We Interupt This Blog For An Unpaid Political Announcement: We Did It!

First I want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to Mary Jo Peairs in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mary Jo- You did it! And I am forever grateful. Mary Jo and her husband, Don, were early supporters of Obama- way back when- way back when you didn't have to fight crowds to hear him speak- way back when most people weren't even paying that much attention. But Mary Jo and Don were- paying attention- and doing the work that ultimately gave us all this glorious morning. I was lucky enough to reach Mary Jo by phone last night- she sounded really busy- and it was late in Cincinnati. The Peairs home was the Obama Headquarters for our neighborhood- Wyoming- and they were celebrating their BIG SUCCESS!

And I want the world to know that MY GRANDDAUGHTER and GRANDSON (with their mother, aunt, uncle, and cousins) were cheering Obama on in Colorado just days before the election! I am so very proud that Marianne- my spontaneous and passionate daughter-in-law, and most importantly the mother of my wonderful GRANDDAUGHTER AND GRANDSON- upon hearing that Obama was in town didn't hesitate a moment- and headed the group of 3 adults and 2 toddlers and 2 babies- one only 4 weeks old- off to this historic moment.

You can really see the enthusiasm of Hayes, our grandson!

And what fun all this new fangled technology- update to the minute cell phone calls from Brandy in Las Vegas and blog updates from Matthew in NYC and text messages from Amber as she waited in Grant Park in Chicago for OBAMA to arrive- and the official celebration began!

And we had such a great time sharing this exciting evening with, Betty, a very special lady- and our good friend. Betty is 89 years old and she said this was the very first election she has followed so closely. She is a cable news addict extraordinaire. Her late husband was a West Point graduate, a retired general and a decorated veteran of three wars. She lost one son when he was piloting a spy plane over Russia 30+ years ago that was shot down. Her youngest son interrupted college to become a Dust Off pilot in Vietnam rescuing over 3000 wounded young men. Betty is a talented artist- and one of the smartest people I have ever met- and an enthusiastic Obama supporter! We felt so lucky to share this excitement with her in her home.

We popped the top on the champagne early!

And we finished the champagne and then started on the Vermouth, nibbled on crackers and cheese while we waited for the BIG MOMENT!

When we finally got home it was too late for supper- but not too late for the all American Apple Pie.


But I wasn't really prepared for how pensive I would feel this morning.

But first- the very best part of waking up this morning- was not the realization that we would have Obama as our next President- but rather was not being a wakened by Don experiencing crushing chest pain. I did not call 911. I did not ride in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I did not wait numbly in a waiting room while the doctors rushed him to the cath lab to save his life. We can now rest a bit easier- At least when Democrats are elected President, the next morning starts much more gently, quietly, peacefully. I like these kind of mornings!

But now to start again- I wasn't really prepared for how pensive I would feel this morning. I didn't vote for Obama because he was a Black man- any more than I would have voted against him because he was. For me it was all about the issues- the economy, the wars, education, health care. But in the end today I haven't been thinking about the issues. I've been thinking about the man, this first Black Man to be elected to the Presidency of the United Stated of America. I am so very proud. My goodness, I don't think I ever really thought it possible during my lifetime. I grew up in Tulsa- and for my first 18 1/2 years I never sat in the same room with a black person- much less talk to a black person. Don and I spent 12 years in the Tulsa Public Schools- yet were never told that in 1921 our city had been home to the very worst race riot in the history of the country that resulted in the loss of 75-300 lives, over 1000 homes -the destruction of a healthy middle class Black community that left over 10,000 black people homeless. Our white world was very, very separate from the black world. And then I went to college and OU and my world so suddenly changed. And now I revisit all those moments and am so very proud- proud of my country- and proud of the hard work that this country has done these last decades. We've come such a long, long way. I still get teary eyed when I think of Colin Powell and his family crying with the news that the FIRST BLACK MAN is our new President Elect. I'm so very proud. Oh I don't think for a minute that the troubled history of our great nation is settled once and for all- But for today I am just so very proud. And so grateful that I got to live this moment. It really is true that in this country anything is possible. I've see it! And our two newspapers have already been requested by Amber- who will be saving them- because the whole country knows that this moment is indeed extraordinary.