MyMontana Blog

The Power of the Vote

Montana — Sun, 11 May 2008 23:59:33 EDT

My Blog Post from May 11, 2008:

Today,filling out my ballot..I am not making this up...my hand shook! I was so afraid of making an error, I was so intent on how significant and historic and meaningful this vote is for me. So many of us have never donated or worked on a campaign before and now we are. I am humbled by this experience; I am in awe of US and of the power Barack has awakened in us. We are the very definition of HOPE-this immeasurable, intangible quality that has us working so diligently for this campaign. Thanks, Barack, for your inspiration and your belief in the power of millions of voices calling for change.

Here are some responses to that original posting (it was on Mother's Day, hence the references):

Exactly how I felt when I voted for Barack on Super Tuesday! I had never shook before.
Me too! It was a very emotional day for me...the drive to my polling place, my vote, the realization of what I had just done... vote for the next President of the United States. It was the only vote in my 48 years that mattered.
Yup! My 57 years. And, I took my 20-year-old daughter with me who also blacked her circle for Obama!
Sweet... I was so happy on Feb 12th when I touched the screen for Obama - I know how you feel!
I sure can relate, I did an absentee ballot here in Ohio, and asked them if i fold does that discount it, if i lick the envelop does that discount it, I just kept asking them, every question that i could think of, I could tell they were all hillary people working, so i was sure they were looking for any reason. Obama'08
:)) I am hand-delivering this ballot--I don't even trust the US mail with it (no offense to the US mail!) It just is too precious a commodity and I cannot take the chance of it getting lost!
Wow, I'll never know if my hand will shake until November, because I went to my first caucus and was able to walk into a corner of a room without visibly shaking...lol But, I was very giddy!
Thank you for sharing your story. Every blogger and supporter knows exactly the sentiment that you're expressing. His actions, his words, his beliefs, his values, together all not only inspiring for us but will be inspiring to future supporters. I am very proud of my candidate and I am very proud of being an American! Happy Mother's Day to those ObamaMama, even the Hillary ones :)
Good story. I can't wait to vote for him in the general election.
Another thought I can just imagine how Obama's Mom would be feeling today. Wow, the emotion and thought is overwhelming. She would be so so proud. A special Happy Mother's Day to her. Thank you for instilling in your son the values and beliefs that has made him the man he is today who inpsires so many of us. Re: Filled out my absentee/vote early ballot
I KNOW!!! I did mine today too! there are many around the world who are hoping we get this right...we are truly blessed, living here in the US.
It took me more than 5 minutes to fill out mine. We had a sudden "ballot change" in our County of Los Angeles that required us to "double bubble." I could NOT find that second bubble -- and I was so concerned that if I couldn't find out, so many others wouldn't be able to find it. AND then all of a sudden, I saw that second bubble hiding at the top of the ballot (in plain sight). I filled my bubbles in carefully and completely, checked it twice, thrice and then again and finally let it go into the box. And then a few weeks later I heard that 58,000 independent ballots were THROWN away in my County UNREAD because people did not double bubble. 58,000 would not have given Senator Obama a win in California -- but that still makes me angry. They changed that ballot right before our election and they did NOT change the ballot anywhere else in the state (and nobody else had any trouble counting independent ballots).
Montana, I understand that feeling! On January 3rd when the delegate number was announced at our precinct, I cried--tears of joy, relief, exhilaration knowing that our team of co-precinct captains made a difference and helped change the course of history in our little corner of Des Moines. That my husband and I were co-captains for the campaign leaves me with such joyful memories for as long as I live. Thank you for filling out your ballot for Barack Obama and being a part of history too!
wonderful! wonderful!

The Obama Campaign Family Cookbook

Montana — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:26:56 EDT

YOUR COOKBOOK is available! Just click on the url for each chapter: you can print each chapter directly from the screen or perform a "Save as" option and save them to your computer or a disk. See the links below---NEW FEATURE: CAMPAIGN COOKBOOK PHOTO ALBUM!!

Please donate here: https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/pf?outreach_page_id=23217

Thanks to Susie, Jeff, Cheryl, SaSa, JLE, Sara and Nonny for their assistance.

This cookbook is dedicated to the memory of my daughter, Carrie. This cookbook is for WE, THE PEOPLE!

Appetizers http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_11cq9vdhdp&hl=en

Breads http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_21fw6s6mj8&hl=en

Breakfast/Brunch http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_12dhwzkqqn&hl=en

Cookies http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_23hrkktdgg&hl=en

Desserts http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_27fh2zbgdj&hl=en

Entrees http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_30g2cjzxdx&hl=en

Soups http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_9gqp7bfc6&hl=en

Salads http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_24cm7c95cm&hl=en

Various and Sundry http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_25fkvgfbd5&hl=en

Vegetables/Sides http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_15g6mwj3db&hl=en

RECIPE UPDATES http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dj8zrg4_28drjwmstb&hl=en

NEW FEATURE-Campaign Cookbook Photo Album! http://picasaweb.google.com/my.montana1/Picasa

PLEASE MAKE A DONATION! THIS IS A FREE DOWNLOAD-BUT IS INTENDED AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE CAMPAIGN! I suggest a donation, it is NOT mandatory, as this cookbook is in the public domain. I collected all recipes and stories by requesting them on the Obamablog and also some of IAforObama's collection of caucus recipes (with her kind permission). All these recipes are from us, your BLOGGING OBAMA FAMILY!

To organize your cookbook, I suggest using a 2-3 inch three-ring binder. However, you could also use a local copy shop to bind the recipes for you-it is fairly inexpensive, but then you won't be able to easily add the new recipes. I have intentionally left out page numbers so new recipes can be added easily to the book. I have deliberately kept the format very simple (no photos, etc) so that it is an easy and fast download. I also have the chapters stored in separate files, so it is easier to edit and add new recipes as we go along. Then all you have to do is print off the newly added recipe, and not the whole book! You can also burn the recipes to a CD/DVD if you prefer.

Some people have used a favorite logo, picture or photo for a cover page. I like the idea of everybody making this a very personal cookbook. After all, this campaign is something we will tell our children and grandchildren: How we came together for the common good to make history for our beloved country. This cookbook is a little reminder and keepsake of our time together.

tattoo me

Montana — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 15:13:59 EDT

Dear World:

Barack was in town today. We found out he was coming for a rally on Saturday morning right here in ‘the Zoo,’ river city, Missoula, Montana. A pretty little university town nestled in a green valley, bisected by the Clark Fork River, and surrounded by snowy mountains-so you can see the ‘edges,’ gain perspective, find your way. We found out for sure on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, on my lunch hour, I went and got a tattoo of the Obama campaign logo. I had been thinking about it for awhile. There is something cathartic about receiving a tattoo. I am no spring chicken, and I am not trying to relive or reinvent my youth. I was a good Catholic girl and getting a tattoo never was an option. Besides, I loathe pain. But then my daughter died.

I am still grieving, of course, after two years without Carrie's good heart and kind spirit. There are many hours and minutes spent admonishing myself for not being “good enough” as a parent to her. She was an accomplished angel on this old earth, and she taught every one of us who ever had the privilege of knowing her, how to be a good person. So, I wanted to hurt, to suffer physically, for having been a less than perfect mother. After pondering this for several months, a few weeks ago I received my first tattoo. It is very pretty: her name, Carrie, and her birthdate , 02-16-73, on my inner right wrist, with a small three-leaved shamrock underneath. The shamrock represents the half of me that is Irish, the three leaves represent my three daughters.

Hurt like the devil, too, right there where the skin is like gossamer. And it was wonderful. But it really, really hurt and I vowed, “Never again.”

But Barack was coming to town.

I wanted something to represent my appreciation for all this campaign has been to me since February of 2007. It has buoyed me; kept me afloat during days when I was certain I would sink with the pain of losing a well-loved child. Barack's words, on the day he announced his candidacy, on that cold day in Illinois, drew me in and comforted me, when I was sure I could never feel comfort from any source.

Carrie’s death gave me resolve: to try to be more “Carrie-like” and less cynical.

This campaign has given me purpose and focus.

So, I got another tattoo. This time, the campaign logo-it's about the size of a penny (Lincoln is on pennies and I think that is very appropriate!); it is on my outer right wrist and the procedure hardly hurt at all! I feel they are two sides of the same coin-of-the-realm. Carrie on my pulse-point, my heart, my soul; the campaign logo in an easy-to-see place, to represent my purpose, and both placed there to remind me to be as good a person as I am capable of being.

It is comforting to know I will have them both with me always.

How I "met" Barack Obama

Montana — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:19:20 EST

My lovely, wonderful, 33-year-old daughter, Carrie, passed away suddenly on May 6, 2006. She was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of five and died as a result of a not-very-well-known syndrome called Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). She suffered from the side effects of the anti-seizure medication she was taking, but was a dearly loved and appreciated employee of her local Safeway store.

In my grief, I turned to the internet to try to find out why Carrie died. I hadn't heard of SUDEP before, In my search for answers, I came across a wonderful speech Mr. Obama gave to CURE -Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy-on March 11, 2005.

Link is a very moving speech. It gave me some hope in finding a cure for the terrible disease which robbed me of my child. What I am trying to say is, Mr. Obama's eloquent speech drew me in and comforted me during a most painful time in my life. Even his written words "speak" I have noticed.

Carrie would have joined me in supporting Mr. Obama.

Carrie's birthday is tomorrow, February 16.