The Overton Hotel and Conference Center buzzed with excitement Monday morning as they hosted former first daughters, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush to speak at this year’s Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health Luncheon.

The two sisters met with dozens of west Texans to talk about their new book, “Sisters First,” which provides new insight into the lives led by the president’s daughters and their experiences, but it also explores what life was like for them as just two little girls growing up in the Lone Star State, giving special mention to West Texas.

“We write a lot about West Texas in the book because we lived in Midland when we were younger, and our mom’s mom who is 97, still lives in Midland Tx so so many of the memories that we explore in the book are what was home and is home still,” shared Barbara Bush. “Just spending time with our grandmother and looking at the stars every night. And a big theme of the book is book is the extraordinary life we had the opportunity to live and experiences we had getting to travel with our parents and meet the people that we did, but also the ordinary lives that we had.”

The sisters live just a few short blocks away from one another in New York. During the conference, Jenna shared how special it was for her sister to be able to come over late during election night and spend the night with her and her daughter, just one of several moments she said she felt so lucky to have had such a close partner growing up.

“The message of the book is that we’ve been so lucky to have each other and I hope women across Texas, and our country are lifting each other up, whether it’s blood sisters, friends or colleagues. We’ve had that, and I hope that other women get that too,” said Jenna.

The sisters also commented on the tragedy that struck the small south Texas town of Sutherland Springs Sunday afternoon when a shooter walked into a church during service, and opened fire. 26 people were reported killed, ranging in age from 5 to 72; more than 20 others were severely injured. They shared that although the news devastated them as fellow Texans, that it has made them so proud to see the amount of support shown to this tiny town from all over in the wake of this tragedy.

“And I think that’s what we always loved about Texas is that neighbors are always willing to share pain and heartbreak, but are always willing to reach out,” said Jenna. “And we were heartbroken to hear the news yesterday like all Texans so I think our message is sending out so much love and I hope we can do something that can really stop the way that our country is suffering these shootings.”

Jenna and Barbara’s book can be found at Barnes & Noble here in Lubbock.