Happy Mother’s Day to America’s former First Lady.
Barbara Bush with her first-born son, George W. Bush.
Former First Lady Barbara Bush (#Bush41) with son former President George W. Bush (#Bush43).
Newport News, Va. (Aug. 26, 2003) — President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush share applause with Adm. Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), as they watch the Navy’s parachute team “The Leapfrogs” perform during a keel laying ceremony honoring the building of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). This will be the 10th and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier as it undergoes the first of four ceremonial traditions that will happen throughout the life of the warship. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Johnny Bivera. (RELEASED).
Sad news came from Houston Wednesday morning with the report that former President George H.W. Bush, 92, had been hospitalized after trouble breathing as a result of pneumonia.
By mid-day he had been moved to intensive care, and his wife, former First Lady Barbara Bush, had also been hospitalized as a precaution after illness:
The 41st president was placed in the ICU to address “an acute respiratory problem stemming from pneumonia,” McGrath said. He later told The Associated Press that doctors were happy with how the procedure went.
…
… Barbara Bush, who is 91, had not been feeling well for a couple of weeks, “and it finally just got to the point this morning where she said she wanted to take it out of committee and have the experts check it out.”
The Bushes recently celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary, making them the longest married presidential couple in history:
The former president and first lady celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary on Friday. After a long-distance courtship, the two wed on Jan. 6, 1945. The lovebirds met at a dance in 1941 when George Bush was 16 years old and Barbara was home from boarding school during a holiday break. They were engaged right before Bush was shipped overseas as a naval pilot during World War II and married in Rye, N.Y.
John and Abigail Adams were married 54 years, the second longest of presidential couples. George H.W. served as President Ronald Reagan’s vice president for eight years before becoming president from 1989-1993. Thoughts and prayers go up to the former president and first lady.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
No better man could there be right now to lead our country than Governor Jeb Bush. But the toxic political waters roil with anger, and I fear in time we as a nation will pay the price.
America is already great … never forget that. I firmly believe in Ronald Reagan’s shining city on a hill, not Donald Trump’s anti-everything, short-sighted angry vision. We are a nation of optimists, not the pessimism trumped by the loudest, nastiest mouth in the room.
Many thanks to all who were part of the Jeb Bush campaign … the boots on the ground volunteers and staff as well as the Virginia team. It is wonderful to be part of the Bush legacy of trusted and loyal volunteers and staff.
My deep appreciation to everyone who started texting and calling when the news broke. My phone went into continuous ping mode as messages came in from friends and political allies across Virginia and beyond. It’s not my first rodeo … this too shall pass … and now we pave the way for George P. Bush’s star to rise. I truly feel that someday there will be another Bush in D.C. because they are a remarkable example of leaders with servants’ hearts.
Thank you to the Bush family, especially First Lady Barbara Bush and President George W. Bush, for their support and loyalty to a son and brother as they hit the campaign trail with Jeb.
Most importantly, thank you to Governor Jeb Bush for his willingness to step into the arena with a respectful, positive message, an actual solution for critical issues, a humbleness and quiet resolve, and an optimism for America as he offered us an issues-oriented, principled campaign. He gave it everything he had … he left nothing behind. We can ask for nothing more.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
From Jeb2016.com: “Thank you, America!”
By Lynn R. Mitchell
On Friday morning Donald Trump cancelled a planned rally in New Hampshire when a snowstorm moved through the area, tweeting: @realDonaldTrump: Big storm in New Hampshire. Moved my event to Monday. Will be there next four days.
On Thursday and Friday, former First Lady Barbara Bush joined her son Jeb in New Hampshire for town halls. In a bit of tweaking The Donald, the Bush campaign tweeted out the following:
.
@realDonaldTrump My 90 year old mother made it out to campaign. She met Destiny, age 5.
Ouch.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Barbara Bush has been loved by America since she came on the political years ago as wife of the vice president and then First Lady to President George H.W. Bush, then mother of President George W. Bush, and now mother of former Florida governor and presidential candidate Jeb Bush. Her down-to-earth honesty and bluntness is refreshing in a world that often keeps personal opinions under wraps.
Appearing this week in New Hampshire with son Jeb and then joining him on morning news shows, the Barbara brand of honesty shone through once again on a number of subjects. The Hill noted Mrs. Bush’s comments.
On Donald Trump’s misogynous comments about Megyn Kelly:
Former first lady Barbara Bush says she doesn’t understand how women can support Donald Trump in the presidential race over her son Jeb Bush.
“I mean [it is] unbelievable,” she on CBS’s “This Morning.” “I don’t know how women can vote for someone who said what he said about [Fox News anchor] Megyn Kelly.”
“It’s terrible. And we knew what he meant too,” she said, apparently referring to Trump’s line about Kelly having “blood coming out of her wherever” after the first GOP debate.
On Russian President Putin endorsing Donald Trump:
“Putin has endorsed him, for heaven’s sakes,” Barbara Bush said. “Putin the killer, Putin the worst. That’s an endorsement you don’t want.”
On her son Jeb:
“I love my son and I know that America needs him,” she said in the CBS interview. “He’s honest, dependable, loyal [and] relatively funny.”
Still, Barabara Bush said she wishes her son would stop minding his manners so much.
“He’s almost too polite,” she said.
“I don’t advise him but if I gave him advice I would say, ‘Why don’t you interrupt like the other people do?’”
“He’s so polite. We brought him up that way. He’s got the same values that America seems to have lost. And he does not brag like someone else we know.”
Who wouldn’t love Barbara Bush? Well … maybe The Donald. Perhaps if he had had her wisdom and direction while growing up….
Mila Hager, Laura Bush, George W. Bush, Poppy Hager
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Mila has a baby sister, and her name is Poppy!
And Virginia has a new grandbaby, sort of. Since Poppy is the granddaughter of former Lieutenant Governor John Hager, maybe the Commonwealth can take a little claim of her, too.
Congratulations to Jenna, daughter of former First Lady Laura Bush and former President George W. Bush, and her husband Henry, son of Maggie and John Hager, on the birth Friday, August 14, 2015, of their baby girl named Poppy Louise Hager.
Poppy’s uncle is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush who is a U.S. presidential candidate for 2016.
Poppy was the nickname of Jenna’s grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, as a child. What an honor for the proud 91-year-old great-grandpa who was able to meet his namesake via Facetime. Congrats to both George H.W. and his wife, former First Lady Barbara Bush.
Jenna and Henry Hager with baby daughter Poppy
Barbara Bush with her father, President George W. Bush
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Former President George W. Bush and wife Laura’s daughters are now 33 years old. Many know Jenna who is a correspondent on NBC’s “Today” show and married to Virginia’s former Lieutenant Governor John Hager’s son Henry, but most don’t know as much about Barbara, the dark-haired twin who keeps a lower profile.
New York Times reporter Nicholas Kristof takes a look at Barbara, named after her grandmother and former First Lady Barbara Bush, and the humanitarian work she has undertaken, following in the path of her parents who have worked extensively in Africa (see A Millennial Named Bush):
By Lynn R. Mitchell
My kids and I spent much more than 15 minutes a day reading out loud over the 16 years that I had the wonderful opportunity to educate them at home. We read countless books out loud at home by the wood stove in winter and outdoors in the yard during the summer, while picnicking and camping along the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, at the Outer Banks, traveling across the country to Colorado and Wyoming — anywhere and everywhere, and the memories are priceless. Read, learn, bond.
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Lynn Mitchell educated her children at home for 16 years and was part of leadership in North Carolina’s Iredell County Home Educators (ICHE) and Virginia’s Parent Educators of Augusta County Homes (PEACH). Her son graduated from Harrisonburg’s James Madison University (JMU) in 2007 with a BS in Computer Science and a minor in Creative Writing. Her daughter graduated from Staunton’s Mary Baldwin College in 2012 with a BS in Sustainable Business and a minor in Marketing. Lynn and her husband live in Augusta County located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The story of how she began her homeschool journey can be found here (see Back in the homeschool classroom: Blazing new trails).
Other titles in the “Back in the homeschool classroom” series by Lynn R. Mitchell:
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Former President George W. Bush was presented with the Father of the Year award Thursday by daughter Barbara at the 74th National Father’s Day awards luncheon held in New York City (see video). The fundraiser brought in $1.3 million for Save the Children’s U.S. programs.
In his usual self-deprecation style, Bush joked about himself, was thankful to be recognized, and credited fatherhood for helping him become sober after drinking in his younger years.
“As a matter of fact, I don’t think I would’ve quit drinking had it not been for being a dad. You see what happened to me was alcohol was becoming a love and it was beginning to crowd out my affections for the most important love if you’re a dad and that’s loving your little girls. So for me, fatherhood meant sobriety from 1986 on,” he noted.
“I also learned of unconditional love,” he added, becoming emotional. “It’s one of the greatest gifts a dad can give a child, which leads me to a fitting reading I’m about to do and a practical one. Fitting because I’m about to read from the book that I wrote about my dad. Practical because I’m retired and I hope people buy it. It may be a little confusing for some up here to know that not only can I read, I can write,” he added.
Mrs. Bush with her son, former President George W. Bush.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
Won’t you join me in wishing Mrs. Barbara Bush a happy 90th birthday?
My birthday message to Mrs. Bush:
Happy 90th birthday, Mrs. Bush — our favorite sassy First Lady! Thank you for all you do for literacy and America.
The response:
Dear Lynn,
Thank you for sharing your birthday message on the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy Wishing Wall to honor Mrs. Bush and help celebrate her 90th birthday. We know it will be very meaningful to her to hear from those who share in her love of reading.
Please share this unique opportunity to wish Mrs. Bush a happy 90th birthday by inviting your family and friends to visit the Wishing Wall.
There is much to celebrate and thank you again for being part of this significant milestone in the life of our founder, Barbara Bush.
If you would like to make a donation to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in honor of Mrs. Bush’s 90th birthday, please visit our donation page.
Sincerely,
Liza McFadden
President and CEO, Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy
Join the Today Show this morning when Jenna Bush Hager interviews her Gammy. Be sure to visit the Barbara Bush Foundation Facebook page where the former First Lady has been receiving birthday greetings from a variety of folks, famous and otherwise — and you can add yours, too.
Barbara Bush … one of America great ladies. Happy Birthday … may she have many, many more.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
I suppose we all knew fashion designer Oscar de la Renta was older but I was still surprised with the news that the 82-year-old icon had passed away at his Connecticut home surrounded by family, friends, and “more than a few dogs.” His family noted that he “died exactly as he lived: with tremendous grace, great dignity and very much on his own terms.”
What a life of glamor and fashion he lived! Designer to the stars and jetsetters worldwide, he had a special place in the hearts of America’s First Lady, Mrs. Laura Bush, and her daughters, Jenna and Barbara.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
They are commonly known as 43 and 41, father and son, George W and George H.W. Bush. The son’s announcement this week that he had written a book about his father, to be published on November 11, 2014, caught many off guard because it had been a closely-held secret (see The secret George W. Bush book project by David Nather at Politico):
News of the book came as a surprise to the political world, even among people who follow the Bush saga closely. Matt Schlapp, George W. Bush’s former political director and now the chairman of the American Conservative Union, said he had “no inkling” of the project — no talking points to help promote it, or even a heads up.
“The first I heard of it was on the news,” said Steve Munisteri, the chairman of the Texas Republican Party, who recalls meeting George W. Bush several times when Bush was an operative on his father’s presidential campaign in 1988.
By Lynn R. Mitchell
From the Barbara Bush Literacy Center: “Happy Birthday President George H.W. Bush! It’s not every day a former US President celebrates his 90th birthday. And it’s certainly not every day that a President leaps out of a plane. We wish you a very happy birthday, Mr. President, and a safe and thrilling skydive! #HappyBirthday41”
By Lynn R. Mitchell
I love this photo of President George W. Bush with his mom, former First Lady Barbara Bush. No one can instill a love for reading like moms. I read to my children throughout their growing-up years, and my mom read to my sisters and me when we were young. Faraway places and historical events came to life on the pages of a book.
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