ELECTION DAY 2008

I woke up at 6:30 this morning and turned CNN on immediately.

By 8:15 I had filled in the little bubble beside Obama's name and inserted the ballot into the electronic reader. (The lady sitting by the machine had to instruct me to slide. slide. slide. while I kept trying to jam it in.)

And that is something I've been waiting four years to do.

The last year has been especially long, what with all the Hillary crazies and primaries and democratic conventions. And I was an Obama delegate for Dallas precinct 1233!

I put my button on immediately after exiting the library. I didn't get a sticker, but the post-ballot glow is all over me. I didn't even tell the guy at Starbucks who gave me a free Election Day coffee that I'd voted. He took one look at me (and perhaps my button) and guessed.

The anxiety is better today, though my tongue feels a bit ruffled from all the stomach acid. I think that voting helped. So did allowing myself to maybe, for one second, believe that Obama might actually win this thing.

Oh my God. Obama might actually win this thing.

Some Election Day photos:

I wanted to get a picture with my mom by her McCain sign (and me wearing my Obama button). We don't agree politically, but we love each other.

Also had to get a picture of MY yard sign. I've had it for a couple of months, but today is the most important day of its life.

Right after exiting the library we took this picture. Today's was the first election Chad has ever voted in.

I thought all the signs outside the library were pretty, like little fall flowers.

And then we found Ry walking into the library and took a picture with him after he voted. Party in the library parking lot.

And now we wait. But hopefully not for too long.