Yes! We! Did!

I am not a politician or a pundit, so who am I to say anything. I mean, I know right now the blogosphere is exploding with posts just like this little post on my little blog. And many people have more insight than I and a better way of saying what needs to be said. I also know there are an equal number of blog posts expressing disappointment at this outcome, and I really don't want to rub it in any one's face that my guy won. But I am a mom and I can't let this monumental accomplishment in our nation's history occur without celebrating what this election result means for my kids; without celebrating the fact that my children will grow up during the "Obama Years!"

Before today, I avoided thinking about what either outcome would mean, how any outcome would make me feel. There is no way that I would have believed, before today, that I would go to bed last night knowing, without any room for the slightest doubt, who our president would be. (You know, after having lived through the last two presidential elections.) And I dared not let myself have a glimmer of hope that I would know with such certainty that our president would be Barack Obama. Because I didn't want to be disappointed. I didn't want to have to think about how we would make it through the next four years as we have trudged through the last eight, let alone how I would face today if the outcome had been different.

But it wasn't a different outcome. It was this one and I don't have to go to that dark place of wondering. We did what needed to be done to get our country, the country that I chose to bring children into and that I will one day leave behind to their generation, back on track. And what I have to say about it as little Mom Blogger me (if I can stop getting choked up and teary every time I start replaying the speech, or reading articles or blog posts, or listening to talk radio, or even just thinking OMG this country just elected Barack Obama president) is that OMG this country just elected Barack Obama president!!

I am not going to get all historical perspectivy here because that's just not me. I know it is important for much grander reasons than the reasons it is important to me in my little life. I am a stay at home mom. I live and breathe every need and desire of my children 24/7. My sole purpose, at this stage of our family and my life, is caring for them and doing my best each day to help them become amazing people. It is difficult sometimes to feel like I matter outside of my own household, and dammit, I even feel selfish for wanting to matter outside of the lives of my kids. But this election result means that a mom, just doing what she has to do to take care of her family, can have a hope that the world will be just a little bit better for her kids. That she can put a voice to that hope, and take action and vote. And that vote counts for something. It matters to my family, and it matters so far beyond the four walls of my home, beyond the four people in my little family. And as far reaching as that hope is, it comes down to me getting through the day being the best mom that I can be to my kids today because I hope. And that matters.

Now that it is today and I am no longer afraid of being disappointed, of hoping beyond what seemed possible, I have no words to express the elation that I feel, so I will simply say that I am grateful. It is gratifying to be in a place to be able to celebrate the outcome of this monumental election. If you are celebrating with me, thank you.


In the midst of the joy I have been feeling since the result was announced last night, it saddens me to have to say this: Congratulations, all you narrow minded zealots! Way to go on passing that "Yes for Marriage" amendment. I'm sure we straight, happily married, one-man-one-woman couples will all be so much safer now, civil rights be damned!