MCCAIN/PALIN WINS BY A LANDSLIDE

That was the headline yesterday at Liam's school. The children voted, and it was 78 for McCain and 10 for Obama.

Liam was among the ten children who voted for Obama. He has consistently said he would vote for Obama, and his reasons given have included "because he is the tallest one" and "because his name sounds cool".

Keep in mind that this is the same child who told me the other day that Barack Obama was at the door. "And he has a lawn mower with him," he reported from the front window. I assured him that Obama was busy campaigning for President of the United States of America and therefore was not going door-to-door to mow lawns. It of course happened to be the kind older gentleman who goes around our neighborhood offering to aerate lawns. He aerated our lawn for me this Spring for only $30 (10" deep plugs!); and if he comes back again, when I am not half naked and just out of the shower with a napping baby, I will hire him again. I will also offer him a hot cocoa which he will politely decline, just as he declined my offer of lemonade last Spring. We will discuss the neighborhood, the war, and he will tell me who he voted for-- it may surprise you to know that he is a Republican. He barely makes it on his SSI so he supplements his income by doing yard work. He owns the means of production for his business, he pays taxes, and he works hard. Change we need is he and I sitting in our yard having a conversation while we watch the kids play. Change we need is also him holding Mara and telling me he will pray for her to stay with us. Change we need is me telling all my neighbors what a kind and trustworthy man he is, and to please hire him this fall if they can spare $30.

I am proud that my son has opinions that are different from mine. In my mind, it validates the hard work I do at "unschooling" him and I, by teaching him to question authority and think for himself. Obama will most likely be our President and Liam will gloat that he won. But Seamus has consistently said he will vote for McCain, because "he has a Mommy with him" and "he looks like Papa Patton". And their votes cancel each other out.