Today...

...was a sick day for one,

a birthday for another [happy birthday mom!],

and a new day for all...





"...We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom..."

"...For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate..."
From Barack Obama's Inaugural Address

I would love nothing more than to pass on to my children and grandchildren the kind of country that thrives on freedom, faith, and respect for all. I am so happy to have a president who inspires me to do just that.

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."
From Rev. Lowery's Inaugural Benediction

About Last Night...

I'm not really one to go all political on you, but I think it would be a crime not to mention how last night made me feel.

What an awesome historical moment it was to see Barack Obama capture the presidency. So many amazing milestones were reached in just one night, from the amazing voter turnout [14 million more people than in the last election!] to the choice of our first African-American president.

But I must admit, what I was most proud of was my generation and the younger generations that have come after me....Barack said it best when he described the unlikely success of his campaign, “It grew strength from the young people, who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy, who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.”

We do have a voice, and we made ourselves heard. We are a force to be reckoned with.

I know this road will not be easy, and that the journey ahead will be difficult, and I know that Barack will not be the answer to all our problems.

But I am truly excited about is that I FINALLY have a president who empowers and inspires me to WANT to support my country, to WANT to do my part to make America a better place to live. I truly believe that is a change I can and will believe in.

I am excited to be raising my children in a country where all things truly are possible, a place where we can judge on character and not on color. My friend Jennifer from momslikeme summed it up beautifully this morning with this statement, "The best part of the Obama victory is the renewal of the spirit of millions of Americans who can truly believe their children can grow up to be President."

Amen.

We have lived so long under the politics of fear, I look forward to a future fueled by the politics of hope.

“This is our time to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.”

And to Ohio, my home state, I am so very proud of you...