A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos) - 12.13.05

Whitehouse.gov, Yahoo.com | 12.13.05 | ohioWfan

[mystery-ak]

Re-post it here Mike so others can see it....it was beautiful...

[ohioWfan]

That's why I included it Right. It's SO touching!

What those people have been through...........I am amazed by their strength!

[MJY1288]

OK, be right back

[MJY1288]

A DIFFERENT CHRISTMAS POEM

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.
<BRThe 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 eyes 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."

"It's 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
sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure
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!

[ohioWfan]

Oh.........that is SO COOL, SubMareener!

It looks like it was a very personal and intimate situation, so that she probably got to see him for longer than most of his personal encounters.

Congratulate your M-i-L for us!

[ohioWfan]

Thanks for reposting it, Mike.

I've got to leave for a bit, but I'm going to come back and really try to absorb it when I do....

[Just A Nobody]

Thank you for the Dose tonight, oWf! I have an entire photo file of the Iraqis voting. The one of the soldiers has been added.

Sounds like you will have a housefull for Christmas - how wonderful!

[ohioWfan]

I practically fell on the floor laughing with that 'IN A BUBBLE' swill....

What in heaven's name will they try next? These people are just pathetic!

[STARWISE]

Saw your post before, Mike. It sure needs a tissue. Yes .. please .. let us all pray for our incredibly brave and compassionate troops .... every day.

Coalition forces helping Muslims complete hajj (our incredibly decent military)

[Theresawithanh]

Hi, Ohio! Wonderful pictures today! I love the pictures of President Bush with the seniors, definitely some "mature" Bush Babes there!

I also love the pictures of Laura, she is beautiful.

The pictures of Iraquis voting are fabulous, too! I plan on hitting all the Iraq election threads I can find, definitely won't see too much on the news.

[DrDeb]

HEADS UP:

As I mentioned last evening, MSNBC will broadcast the Brian Williams produced "A Day with the President" at 10 PM ET!!!

Get those VCRs/DVD recorders ready!

[mystery-ak]

Thanks Mike...I love it...

[DrDeb]

WOW . . . What an incredible "Different Christmas Poem"!!!

We really must keep praying for our HEROES!!

[STARWISE]

Here's some very encouraging thoughts from the top Iraqi general and a partial list of the progress and the huge improvements we've made in Iraq, so you can tell people the truth ........ a big list about 1/4th way down this post .. well worth seeing and appreciating what Americans are made of and do. God Bless and Protect Our Wonderful Military.

[snugs]

When I was in my teens we started opening presents at midnight because the job dad had meant he was working on Christmas Day. That continued for a few years even after dad stopped working so that dad and I could go visiting on Christmas morning - English tradition pubs open Christmas morning and people - mainly men met up for a drink before going home to Christmas dinner prepared by wives/daughters etc. I think in some ways the women like it so they can gossip and have free range of kitchen. Dad and I used to go and see an old family friend that occasionally over the years would spend Christmas or Boxing day with us or the Sunday either side. Unfortunately both of dad's friends that we spent time with at Christmas are no longer with us.

Latter years we have gone back to opening presents on Christmas Day because we no longer go out in the morning. On Christmas Eve we always watch the Christmas midnight service that is broadcast on TV both BBC and ITV broadcast one. When we used to open the presents at midnight we used to do this after the service had finished.

[snugs]

I saw that Mike it was a lovely poem.

[STARWISE]

I think they stay up nights, pondering new descriptions and adjectives .... he just kills 'em and perpetually destroys every myth and rumor.

[DrDeb]

I so enjoy viewing photos of the President interacting with senior citizens . . . He treats them with such genuine warmth and affection, and they respond in kind!

[Our president has such a caring, compassionate heart . . . It's one of the MANY things I love about him!!]

[LuvyaDubya]

Thanks for tonight's Dose, ohio. What a fabulous first photo!

[snugs]

Cookies certainly seem to be an American Christmas tradition it is sad but in Britain very few people bake biscuits or as you call them cookies regardless of the time of year. In fact I do not know anyone who does, I have in the past my favourite is cinnamon biscuits.

In Britain Scottish Shortbread is traditional for new year (though available all year round) my mum used to make wonderful shortbread and I have made it as well. It is easy to make so I ought to do some over the Christmas period. I suppose with doing all the cooking now I cannot get the enthusiasm up to do fun baking especially with working full time.