My fellow Sarah fans will enjoy this recount of the good guv’s evening in Indiana – those who do not share our fondness for Sarah will hopefully tolerate this post. 
 It’s late here and I’ve promised my husband that I wouldn’t be too long – but I’ll still try and give you a nice and full scoop.
What surprised me most about Sarah was her size.
She’s tiny.
My guess is that she is about 5′2″ or 5″3″ and weighs 120 pounds. I really didn’t expect that. I think that because we’ve all seen Sarah on television, and we’ve heard about her “presence,” I had come to expect a tall and comandeering woman.
Sarah is also quite unassuming. That surprised me as well, but I liked it. Her clothing for the banquet was understated – a dark charcoal grey skirt and jacket. Her hair was partially pulled back in a twist, with some sort of a barrette and two clips on either side. (Women like to know these things, right?) She wore her librarian glasses.  Sarah looked like a woman who was trying to blend in, not someone who was trying to be the star of a show. Forgive me for saying that her suit wasn’t even particularly flattering – but I think it needs to be said considering all of the flak she received over her clothing during the campaign. She’s obviously not a “clothes horse” nor an attention seeker. She seems to seek to serve out of a love for her country and out of a belief that she is following God’s purpose for her life.
(Here’s the back of Sarah’s head, for the ladies who are interested in hair and fashion.  That’s my friend Julie up in the right hand corner. Julie and her family got to attend the S.M.I.L.E. on Down Syndrome breakfast this morning, which featured Todd and Sarah. Julie has some great pictures on her site, too.)
Sarah seems made of steel, especially when she is being interviewed on national television.  In this event, I perceived her as  thoughtful, and humble, and she demurred to her husband Todd on several occasions. They just “work” together, like a man and woman who love each other deeply and sacrificially should.
Now, this is purely personal speculation, but I thought Sarah looked a little weary. I think her heart is heavy. It has been a whirlwind of a year for her. There have been so many accusations thrown against her and her family, most of which do not house an ounce of truthfulness. I’ve seen and heard her refute many of these accusations via her press conferences from the Governor’s office, but you know how it is. Once something is spoken it takes on a life of its own – no matter if it is true or not. Truth be told, I wanted to wisk Sarah away and share a cup of coffee and some chocolate with her. I wanted to pray with her and encourage her to listen only to God and not to those who try to destroy her. I am proud of this sister in Christ, who faces much opposition but who as best I can tell is trying to listen to the Lord’s will for her life. She is walking a road that I think I can safely say none of us ever will – it is her road alone and I’m thankful that she and Todd are willing to travel it. They have suffered much. It helps to see them in person – you see them as real human beings with strengths and weaknesses. It reminds me to pray for them.
(Is it just me, or does my head look a little large here?  Hee Hee. My kids love Gimp. But look how proud Sarah looks of me in this photo! Humor me, people! She’d love me, I just know it!)
The banquet center was surrounded by news crews. Everyone, big and small, wanted to see Sarah. We knew when she entered the hall, because you could see a ripple through the room. People stood on chairs, just to see the tip top of Sarah’s head. Michael Steele was there, too, but really, Sarah was the center of the party. The tickets for this event were sold out before they were even made available to the public. As I mentioned before, we bought our tickets the instant we heard on-line rumours that the Palins might be present. Are we ever glad we did! The banquet itself hosted 2,500 people, and there was an over-flow auditorium where 600 more people viewed a live feed.
Let’s talk about Michael Steele for a moment. He was absolutely inspiring. He came to the banquet amidst some static about comments made in an interview last month. After reading the interview and hearing his explanation, it is my view that his comments were taken out of context. In the interview he spoke from the political reality of a woman’s legal right to choose an abortion. As much as I wish it weren’t so, it is the law of our land – and that is what he was saying. There was no compromise. Michael Steele was born out of wedlock to a woman who could not care for him, and he was given up for adoption. He is adamantly pro-life. (Did you know that Larnelle Harris and Clarence Thomas were also born to mothers who could not raise them? Look at what incredible gifts from Heaven these men are…we’ve been given a glimpse into our Heavenly Father’s heart through these and many other individuals. Each life has value – to Him and to His Kingdom.)
Matthew West sang. There is a lot of unspoken ground covered in that simple sentence. Matthew has an incredible ability to connect with his audience. He spoke from his heart, with what seemed to be true humility and sincerity. My “guys” were pretty excited to meet him, although in this picture it looks like Matthew is getting his picture taken with my son Nick, rather than the other way around.  Well, Hmph.  As Nick’s mom, I say that someday Matthew West may very well be pleased to have had his picture taken with Nick, and Jake too.Â
Back to the real star of the show.
Sarah.
She really is lovely – on the inside and out. She spoke from her heart. At the end of the day, she’s most importantly just wife and mom, a simple, humble, down-to-earth woman. She believes in the value of human life, because human life is “ordained by God,” and “made in the image of the Creator.”
I really wanted to watch Trig grow up, beautifully and perfectly, as the son of the Vice President of the United States. That did not happen; but I see that he is still very much in the national eye. I believe that he, and his famous mom and dad, will bring much positive awareness and love to the special needs community. I know that our local Down Syndrome community brought much love and understanding to the Palins.
Once the banquet was over, Todd, Sarah, and Michael S. made their way out of the hall. My son Jake was fortuitiously standing right in their path, and Sarah shook his hand. Lucky boy.
We next followed some other homeschoolers and raced down to the auditorium where Michael Steele and the Palins were addressing the overflow crowd. We stood at the stage door, scarcely able to believe our good fortune. We were just a few feet away.
When the evening was completely over, we reluctantly left the building and watched as the film crews powdered their faces and wrapped up their reporting.
It was a perfect evening; very worshipful, very uplifting, very sobering as we pondered the state of the unborn in the USA. Many, many hearts were united as we prayed for life to once again be valued in our great nation.
My soul was encouraged, as I was reminded of the great number of people who still care, who still pray, who still will work to love mothers and the children they carry beneath their hearts.
We are not all apathetic. There is a vast number who are repentant and who are asking for God to intervene for life.
I am hopeful, as my teens are impassioned for the cause of life – all life – at all stages from the womb until natural death. They join a large and growing number of young people who will tirelessly work in new ways to change America’s heart regarding the curse of abortion. I believe that God will do mighty things through this next generation. It is a glorious, amazing time to be alive.
Thanks for vicariously sharing the evening with me.
Here’s footage of the entire speech if you are interested.
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April 17th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Awesome awesome awesome! What a fantastic evening you guys had! Thank you for sharing it with us!
I have a lot of Sarah fans on my Twitter list, I think I’ll link to your post tomorrow, so they can all see it too – if you’re okay with that.
April 17th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
This Alaskan Palin fan is jealous!
But I’m SO glad you were able to go!!
Love, Leah
April 18th, 2009 at 4:41 am
I’m not sure why, but I’m crying as I read this, Holly. I’m so thrilled that you and your children were able to experience this wonderful evening. Thank you so much for sharing your photos and insights with us here. You are a blessing!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I think CNN was there, right? I saw some footage of it, I think, and I was thinking, maybe I”ll see Holly in the background!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Hey, I miss you gals!
Didi – yes, CNN was there. Surely you saw me, right?
And Leah, I’m jealous that you live in Alaska. Sarah belongs to you and your people. We’ve got a pretty great guv too – Mitch Daniels – but I still *heart* Sarah.
Vanessa – twitter away! I still haven’t signed up. Sheesh! I think I’m just waiting for the next level of social networking.
Patricia – you are so welcome! Wish you were with me!
April 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Holly, thanks for sharing your summary and pictures! of the night.
April 18th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
What a great opportunity! I love all the photos. Thanks for sharing!
April 18th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Your pictures are great!! Marriah loves the one with the Boys and Matthew West. She is so jealous, that you all got to see Matthew West. She loves his music!!!
Glad you all had a great night!!
April 18th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Holly,
thank you sooo much for this inside scoop on Sarah. She does need much prayer. I keep seeing all of the terrible things said about her daughter, Bristol, and her broken engagement and all of his media interviews since. It makes me sad for her. I will commit to praying for her mission…..Satan wants nothing better than to distract us from God’s purposes.
April 18th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
so fun!! really exciting…for you and your kids. i just love your mothering…and how cool you are and the AWESOME opportunities you provide your children with.
also, a friend of mine just started a blog on her political views…so as not to ’subject’
her friends and family to her views when all they want to do is see pics of her children. 
anyway, thought you might be interested.
http://capitalismisntforsissies.blogspot.com/
great to have a post from you!
don’t stay away too long.
April 18th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Thank you for printing such a wonderful blog about your experience at the Right to Life Event. Thank you also for sharing your insights into the life and heart of Sarah Palin. She is a true American Hero and a wonderful Christian example. I believe the Lord has big plans for her. Thanks again.
April 19th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Thank you, Thank you, Holly!
I love to hear and see anything Palin-related, and non-snarky. Great recap of the evening!
I was especially gratified to hear first-hand how well-received she was. I know the msm can’t stand it that average (meaning life-affirming, God-fearing, liberty-loving) Americans are simply drawn to this incredible woman.
I want to jump up and down with rage at the way they personally attack her and her beautiful family! …but, I settle for a clenched jaw, and some well-placed rebuttals when necessary.
I am really praying there is a place for this lovely woman in national politics. I’m glad Mr. Steele supports her. I had heard the GOP was scared to get behind her and after some of the latest remarks by the old McCain staffers, I fear they too, will try to marginalize her in the next election cycle.
Sorry for the long comment…your pictures got me fired up!
(…in case you don’t recognize the email–it’s me, Julia. I just decided to use my blog name now. I post a lot on politics and I’m thinking a little anonymity wouldn’t hurt.)
April 20th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Holly – How awesome! I’m so tickled for y’all. I would love to see her in person:)
April 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I am glad you had a great night and your daughter is beautiful by the way. I have what I feel is an honest and fair question. I have been following you blog for about 31/2 years back from the time of choosing home. I do not homeschool and work about 20 hrs a week. Both your blogs have strongly advocated HS and SAHM. You are obviously a huge Sarah Palin fan. How do you feel about the fact that she most likely works many,many hours outside of the home and I do not know if whe homeschools, but I would think no. There are many other callings I have felt for my life but besides the 2o hrs a week I work I feel very strongly my 3 kids need all my attention right now. How do you feel about other working women. Just some questions for discussion. Your blog is very inspirational and I fell God is using you.
Anna-Liisa
April 20th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
sorry about the spelling typos, I need some coffee!!
April 20th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Hey everyone – thank you for stopping by.
Anna-lissa, sure, that is a fair question. It is one that has been debated since September in the homeschooling crowd.
I struggled through my thoughts and feelings on this at first, too. In one way, it forced me to look at myself and to see what I really believed.
In some instances, I came to see that I was being quite judgmental and not looking at individual families nor individual giftings. I think it is very wrong to issue blanket statements which say that there are never situations where a woman can work. (That actually might have been my tendencies for awhile, and you probably picked up on that. But, wow, I think that is really harsh and unfair to the families who work very hard to do the best for their children AND who still either need to work or feel called to a particular job. I have been reminded of many of my friends who work outside of their home – but who perform amazing gymnastics to make sure their children are well cared for, usually by loving family members. I have known very, very few working women who frivolously abandoned their children to just anyone to care for.
I am rather ashamed that I felt so legalistic about this issue – and others too. I should have been content to know what God has called ME to, and not worried about other women! Fortunately, my friends in real life (the ones who have known me for around twenty years) have been SO loving and kind and have overlooked and forgiven me my faults.
Do you want to know what it was that brought the issue so sharply in to focus for me? It was the Vision Forum response to Sarah’s nomination. It was the arrogance and condescension with which they articulated their stance. There were other conservative homeschoolers who reacted the same way, but I saw it the most through Vision Forum. I know they felt they were standing for truth, but I felt they were way out of bounds to say that Sarah was an “abomination” or to say that fellow scholars and pastors who supported her were “weak” and “compromising.” Such talk. It laid it out clearly for me. I spoke with my husband at length through those months and realized that he never had been as legalistic as I had been nor had he had the same thoughts/expectations regarding men/women and husbands/wives as I did. He would support ME if I ran for public office. (And I just might some day…if that is what God has for me.) So – in short, I tore up my Vision Forum Christmas magazine and threw it in the trash. So it shall be if ever another one arrives in my mailbox.
So, personally, that’s how I feel about it. I enjoy being home with my children. I feel it is a priority for me, right now. But that surely doesn’t make me a better mother. In fact, some of my friends do a much better job than I do. They don’t have the luxury of laziness like I sometimes do. They get up, go to work, come home, and do double time with the kids in order to not leave anyone out in the cold when it comes to mother love. I think we can be COMPLETELY committed to mothering, ourselves, without having a need to criticize or determine exactly how other families are supposed to operate.
As I have heard Sarah speak (numerous speeches on-line, transcripts of her speeches, etc.,) she tells how she and her husband have worked out the care of their children. Todd takes care of them some, and her sister some, and her mother, etc. Trig could not come this past week to the speech at our town – but he was home with his grandmother. I happen to think that a Grandma is a pretty good deal if mama can’t be with the little one. I know some amazing grandmothers who love to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives – and some families are fortunate to have a Grandma nearby. For the first time in my life, I am finally experiencing this. It is no longer just my husband and me who are invested in our children’s lives. I think this is a good thing.
Also – From what I see, Todd is an amazing hands-on Dad. (I also do not ascribe to the concept that a man can’t help with his own children. I love to see couples who support each other in exercising God’s gifts.)
I feel for Sarah. I really do. I have heard her say that each day, each step she takes she is asking God for His direction. I think that He has called her to do a hard thing. I have been thankful that she has been willing, and so are a lot of Alaskans. I know she does her best – she takes her kids with her whenever and wherever she can.
Have you ever watched a pastor’s family? Dad is working so hard, killing himself to be available to everyone else’s family, when his own family would LOVE to have him home for an evening to “counsel” or to “disciple” them? Well, surely there must be a balance there…but the sad truth is that often times the pastor’s family suffers. Too many pastor’s children grow up and leave their faith. (And we could talk about what needs to be done to fix that…another time…there really ARE some things that can and should be done in each family…) But I just want to make the corollary here…sometimes the people who are asked to do big things have to give up other blessings in their lives. I feel sad because I do think that perhaps Sarah’s children will suffer in some ways. On the other hand, I’m not the Almighty and I don’t know what blessings He ultimately has for them, nor how He wants them to grow and who He wants them to become. Perhaps all of these things will be used to raise up some VERY strong children. (And that’s where I give up and say that I need to leave that between God and each individual family. I just can’t say what He has planned. I do not follow the lines of interpreting scripture which say that a woman can or can not do certain things.) Do they have difficulties? For sure. We all do. We can pretend that we have orchestrated our lives to perfectly avoid any or all conflicts or to raise perfect children…but we are lying if we do so. We need God’s mercy and help to raise our children. We can do all things perfectly, give them everything we have…and still raise kids that reject the Lord or that don’t turn out according to our specifications.
So, thank you for asking. I welcome the opportunity to explain.
I probably sound different than I did a few years ago. God has done some work on my heart, which tended to legalism. While I believe wholeheartedly in family, and in parents being committed to their children (it is absolutely necessary!) I have stepped aside from desiring to micro-manage everyone on the issue and I do not believe it is my right nor responsibility to tell everyone else how to live! (Nor do I believe it is scripturally supportable.) There are many, many ways to love and commit to our families – there is not just one way to achieve a loving, godly family. The most important thing is a heart that is totally yielded to God and families that are seeking God’s plan for their lives.
I think God needs men AND women who are willing to stand up in some pretty big ways for life at all stages.
April 20th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Holly, thankyou so much for your response to my question. I did not realize this had been an issue with the homeschooling crowd. I have never read any of the forums. I am also canadian so I followed th election but not as closely as an American. I agree whole heartedly with what you have said. As my kids are getting older (13,10, and almost 4) I find I need to actually be home more. I find they need more guidance and time is a passing!!
Thankyou for the time you spare to be an encouragment to others.
Anna-Liisa
April 21st, 2009 at 6:28 am
Thank you so much for passing your firsthand account of this event! What a privilege to meet Sarah! It was great to get your impression of her vs. what we can only see via the media. wow
April 21st, 2009 at 3:21 pm
[...] at the banquet, but since I’m too lazy to write out the whole thing, I’ll post a link here that will send you to my Mom’s blog, where she posted about [...]
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Thank you for sharing, Holly. I have been feeling fearful and discouraged with regards to current events lately and you reminded me of hope, especially with our youth. I do hope you run for office so I can vote for you! (Which means you need to run for national office since I live in a different state than you.)
April 28th, 2009 at 12:01 am
I’m SO glad you shared this evening with us! Wow. Sounds like a perfect experience. Glad you got to go. Sarah Palin is amazing!
April 28th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Anna-liisa, thank you. I appreciate you!
Elissa – don’ be fearful, and don’t be discouraged. The battle is the Lord’s, and He will eventually win. Love to you!
April 30th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Thought you’d like to know, Sarah is now on Twitter – http://twitter.com/AKGovSarahPalin. How awesome is that?!
*hugs* Hope you’re doing well.
April 30th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
I wanted to ask you if you went, but just knew you did :0) What a wonderful experience.
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:45 am
[...] 17, she spoke at the Indiana Right to Life dinner and impressed one of the attendees enough to write about [...]