What an exciting week it is going to be in the District with the Inauguration of President-elect Obama! I’m so excited to live so near the capitol and I was so hopeful that we were going to be able to attend the Inauguration of the 44th President. He gives me so much hope. I finally have such faith in our country again. I feel so strongly about his abilities to lead us out of this mess and I truly feel he genuinely cares about me (us) and wants to change the course of the country, so we are The United States again, rather than a bunch of red states and blue states. I haven’t had this much pride in my country in quite some time.
Every day we have been hearing news about the Inauguration and wondering how this would affect our abilities to attend. Well I’m sad to say that it doesn’t look it’s going to be possible. There are just too many road closures and bridge closures which will certainly make it impossible to drive into the District. If it were just my husband and myself we would definitely fight the crowds and the deal with the extremely long waits at the Metro (subway station). Unfortunately having a 2 yr old makes it extremely difficult. We also cannot have strollers or framed backpacks in certain areas. Add to that the possibility of snow tonight and a wind chill of 20 degrees and I think the sofa sounds better. My husband and I joke that the only people that will be able to attend are the people from out of town because they are staying in hotels in DC.
However, we were able to attend the “We Are One” concert on the National Mall on Sunday and it was an amazing experience. I stood there looking up at the sky as our new President was addressing the crowd and I couldn’t help feeling overcome with emotion. How amazing is it that this special man will become our next President. Whatever your political leanings, you cannot not be inspired by Obama’s intelligence and idealism. I think idealism is what we have been missing for some time. But it’s not ignorant idealism, it’s the audacity to hope that we CAN make a difference in the history of our country. We must get involved in being stewards of this planet, for the well being of every living creature. I’m so glad my son was able to make history by being in the crowd on this cold and blustery winter day. I felt so connected to the people that braved the cold and the crowd to be one of the hundred of thousands that made it to the welcome festivities for the Inauguration of the President.
I’m was so inspired and truly feel like anything is possible!
Yes We Can!!!
My hands are a wreck this time of year. They are always so dry and cracked and chapped that they sometimes hurt, especially my cuticles which are always ghastly. I even pull on my hang nails and make them bleed they are so chapped. It doesn’t help that they are always in water, either wiping up messes, washing them after changing diapers, or washing them to keep from spreading germs. I’ve been trying to find a lotion that feels good on, isn’t too greasy or heavy, but can save my poor hands from winter’s abuses. Well I have to say I have been very impressed with Vaseline’s new Clinical Therapy lotion. It feels so light on but yet does a great job of moisturizing my alligator hands. I even like the smell, it isn’t too perfumey, but still has a light scent that I really like.
This is Sentinel peak in South Africa. It is the entrance to Hout Bay, where we stayed when we were in South Africa two years ago. This picture was taken from Chapman's Peak drive which leads to the Southwestern most point of Africa. This is one of my favorite pictures that I took on our trip there. One of the reasons I fell in love with South Africa was because of the beautiful scenery.
Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States on Tuesday afternoon, banishing forever more than 200 years of history during which the office passed from white hands to white hands and promising a new era of “hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord." - MSNBC.com
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