Celebrating Presidents and History

History is such a vital part of our education.  Forget about all the dates and facts that your teacher made you memorize in school and imagine with me for a moment...standing in a small dimly lit room...warm...very warm...and humid...with small windows propped opened...the air stale...men crowded around little tables...as the First Continental Congress debated over what to do with the demanding king that was taking away their freedoms.  Imagine the personalities and differing backgrounds of these men.  They were leaving their families and traveling in conditions that we would never dare...and upon signing the Declaration of Independence, they were very likely signing their own death sentence.  They were risking it all right under the noses of the British soldiers.  They were principled and were willing to risk it all to birth a new nation.  "One if by land, and two if by sea"..."The British are coming, the British are coming"  ahhhh.  This my folks is true history...imagine it, feel it, breathe it in, and let it change how you view the names that you have read in history books and biographies.

To say that I love American History would be a gross understatement.  I am a true history nerd...through and through.  The "history nerd" in me is so bad that years ago, I was switching off babysitting with a friend and was at her house late one night.  When she came home and found me watching the History Channel she looked at me puzzled and asked if I couldn't get the remote to work...Haha!

So, when I was asked to let my little Abby participate in an event at my church where she would dress as an American Girl and be introduced with women portraying many of the president's wives...how could I refuse?  I did some photography for the event as well ( I haven't shared much about my love for photography yet...but it will come.)  This was a fascinating event for this patriotic woman.  I learned tons about many of the presidents wives that I didn't know and now admire them more for the sacrifices that they have made over time.  There just aren't enough hours in the day for all of the biographies that I want to read. So, I was able to sit, listen, and learn.

Here are a few pictures.

This is a picture that I snapped during rehearsal.  Old Glory...as my children fondly refer to this symbol of American freedom.

 Here is my Abby as "Kit Kittredge" her all time favorite American Girl.

Here is Abby with the other girls who were dressed to represent different American Girls.  Aren't these girls precious?

Here are a few of the "president's wives".

Abigail Adams is my all time favorite! 

She was an amazing woman.  We named our Abby after her.  I have lost myself more than once in the pages of the letters that she wrote to her husband, John Adams.  What an amazing patriot, wise counselor, and strong woman she was.  There were many times that John was away from home and Abigail was alone.  For months or years at a time, he would be meeting with the Continental Congress, seeking financial or military support in Europe for America's independence, or building allies in Europe.  During much of these times Abigail was alone would run the farm, manage the servants and affairs, and school her young children (not all the time as she traveled to Europe to be with him when the kids were older).  She even went through a miscarriage alone at one point while John was meeting with the Continental Congress.  She had written to ask him to come home because she was in labor.  She then wrote to John telling him not to come home after all because it was over and they had lost their little girl.  Such sacrifices most of us will never know.  Strength and wisdom are the words that I would use to describe her.

As you learn through the elections this year, take time to learn about the presidents and presidential families of the past.  There are some amazing stories!