President Obama

I am giddy about the inauguration today. I have been excited since election day for Obama to take office. I think he is a wonderful person and I am looking forward to his presidency. Everybody is talking about his being the first African-American president, and I think that is significant, and cool, but there are a few firsts for me with this election as well.

It is the first time that my husband has been older than the president. Craaaa-zy.

This was the first time during a campaign when I put a political bumper sticker on my car. For whatever that is worth. Actually, I had a lot of really good conversations (and a few ridiculously ignorant) because of my little "OBAMA" sticker. The conversations I remember the most are the ones where I was standing in the church parking lot trying my best to convince fellow church members that yes, you can be a Mormon and vote for a Democrat. Imagine that!

This was the first time that my vote counted! Ok, sort of. Boise went overwhelmingly for Obama, and pro-Obama Idahoans actually made a little tiny dent in the Republican reign. Previously, I have lived in the wrong place at the wrong time for my vote to count, according to the Electoral College. (Yes, Tyler Haws, I voted for George W. when we lived in Seattle eight years ago!) :)

Last, this is the first election where my kids were involved. Eliza was particularly interested in the process, and I think she grew up a lot, thinking about everything and learning to form her own opinions. She wrote a great paper for school, describing who she would vote for and why. I was proud of her thinking and writing.

Here's to a great four new years!