A Sigh of Relief

This is to be short and sweet - and more to come later. But I didn't want to let the moment past without some sort of commentary. First, let me say that I have turned my children into nerdy people. I printed out election maps and as the results were called out, we colored in the different states according to had one each. I found myself somewhat offended that Kentucky was called so early for McCain - it seemed so close and so few of the votes had been received, how could it be called with only 10% of the results in. It hardly seemed fair. First to really have a vote that would be pounded into the ground by the red, then to have it discounted so quickly in the race. And after Pennsylvania went for Obama, and they brought out their magic map and showed how it was virtually impossible for McCain to win, well, I let the sleep over take me. And when I awoke, it was to the happy information that indeed Obama had one, and not barely, but resoundingly -- even if I still lived in a god-forsaken red state -- sigh. I'll have to move to Louisville, that county at least when democratic. But, better to be living in a red state with a democratic president than living in a red state with a republican president -- or more to the point with Sarah Palin as Vice President.

So, I missed the speech. I missed the Daily Show coverage. I missed most of it. But took note and marked the ocassion as historic. Elijah was able to fill in my ballot for me. And he was right there panicking when so many states were turning red. And made a point to ask this morning about the electric college. And Isaiah awoke this morning and asked where Obama was going. And that he didn't want to go to school, he wanted to go with Obama. He was actually uttering that through tears as I had to lead him to preschool this morning (apparently 5 days off in a row is too many for the preschooler).

And now, my mom has called and said she'd like to go to the innagurational parade and would we go to. And, I will happily take days off from school to do just that. Jose won't - he doesn't care about the historical impact about the awe of seeing something so big happen and marking it - memorizing it - immortalizing it. But I do, and given the opportunity will happily do that for my children. Who I told this morning they too could be President. To which Elijah said, how? and I responded, well... you got do good in school. "And don't do drugs." he added. And then Elijah decided that it was probably too much work and he didn't really want to go there - until he considered ordering the Senate to do all his work for him. But there is something immensely pleasing about having a child, even for a brief moment, consider the option of being president - and believing that he could do it if he wanted to. What power in that dream - what power in this moment that has made that dream seem more real than ever before.