Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Excitement, Hope, Gratitude and Living Vicariously


Today's the day folks!
We finally get to shed the old and embrace the new.
I am full of emotion at this most historic day.
It's been a long time coming.

I have also had the added pleasure of getting to enjoy some of the pre-inaugural celebration thrill ride, by living vicariously through my eldest daughter. She and a group of her best college buds got to attend the Illinois State pre-inaugural ball in Washington, D.C. last night!

They all happen to be good friends with the daughter of the gentleman who was in charge of organizing the bash. This connection got them all a gig helping to set up yesterday for the evening gala, which was held at the luxurious Renaissance hotel. In return for their work afterwards, they all got to put on their fanciest black tie attire and be guests at the ball! They even got to spend the night as guests!

We spent yesterday eagerly awaiting each text message received on youngest daughters phone, (I admit that the art of texting alludes me, and my phone is so old I don't think you can text on it!) After about 12 pm they got fewer and far between, and by 1 pm, well I imagine she was so caught up in the whirl wind of excitement that she was too busy floating on cloud nine to remember even how to text! Who can blame her!?! So I don't know much at this point except that she was staying on the same floor as Anderson Cooper. He passed by her in the hall! She has promised me photos of the nights festivities, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed they turn out.

She wasn't sure if they would be able to stay for the actual ceremony today, I hope that they can. What a thing to experience!

I am so thrilled that my daughter got to be a part of this. It was her first time eligible to vote, and she worked tirelessly helping to register others. Obama becoming President of the United States is bigger and more full of hope and promise, then anything else I have ever witnessed in my life. I hope that each of us will be inspired to help him on this most difficult path, doing what we are able to, in order to help restore America to her full potential, and to once again be a beacon of light, and hopefully a true messenger of peace and goodwill, in this worlld.

UPDATE: She and her friends were up for 22 hours. Both Michelle and Barack Obama were at the gala, as well as Oprah and Stevie Wonder, but alas they didn't run into them in person. They did get to see Bill Murray though, and they think Maya Angelou. People were taking their pictures as they went into the party, thinking my daughter and her friends were famous, (little did they know!) All in all it was a surreal and extremely glamourous evening, one that she and her friends will always remember and treasure!

10 comments:

Quiltycat said...

Hi is a hope for all the people.
I'm from Italy and today is a great day for me too.
nichi

High Desert Diva said...

How exciting for your daughter!

And how exciting this day is for the rest of us!

Hey Harriet said...

How thrilling for your daughter to be a real part of such an important event in history! And of course very exciting for you to! I guess it's all happening over there right now and you're all glued to your TV sets. It's just gone past midnight here, so I'm thinking we'll get the highlights on TV later in the day. I'll try sneaking some viewing in at work. We are all excited over here! A very happy Obama day! Enjoy it!

dutchcomfort said...

Such a wonderful post Victoria!

I’m so exctited for all of you in the US and for the rest of the world. Mr Obama will need all our help to achieve his goals. The expectations are sooo high, I hope he will be able to live up to them.

We will be watching the inauguration ceremonies life in Holland too!

connie said...

How Exciting for you and your daughter. Sometimes I think it is so much better to experience things through our kids eyes. It is an incredible day for all.

Victoria Bennett Beyer said...

That's so cool! I'm so jealous right now of your daughter. She sounds like quite a wonderful girl - getting folks registered is such a noble thing to do.

Carol E. said...

What a life memory this will be for your daughter!!! What a thrilling day. Yippeeeeeeeeeee!

Unknown said...

how exciting! amazing memories :)

Mrs.French said...

I hope you don't mind, I plan on living vicariously through your daughter too...wow! xo t

Anonymous said...

well, it's May 28th. How do you like your Marxist president now? Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan, China and an itchy Russia, and all your Messiah seems to worry about are green jobs, clean coal and spending 6.7 million in legal fees to avoid showing his "real" birth certificate. So, I ask, how does it feel to be taken?