YES. WE. DID.

After all the nail-biting of today, I'm almost crying right now.

There are people walking around, shouting and whooping it up in our neighborhood. We've thrown the windows open and are screaming out the windows ourselves - even more than we did when we first heard that Obama had won Ohio.

I can't believe that this is real ... it happened. It really happened. We could really, truly turn our country back to what it is about. And be more than a bullying, arrogant superpower to the world - to be a beacon. Again.

And, this is hope for all of us in this country, that we can take care of ourselves again ... take care of our poor, our sick, our veterans, our minorities, our elderly. Go back to the ideal of "all men are created equal" and all that. Go back to the ideal that all of us, whoever we are, wherever we live, whatever our station in life, deserve the same respect and regard as whomever is standing next to us.

Yes, we can do this ... we can. And yes - we did.

Today.

It's here. I'm excited, and nervous, and a little in awe of what's happening. This is a historic election day for so many reasons.

Scott and I will be voting after I get home from work today, so I'm going to try and leave a little early so that we can get to our polling place before 5:00. Seattle, like the rest of the country, is expecting record turnout, so I'm sure we'll be in a long line - but I don't mind. Just to be a part of it is so exciting.

So, deep breath, and patience to see what happens - and no matter what your beliefs are, VOTE.

One Day More.

I know I posted this a while back, when I first found it ... but today is the perfect time to see it again. Cheesy, yes, but perfect.

Please, please, please, if you haven't already done so ...
VOTE TOMORROW.

I know that those whose political views are different than mine have very strong convictions, too. Neither side is necessarily right, or wrong - although we believe our own sides to be the right one. But I truly, with all of my heart, believe that our country has been dragged down for so long by our own leaders ... and we feel that every day. It's physical, heavy and oppressive. There is weight, and stress, and anxiety, and fear. We have become a society of fear - fear of anything and anyone and anyplace and any situation that is not who and what and how we are. But if we keep on in that direction, we'll drown. We'll collapse on ourselves. We will no longer be what, honestly, every single one of us - Democrat, Republican, Independent, every single one of us - believes and wants America, and Americans, to be.

There can be fear, or there can be hope. I choose hope.

The results of this election can change the world, far past our own country. There is so much at stake in this election.

"One day to a new beginning ... "

Two More Days.

Yep. Two days. Today is November 2, which would make two days from now ... umm, November 4.

Which is, what ... a Tuesday? The first Tuesday in November? In an election year?

Oh, yeah - ELECTION DAY.

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE ...

I don't care what your political beliefs are. Honestly. If you've read more than two posts on my blog, you probably know mine. But that doesn't matter.

BE INFORMED. VOTE. DO YOUR DUTY.

Oh - and if you live in California, you have the opportunity to make a huge difference in the history of this country, this society, this culture - and throughout the world. Please - think, clearly and deeply and truly - about your vote.

Really.

My dream is that someday, in my lifetime, the sanctity of marriage will be a legal and viable option for everyone - everyone - who believes in it. Everyone who truly wants to enter into that covenant.

(Psssst: Don't tell Scott - but I want to marry him. It's about time we're able to make honest men of each other).

Matterpics