President Bush Gives Furman Commencement Address!!!

Considering Furman is both Mamma's AND Daddy's alma mater, I just HAD to post about this!!! We graduated just a few years too late, it seems!!! (I can only guess that Furman is benefiting from Bush's unfortunate unpopularity. ; ) They probably write a letter every year and FINALLY got him to come!!! Ha!) Here's what President Bush had to say:

Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. President. President Shi, thank you for that kind introduction. Governor Sanford, Senator Graham, Congressman Inglis, members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, members of the Furman community, parents -- and most important -- the Class of 2008 -- thank you for this kind invitation to be with you. (Applause.)
I congratulate the parents here who have sacrificed to make this day possible. When your child graduates from college, it is a glorious day for your family, and a pretty good day for your bank account. (Laughter.) I know the graduates will join me in thanking you for your love and support. (Applause.)
And I thank the members of the Furman faculty. I appreciate your devoting your career to improving the lives of young people. I know this is an institution where folks are encouraged to make their voices heard. I, too, am a strong believer in free speech. And to prove it, I'm about to give you one. (Laughter and applause.)
For four years, this campus has been your life. You've studied hard, and I suspect some of you may have played hard. Along the way, some of you may have wondered whether this day would ever come. Well, it's finally here, and Laura and I send our heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2008.
I'm glad to be joined with my friend and outstanding leader of South Carolina: Governor Mark Sanford, Class of 1983. (Applause.) Governor, I'm not going to ask if you ever got caught "swimming in the fountains." (Laughter.) As the President said, 25 years ago, the Governor sat where you now sit -- as a member of the graduating class. As it happens, as he mentioned, the commencement speaker that day was my dad. Now, that means some at Furman will have heard graduation speeches from two generations of Bushes. It's a great step forward for the Bush family -- and a great step backward for your English Department. (Laughter and applause.)
And as the President mentioned, I have other family ties with Furman. In the early 1930s, a student named Willa Martin graduated from the women's college that was soon to become part of Furman. She went on to marry my mother's father. She also spent time as a columnist for the Associated Press -- thus beginning the long history of warm relations between the Bush family and the media. (Laughter.)
My administration also has another Furman connection. One of the first people I see almost every morning is a Furman grad and my Director of National Intelligence: Admiral Mike McConnell, Class of 1966. (Applause.) I asked Mike if he ever took part in the "Midnight Serenade." He said, I'd like to tell you, but that information is classified. (Laughter.)
It's a special time in your life. And you're going to find it's a time when you get a lot of free advice, some of it helpful, some of it not -- like that one graduation speaker who urged the students to keep their ears to the ground, their shoulders to the wheel, and their noses to the grindstone. All I could think was that's a hell of a position to be in. (Laughter.)
I also remember what it was like to graduate from college and look out at the world before me. At the time, I must confess the last thing on my mind was how to be a model citizen. Just ask my mother. (Laughter.) Yet I found, as you will, the world has a way of helping you to grow. Soon many of you will be earning a living and getting married and raising families. As you move ahead in life, you will find temptations and distractions that can take you off course. You might also find that years may pass before you learn some important truths, that who you are is more important than what you have; and that you have responsibilities to your fellow citizens, your country, your family, and yourself.
In my first speech as the governor of Texas, I talked about the importance of a responsibility society. In my last commencement address as President, it seems a fitting subject to return to.
I'm heartened today to see that our country is seeing a resurgence of personal responsibility. I'm pleased that this resurgence is being led by many young people who are embracing bedrock values of faith and family. These are values on which Furman and many other great universities were founded. And as you leave this campus today, my call to you is this: Strengthen this rising culture of responsibility in America by serving others, contributing to our civic life, and being accountable to your yourself and your families.
A culture of responsibility does mean serving others. Through the toil of generations and the grace of an Almighty, our nation has been given a lot, and more and more Americans are recognizing our obligations to help those who have little.
One of the most uplifting trends in our country is that volunteerism is at near all-time highs. And we see this spirit here at Furman. I was impressed when I heard that nearly two-thirds of you balanced your studies this year with outreach to your community. You helped children with disabilities realize they have a place in our communities and in our hearts. You helped Habitat for Humanity give people a home of their own. Through such works of compassion, you've learned early in life that nothing is more fulfilling than putting the needs of others ahead of your own. And I thank you for what you've done for this community and for our country. (Applause.)
I saw the spirit of service in Greensburg, Kansas, which was destroyed by a tornado last year. In the aftermath, a Greensburg resident simply said: "My town is gone." And it was. But after the storm receded, a wave of compassion arrived. First, family members rushed in with aid. Then folks came from nearby towns doing their duties to help their neighbors in need. And soon citizens across our country rallied to help the people of Greensburg. I recently went to Greensburg High School to deliver their commencement address, and I'm pleased to report to you the town of Greensburg is recovering, and the spirit of determination and compassion is alive and well in America's heartland. (Applause.)
I've seen the spirit of service in good Americans who work to heal troubled communities across our country. Much of this good work is carried out by community and faith-based groups who lift up struggling souls one at a time. They serve in soup kitchens, and help former prisoners rejoin society, inspire young people in inner-city classrooms, ensuring they have the skills they need to live lives of hope and opportunity.
I've seen the spirit of service in Americans who are changing lives on the continent of Africa. Our citizens are teaching children in Ghana, helping villagers fight malaria and HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, and helping war-ravaged people recover and rebuild in Liberia. These citizens are showing the world the true face of our country -- a kind and generous nation that is meeting its responsibility to help the poor and the sick and the hungry.
I've seen the spirit of service in those who proudly wear the uniform. America is blessed to have citizens who volunteer in times of danger, and that includes some of you here today. (Applause.) You'll leave this fine university with more than a degree -- you will also receive your commission as an officer in the United States military. I thank you for making the noble decision to serve. Your country is proud of you. And so is your Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.)
To all of you, my call is to make service to others a way of life. Wherever you live, whatever you do, find a way to give back to your communities. And however you choose to serve, you're going to learn a great lesson, that the more you give, the more you'll benefit.
A culture of responsibility means contributing to our civic life. I ask you to be citizens, not spectators, and help to build a nation of virtue and character. You could strengthen our country by participating in the democratic process. In recent years, we've seen millions of people in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Georgia and Ukraine risk their lives for the right to cast a ballot. These courageous people should inspire us to take our votes just as seriously. I know the democratic spirit is alive in our country because there was a big vote recently -- the new American Idol got about 55 million votes. (Laughter.) I hope we see even a bigger turnout this November. For some of you, this will be your first presidential election. I ask you to get involved in the process, and do your duty and vote. By the way, if you're wondering who to vote for, the Governor and I would be happy to offer a few suggestions. (Laughter.)
You can strengthen our country by showing fiscal discipline in your lives. It may sound funny coming from a visitor from Washington, D.C., but it's important to your futures and the future of our country. Many of you have debts from student loans -- it's an investment that I expect you will find worthwhile. In the next few years, you may find it tempting to amass more debt, particularly from credit cards, on expenses that bring little long-term benefit. My advice to you is not to dig a financial hole that you can't get out of. Live within your means. And bear in mind that there are no shortcuts to the American Dream.
Your Furman degree will open the door to a wide variety of career options. One of the most noble paths you can take is a career in public service. I know you probably look the debates in Washington and in the political campaigns and conclude that public service isn't worth it. That's a mistake. I've had my fair share of critics, but no criticism can overcome the satisfaction of serving your fellow citizens and pursuing great goals for our nation. If you choose a career in public service, maintain the highest ethical standards, bring honor to whatever position you hold, and always put the people you serve ahead of yourself.
But public service is not just politics. It can include social work and teaching and careers in the non-profit sector. There are countless organizations across our country that devote themselves to improving the lives of others -- such as the American Red Cross, or Teach for America, or the Boys and Girls Clubs. These groups fulfill a noble mission and they're a vital part of the responsibility society.
Others of you will make your careers in the private sector. If you choose this path, take pride in what you do and work hard and bring value to the enterprise you work for. And remember this: Our country needs corporate responsibility, as well as personal responsibility. So if you enter the business world, be honest with your shareholders, be truthful to your customers, and give back to the communities in which you live. And all of us have a responsibility to be good stewards of the environment. (Applause.)
Finally, a culture of responsibility means being accountable to your families and to yourself. I found family to be a source of great comfort and strength. When people talk about my family, they often say I inherited my dad's eyes and my mother's mouth. (Laughter.) But I got far more from them than that. From my dad, I learned that a gentle soul can also be strong. From my mother, I saw the blessings of humor and honesty and unqualified love. And from the two of them, I got an inspiring example of how a strong marriage can carry you through any challenge. And what has carried me through the challenges in my life has been the love and support of a wonderful woman named Laura Bush. (Applause.)
My wish is that you find a partner in life who loves you, and challenges you and comforts you and gives your life meaning. And if you have the blessings of becoming a parent, I would like for you to remember that the most important job you will ever have is to love your child with all your heart. (Applause.)
In life there's going to be many temptations to distract you from your responsibilities. Popular culture can give you the impression that alcohol, drugs, or promiscuity can lead to fulfillment in life. It's an illusion, and I urge you to reject it.
If you do fall short, know that it's never too late to recover and get back on the right track. There was a time in my life when alcohol competed for my affections, but I found salvation in my family and my faith. There's no shame in recognizing your failings or getting help if you need it. The tragedy comes when we fail to take responsibility for our weaknesses and surrender to them.
And finally, you probably don't realize it, but you're role models for others in your life, whether it's a little brother or sister who looks up to you, or someone else who admires you. Positive role models are greatly needed in this society. And I urge you to set a hopeful example by leading lives of character and integrity. And if you do, you'll be proud of who you are; you'll teach others around you that a life of responsibility leads to a life of fulfillment.
In all these ways, your generation has an opportunity to show how timeless values can be applied in a modern world. And as you do so, history offers noble examples to follow, including many from right here in South Carolina. From this state came a signer of the Declaration of Independence who lost his fortune fighting for our freedom, but never regretted the fight. From this state came the brave colonel who drew a line in the sand against oppressive rule at the old Spanish mission called the Alamo. And from this state came the child of slaves who was among the first black women to be an advisor to presidents.
And from this state came a young man who went off to serve his country in World War II. His last name was Smith, and it happens his first name was Furman. Private Furman Smith -- he never attended this school, but he grew up right down the road. While on duty in Italy, Private Smith's unit came under heavy fire. He fended off 80 enemy soldiers to defend his wounded buddies. He died at the age of 19, with his rifle still clutched in his hand. For the acts of courage and character that cost him his life, Furman Smith was awarded the Medal of Honor. Sixty-four years ago this very day, that young man carried the Furman name into history. And now, in a very different way, so will each of you. (Applause.)
May the values you learned here always guide your course. May you always make the right choices. And may you always look in the mirror, and be proud of what you see.
Congratulations. God bless you. (Applause.)

Recital Residuals

The second we got home from the recital, Leia Rose wanted to put on her favorite new Ariel nightgown, but most importantly, "I want to hold my roses." I told Leia that, of course she could hold her roses, and handed her the three bouquets again. Leia then exclaimed, "No! I mean I want to take them out so that I can hold them next to my face!" So we opened them all, made sure there weren't any thorns, and Leia Rose held single flowers next to her face and hugged the whole bouquet close to her body and sniffed them ("and loved them and called them 'George.'") Ha! (Leia thought that was so funny to say, so I explained about the bugs bunny episode featuring that line. Now I've got to show it to her.) : )


Then I asked Leia Rose if she'd like to do the "Flower Arranging Work" like she did at Artgarden Montessori. She said no. (Ha!) So I arranged all of her pretty flowers in a vase and we placed them on her desk in her room. Leia was VERY excited about this! And as I mentioned in a previous post, our plan is to dry all of these flowers, return them to the vase, and then add one dried flower each year from her bouquets she receives from future recitals! It'll be such a special memory for her! (I know that my dried flower bouquets (one from our wedding, one from Leia's birth, and one from my adoring former students) are a few of my prized possessions.
Then there was something that Leia Rose just HAD to do! She called her Oma and Papa to tell them about the recital! Hopefully they'll be living up here full time next year, so that they can attend every single subsequent one! : )
In all the recital hubbub, Annie kind of got shuffled along of course. : ) But here is a very special moment with Grandpa reading Ladybug Birthday together. Annie had a blast naming all of the creatures in the book. It was extra cool because it was the same artist that designed all of her first birthday paraphernalia (plates, cups, invites, etc).
And, of course, playing dress-up as Princess Butterfly!!!
And finally, after all day of adoring her Ariel nightgown, Leia Rose insisted that, because it was the day of her recital, she wanted to wear her "Ballerina Girl" nightgown to sleep tonight. Okay, little ballerina, your wish is my command! ; )

Leia's First Ballet Recital

Today the Ballet School of Chapel Hill presented "In Kensington Gardens" as the small-children edition to their "Mary Poppins" ballet recital. Leia Rose was a "Merry-Go-Round Pony" in the program. (Even though we were told it was called "In Kensington Park" and she was going to be a "Carousel Pony." ; ) Our lives have been all about ballet recital practice the last few days, . . . and nothing else. All for this one shining, special moment! Here is Leia Rose posed by the "Rose Cabinet" at her request.
She was feeling so special and proud in her costume and makeup! This is the first time Leia Rose has ever really worn any makeup, actually (although she adores all of her flavored lip gloss that Santa brought). Today she wore lip stain, lip gloss, gel blush, body glitter (above her eyes), and mascara. And here is our special little Carousel Pony up on stage for the very first time! Leia was SO in her element, remembering to smile for the ENTIRE time and doing all the moves ever so nicely! (It really helped to practice at home!) And Mamma was especially proud because it was the very first time Leia Rose remembered to get into a proper place in her "line" (like in the picture above) AND she remembered to curtsy properly at the end. She had never done that before. Not even in dress rehearsal. She even noted when a child left too large of a space between them and filled the gap, . . . while she was going pony moves! I was just so proud of her! And she told me today that, "Mamma I am going to do ballet for my whole LIFE! That's it. I'm not going to be a paleontologist. I'm going to be a ballet teacher!" I told her she could still do both. ; )

I know she doesn't quite look it in this picture, but Annie was ENTHRALLED by the whole performance. I kept billing it as "the dancing show." And she just LOVED seeing all of the different costumes and being told what the little "creatures" were. Annie spent her time alternating between cuddling with me and sucking her thumb and shouting the names of the "creatures" be it a bluebird or cardinal or duckling or ladybug or butterfly or bee, . . . or pony. And of course, once Annie figured out that Leia Rose was up there she yelled out Leia's name two times! : ) She sat there happily for the whole hour, . . . and I only had to bring out the cereal bar right at the very end. What a good girl!
We were also so blessed to have such special guests at the recital! Here is Grandma with Leia Rose at the end of the recital when the children were allowed to come and sit with parents. And, of course, Grandpa was there, too! Everyone cares about Leia Rose so very much! It makes a Mamma feel so special and loved! Look at the friends who came too: Kevin Faulkner came (along with his Mom and Dad)!!! This is even while they were in the midst of intense preparation for their journey to Vietnam next week to adopt Aria & Kein! (And Kevin brought Leia Rose such beautiful roses, and even plucked a few outside for little Annie!!!) Here he is waiting for Leia's recital to start, and excited to give her these special flowers that he picked out himself. Wow!!!
Leia with the Faulkner family of 3, . . . soon to be 5!!! The McNeils Came!!! (Minus 1, of course. Eric is in Scotland on IBM business.) But it is always hard for Laurie to travel out with all three boys, . . . and she came just for us! Wow!

I would like to say here that yesterday, after the dress rehersal, Leia Rose was grumpy and sad all the way home. And when I asked her why she said, ". . . I just wish Oma and Papa could sell their house." : ( No doubt about who ELSE she wished could have been here today. : ( But luckily, they had a wonderful phone conversation about the performance AND they'll be the first to see the full recital video in a week or two!!! : ) Poor Oma and Papa, we all love you!!!

And I am told that when Kevin first saw Leia Rose in the performance, he said, "I hope the other children are nice to Leia! I don't want her to get hurt!" What a sweet boy! Speaking of which, don't they look like a couple in this picture? Ha!

Here is Leia Rose's ballet teacher, Miss Megan. Megan has really taken to Leia Rose, . . . especially seeing her dedication of practicing at home! Megan always says that "Leia helps me keep the class in line!" which always makes Leia Rose laugh and laugh.
Here is Leia Rose with her best "school friend," Jessica Oberlies. Jessica was an "Ice Lolly" in the performance. An Ice Lolly, I am told, is the English term for popsicle. : )
And here is Leia Rose holding all of her flower bouquets! : ) Mamma and Daddy gave Leia exactly five roses: one for each year of her life. Grandma and Grandpa did the same. And, of course, there is the beautiful large bouquet that Kevin gave her. : ) We have arranged the flowers in a beautiful vase (pic in the next post) that Leia will keep up in her room until they are ready to be dried. Then we are going to dry them and make a dried arrangement for her, . . . and add one flower for every year holding a dance recital. What a great memory!

And as a special present from Mamma, I gave Leia Rose three special nightgowns (which are VERY hard to find, I might add). This one says "ballerina girl." Very appropriate! Her favorite, though, had Ariel on it under some blue netting that made Ariel look like she was underwater!

Ah, and here after eating her celebratory lunch at Panera Bread, is another silly gift from Mamma: a bag full of green skittles, . . . given for SMILING THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE. Ha! (You didn't think she'd do that of her own volition, did you?) ; ) Can you believe, though, that GREEN is her favorite!?! Like father like daughter. ; )

And we finally traveled back to the ballet school one more time this year for a few sentimental shots. Here are the resulting pictures:

I let her take a "silly" shot, too. : )

Congratulations my Leia Rose Carousel Pony! You are a TRUE ballerina now!!! How does it feel?!!!?

Here are a couple bits of (bad quality) video: Leia is always in the center of the screen.

Teacher Brunch & Bump

Today we had invited both Mrs. Schnell and Mrs. McDowell over for a special Teacher Appreciation Brunch. (Did I forget to blog about our special fancy/personalized invites made by Leia? I think so.) And can you believe that it was in the FIFTIES when they arrived! I waited as long as I could, until it was 65, and then we ate on the porch. It was just so beautiful out, even though a bit chilly. And something tells me it's going to be the LAST chilly day. ; ) I made two breakfast casseroles, one with Italian sausage and one with Oma's mushroom recipe. They were delicious! And, of course, a blueberry cobbler (yep, strawberries are finally done) as well as fresh blueberries/bananas and yogurt. I even squeezed some fresh orange juice last night! Yum! Leia, Annie, and I have decided to make this a yearly thing after school ends. As long as Leia feels a need to say thank you and great excitement about showing that particular teacher our home. (Do you know how long it took to formulate that reason for Leia? Imagine the alternatives: As long as you like that teacher. Hmmm, that doesn't sound good. As long as that teacher did a good job teaching you. Hmmm, not good either.) Why do this? Well, for the same reason we give our Christmas gifts a few days before school lets out, . . . children seem to get lost in the shuffle if everyone gives on the same day. This way, we'll always be sure to allow Leia Rose her special moment with Teacher. ; )
And here was Leia's gift this year: Garden Stones that she made herself, each set saying "my montessori teacher's garden." A BIG project, but a really fun and personalized gift! : )
And, guess what, Leia Rose then snagged Mrs. Schnell and they disappeared into her room for HOURS playing with what we affectionately call "calico crit" which is her "Calico Critter House" and accouterments.
Here is the result: a house sit for a king critter, . . . including the microscopic soap & toilet paper roll holder! I can't tell you how important this time was for Leia Rose, . . . yes, Sarah comes over all the time, . . . but Mrs. Schnell! Oh, Leia Rose felt so important and special!!! ; )
And guess what Annie wanted to share with Mrs. McDowell while they were up there: "shakey egg" and, what else, "OUTSIDE"!

Okay, note to self: don't ever let Annie swing (or climb ladders) when she's really tired. Um, DUH, she's clumsy when walking when she's tired, why wouldn't she be clumsy swinging and ladder climbing? So, . . . Now for my unfortunate parenting failure of the day: Annie fell off the swing. At least it was going very low, and it really wasn't a big deal, it just scared her a minute . . . but still. Poor little Annie! She had NEVER done that before. Never even let go with one hand! And I had just gotten done talking about how adept she was at that! Hmmmm, not adept when she's tired. ; ) Wonder how long it'll take me to stop being worried now because, no, I'm not going to stop. The kid just got excited about "twisteroonies," for goodness sake. That's her favorite thing! Anyway, we were swinging for a long while, and then I swung the girls and twisted the swing like they love. La, la, la, we kept going. Then I just started swinging Annie regular again, really low, because I was talking and not concentrating. (Case in point: concentrate while swinging my child. When in a baby swing, I could get knocked. When on a big swing, she could fall off.) Well, Annie obviously wanted to turn around to see us, and she probably let go with one hand, and swish, she fell a couple of feet. She was fine, but I felt like (and was) a horrible parent at that point. Right in front of the teachers. *sigh* A perfect example of consequences of actions in regards to "mental safety vs. physical safety." Serves me right, but . . . poor Annie!!! : ( Okay, so no more tired swinging and talking at the same time! Bad Mamma!