he did it.

it feels good to be an american this morning.

i'll be the first to admit that i had trouble deciding who to vote for, but when i made the decision just a few short weeks ago to vote for barak obama, my conscience felt good. i looked at both candidates and thought about who i trusted more, who i believed in more, who inspired me more. and that candidate was barak obama.

i know he scares quite a few people (my parents included), but something about him draws me in. his idealism, perhaps? his never-ending search for a united, strong, prosperous nation? his belief that everyone in our country can get along and work together? his ideas of peace?

i think that last one really drives it home for me. leah was conceived in january following september 11. both of my daughters have lived their short lives in a world that is anything but ideal. they have never known a world with peace. they have never known a world without destruction. i want so much better for my children and i think barak obama is a man with the vision to help them.

as i watched obama speak last night, i kept thinking about how millions must've felt listening to dr. martin luther king's words of hope and inspiration. i bet we shared in an abundance of similar emotions. i can only imagine that the hope that welled up in my heart last night was present in so many so long ago.

i was especially struck by the split screen on 'abc news' of obama and the lincoln memorial. i was raised in southern indiana, not far from where abe lincoln grew up. his ideas, beliefs, and values were all around me. lincoln prepared the way for obama in so many ways and how cool it was to see their images side-by-side on my television.

i know i'm rambling, but there are so many things in my head right now. most importantly, i want my girls to realize what an amazing step this is for our nation. i want them to see the best in people and to know that there is a possibility and a hope for the future.