Inauguration, this year is History Making

Regardless of your political persuasion, this is a history making week.

Today is Martin Luther King day. I have tivo'd a biography on cable that I will show the kids later this afternoon.

Mr. King proclaimed at the Lincoln memorial, "I have a dream...that one day we not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character."

I will say, I did not vote for our President-elect. I am sure he is a nice guy, but I opted to not give my vote for him. But, as of noon tomorrow, he WILL be our president. As a citizen of this wonderful country, I choose to not hide from it.

Today, we will be celebrating our country and the rights that we have while we pray for our leaders that they preserve the rights of those that cannot help themselves. We will color posters, we will TIVO the concert for children this evening and tomorrow we will watch the Inauguration of the next president of the United States.

After watching a little clip on CNN of a little pre-school class having their own inaugural ball--I could not resist the cuteness.

I think that is a wonderful tradition that we will do tomorrow. We thought about doing it tonight, but Bunko calls mommy away from the house and Celery doesn't want to get into the hub bub of fancy dresses.

Martin Luther King had a dream and tomorrow that dream will be realized.

What a long way our country has come from physical enslavement of our brothers and sisters in Christ to a free man living his dream to become president.

As I said, I did not vote for him. I don't agree with "all" that he plans on doing--but that is the extent I will discuss politics on this blog. I wish to treat others as I wish to be treated. I will treat President-Elect Obama with respect.

His choices in the next four years, I choose to address on the next ballot.

But for now--this is a celebration for the entire nation. A celebration of our liberty and our constitution that grants ALL of its citizens the right to have their voice heard.

Let us pray for our leaders that they will choose to LEAD us and not make strategic decisions based on folly. Let us pray that they make decisions based on what their constituents would want and not based on their belief that they know better than we do.

Let us pray that the next President is kept safe.

Let us pray that the next President continues to keep our country safe from attack.

Let us pray that the next President make the choices that our in our best interests and especially what God has called him to do.

Let us pray that Mrs. Obama be a strong Biblical woman standing by her husband.

Let us pray that Malia and Sasha are kept safe from harm, safe from ridicule, and get to see much of their dad as he works busily as a world leader.

Let us pray that Malia and Sasha have LOTS of fun in that White House and despite its historical status that it will indeed be a true home in the presidential quarters. May they enjoy a slide or two down a banister, sock skating in the hallways, sneaking cookies from the Chef.

Let us pray that Mrs. Obama is a mom of her word and will hold Malia and Sasha as close to "normal" as possible as they will have to do their chores like every other American kid.

Let us pray that the puppy they adopt is a puppy in need of a home from a shelter.

Let us pray that the Obama's will never know the heart break of the Kennedy's.

Take this time to teach your children proper values and remember that does include respect for the office of the President. Even if you did not vote for the next President, it is important to teach our children the difference between not liking a candidate to respecting the leader even if there is an inherent disagreement.

Our children will have a party tomorrow. It is the best way I know how to teach about our government. It is okay to celebrate in these tough times. Just like it will be okay to have fireworks on the Fourth of July.

While I am not an unschooler, I do enjoy taking time out of routine and learn just by participation.

We had tickets to the inauguration, but in our Total Money Makeover, it just was not possible to go. (I had 2--do you know how many 10's of thousands per senator and representative who requested the 300 or 400 tickets...I got TWO!!!!) Plus my aversion to large crowds and the fear of losing the kiddos...just isn't happening.

My mother and my brother are there. She picks up her tickets from Senator Nelson's office today. I hope to help her prepare a scrapbook. She has ALWAYS wanted to go to an Inauguration. She didn't care when or who, but she had to go to one. She did get 2 tickets successfully and will be attending with my brother.

She also wanted to go to a ball--and holy moses, by a fluke she got tickets (no lie--a misdialed phone call from the sponsor's organizer to my mom's house!). This is why I want to do a ball with my kids. Their grandma is going to one. She is beyond excited. She is disabled and so she is mentally preparing for the magnitude of physical pain she will experience tomorrow. We hope between her pain killers and endorphins that she will hold out.

I told her it was like doing a marathon and though I loved doing them--at about mile 18--you are hating life.

But she will have the time of her life b/c she is at something SOOO momentous.

Anyway--I love DC. I've been going often since 1986. I wish I was there as my extroverted brain is in overdrive.

Take time to watch the inauguration tomorrow. Let your children witness history.