Too Long

I can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post. What have I been doing? Many things, many, many things...

One of these many things included a trip to Washington DC. I arrived in DC on Saturday, Nov. 1st. This year, I was able to visit with the Ball family on Saturday and have lunch with Mrs. B on Monday in town. How fun it was. They took me to IKEA - my first time in an IKEA - on Saturday. I absolutely LOVE that store. There is one in Atlanta, and I hope to visit it sometime soon. Just a fun place - and so reasonably priced. Just right for a frugal girl like me. Their children, D & M are so wonderful! I enjoyed being with them too. The road to their church is amazingly beautiful. I can still see the rolling hills at the horse farms and the colorful trees along the way.

I also happened to be in DC on Tuesday, November 4th. I know that politics can be quite controversial, but I have to share my feelings about this election. I have watched this progress and was so excited about the election - and that I would be in DC when it all happened. The closing banquet of the conference was that evening. Tuesday morning started out with guest speakers, James Carville & Mary Matlin - how wonderful. It was so exciting. They are both very funny and so passionate about what they do. So, Tuesday rolls along, waiting on the darkness to fall and returns to be posted...we waited...we ate dinner...we danced...we ran to the election room...we watched the TV...we watched....we waited...we danced more...ate an ice cream sundae...waited...then it happened...CNN called the election. It was announced that Barak Obama had been elected the next president of the United States. I believed it b/c I felt strongly that it would happen, but then again, I couldn't believe it. I just stood there...just stood there. Celebrations all over the hotel. I fell asleep in a chair in the hotel - the conference participants were all watching televisions together. There was a crowd around every television in the Washington Hilton on Connecticut Ave. I woke up to John McCain speaking. I was impressed, he was gracious, said what he needed to say...and was done. Then we waited....found another television...waited...fell asleep in the chair again. I decided to walk across the street to my hotel to watch Barak Obama there. As I exited the elevator, I saw a small crowd in the lounge watching TV. There they were, walking out on stage. Wow... I watched in awe. Some readers of this blog are probably looking for a bag or trash can to puke into now. I know that some people will never be able to see what I see in this man - and I don't even know this man. I sat there listening. HE is our next president. wow. One tear fell, then another, then a couple more. Then the flood gate opened. I was sobbing as if I were at a funeral of a dear friend. As I sat there, a black man (or brown man as known in our home) walked over to get me napkins for the tears and running nose. I noticed he was crying. The older white man next to me, well he was crying too. I looked across the room - the hotel staff for the lounge had all come from the kitchen and bar to stand and watch - they were crying. When I first sat down, there was no one behind me and only 6 or 7 people in the lounge. Every time I turned around, the crowd grew. It was a very moving experience for me. There I was. A girl from Alabama - deep south. Raised in a home where blacks were mocked, not respected, and thought to not hold the same value as us - the whites. Yes, even in my home, this was the case. Somehow, along the way, I decided - realized - dreamed - something - that this wasn't normal. A person's value wasn't to be determined by their skin color. I am not sure how I formed that view in my own mind. I am thankful every day that I did. I am proud that we have elected a president who isn't caucasion. More than that, I am glad that we elected Barak Obama as our next president. It says something about us that we have moved to this place. History was made and I watched it. I remember my mom telling the story of JFK's assassination and how she had very vivid memories of that day. I think I know what that feels like now. I will never forget Tuesday, November 4, 2oo8. I look forward to explaining this day in more detail to our children as they get older.

So, after the speech, I walk over to my hotel. The sound of DC was amazing. Horns honking, screams, yells, celebrations - heard all over. I opened my window and packed my bags to the sounds of DC that night/morning. The celebrations and honking horns continued for some time. I finally fell asleep around 3:00 that morning. That was a good night.

I know I give too many details and go on and on. I am not a good story teller or writer. Mark doesn't like for me to tell him things - I give too many details. So, sorry to you all for going on this long.