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!