Saving the Best for Last

Every once in a while, for no apparent reason, a chance of a lifetime falls in your lap. Mine came last week, packaged in a mysterious email from a Washington contact that contained a phone number and two words, “Call me.”

This triggered a chain of events that landed my daughter’s first grade class at the foot of the First Lady’s plane “Bright Star” to welcome her to North Dakota. And later that day, found me sharing “Cloud Nine” with a few others, all of us visiting with the First Lady over an intimate dinner at the University of Mary.

First, the airport. When organizers were looking for kids to meet the plane, I did what most mothers would do. I offered my child’s class.

One student excitedly told his mom about their pending field trip. “Mom, we’re going to meet the president’s wife tomorrow,” he said after school. “The president of what, Connor?” she replied. “The president of the UNITED STATES mom!” he said indignantly. Like, duh? Who else?

When these first graders arrived at the airport, they exploded out of their transport vans -- this despite the fact that most of them hardly knew of the First Lady and certainly didn’t realize what a cool plane she would have.

With the BHS band filling the air, these pint-sized patriots dressed head to toe in red, white, and blue marched toward the plane. They held a banner, “Welcome to North Dakota. Your 50^th State.” And my favorite part, “The Best for Last.”

The band played, “This is My Country” while the kids stood on the tarmac eagerly waving their flags and the impressive “blue top” plane taxied toward them. Many of the mom’s watching welled up with tears.

As the First Lady walked down those famous steps, I remembered what these innocent little kids were chanting minutes before. “Wel-come to A-mer-i-ca! Wel-come to A-mer-i-ca!”

I might be a little biased, but with the music, the kids, the sun radiating off the golden autumn fields and a cloudless blue sky enveloping us above, the sign seemed right on. “The Best for Last.” This is America.

Now, to the dinner. I don’t know what the credentials were for this event, but of this I’m sure. I did not have them. However, I wasn’t about to let the staffer who called to invite me in on that little secret. “North Dakota nice,” is one thing. That would be North Dakota stupid.

First Lady Bush looks exactly as she appears on television except for two things. Her stature is smaller, and her presence is larger. This is a strong woman who has seen and experienced a lot. She knows what she can do, what she wants to do, and she enjoys doing it.

My husband and others have asked, “What is she like?” The best way to describe her is with her familiar title. She is a teacher – the consummate teacher. Bright, inquisitive, kind, knowledgeable, friendly, relaxed, commanding.

What I really liked about Laura Bush was how unaffected she appears to be by the challenging and charmed life she has had as First Lady. She has no airs about her.

When she entered the room, she immediately set about trying to make us comfortable. She seemed genuinely interested in learning about North Dakota and North Dakota people. When I introduced myself, she was able to connect my name with the background I had supplied to her office. Cool! I want to do that when I grow up.

Mrs. Bush relayed how touched she was when women at the Sims Church broke out in a round of “God Bless America.” She also delighted in the after dinner performance of, “Come Home to North Dakota,” by Medora’s Job Christensen and Jan Gilbertson of Bismarck.

I loved how she talked about the White House like it is ours, not hers. She shared some fun stories about Theodore Roosevelt’s days there. And when Gov. Hoeven confessed to exploring the White House one night when he and Mikey were guests, Mrs. Bush chuckled and said in her distinctive Texas tone, “Of course – you might not get another chance.”

The role of First Lady doesn’t come with a job description, but Laura Bush has filled the position gracefully and effectively from the very beginning. We haven’t been subject to her wrangling over offices or roles or hairstyles for that matter.

For eight years, she has persistently promoted her passions – reading, education, history, art – and she has left her stamp on every state in the nation.

Thank you, Mrs. Bush, for making North Dakota your last, best stop.