect our Troops

Mike

[Mo1]

OH WOW ... The was Beautiful

Thank you Bama Tom