I'll be damned

I just got up from a nap. Partially due to only getting about 4 hours of sleep last night and partially needed because of the bottle of champagne that led me to get only 4 hours of sleep last night.

Can you believe it. I swear, it really wasn't until I got home from Liam's swimming lesson last night, when the count was 100 to 34 in electoral votes that I could even begin to see the light. As hard as I have worked, as much money as I have given, as many prayers as I have said, living through the elections of 2000 and 2004 I just wasn't sure it was possible. I kept saying " I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't win," we joked about Darren opening up Azavar Canada, but I knew it was an empty threat. I thought, well I guess I will just live in Illinois forever. At least it is a blue state and I can go to a Halloween party and see 2 Sarah Palins, a Bristol Palin with an Obama button, and a couple of Joe Six-packs, and no one worries they are offending anyone. But now the good news is, if I move back to Ohio I can feel good. I know that Ohio gets it when they see the right candidate. Maybe Gore and Kerry just weren't for them. (not that I understand how Bush could have ever been for them, especially in 2004, but...bygones)

It was so fun to talk to everyone last night, I had both my phone and cell phone ringing all night. First my dad, then my sister, who got to tell me that it was being reported that Ohio went for Obama, that was fun, to my friend Lauri, to Steve in Miami, to my friend Kathryn who was traveling for work and called me from Orlando. The excitement was palpable. And when NBC came back from their 10 pm break with the graphic that Obama was our 44th president I actually couldn't breathe for a moment. I couldn't scream because the kids were asleep, it was unbelievable. We tried to wake up Liam but that kid sleeps like a log. So we opened a bottle of champagne and just sat there with the goofiest smiles on our faces and watched for another 2 hours at the history that was upon us.

Many people said they thought I would be at Grant Park, and pre-kids I would have been. In fact, in true irony, Obama is the first Democratic presidential candidate I haven't seen in person since I could vote...Hell Darren and I even saw Mike Dukakis at Courthouse Square in 88. But oh well, we may go to DC for the inauguration, if Darren can swing it. We have to decide soon, like today b/c those hotels rooms are going fast.

Last quick story, in 2004 I think, I went to a local kids Christmas party at a park district that our alderman put on. My mom was in town and she went too. She had just fallen and broken her wrist. At the party a politician came over and talked to her. There were a lot of people there, he probably thought she was pretty, but he ostensibly came over to ask her about her cast. Anyway, it was Rahm Emmanuel, our next Presidential Chief of Staff. Pretty cool huh?

Obama Biden 08/12

Thank the Lord for Big favors!!!!!!

today is the day

i can't believe it is here. i have waited almost 2 years for this day and there were many times i did not think it would arrive. i voted early, which in some ways did not have the majesty of voting on election day. i held out for a while but then got freaked that i would be standing in a huge line with a squirmy charlotte for hours on end. as it was i stood in line for about an hour and fifteen with a squirmy charlotte. but i was bouyed by her constant "bote, bote, bote" i love taking my kids to the voting booth. even if they are to young to understand i hope that one day it will have made an impression. liam came home yesterday with 2 new campaign slogans "vote for obama you love your mama" and "vote for mccain he will give you pain" LOL i love living in chicago, he came up with those at CATHOLIC school. so i have the wine and the champagne ready and i will have to get a coffee later b/c i plan on staying up. hopefully it won't be a late night but who knows.