We Voted.

We got up at 6:30 this morning to be at the polls when they opened at 7:00. We woke the little guy and bundled him up for the 10 minute walk to our polling place. A family affair! I've never been so excited and so nervous for an election. This is it people. This is the time that we decide if we want more of the same or if we want something better for ourselves and for our children. I choose something better. I choose Barack Obama. For the last two months or so, Charlie will say "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA" everytime we pass a sign in someones front yard. He's memorized the way Barack's name is spelled and the different symbols on his campaign materials. He'll stop what he's doing if he sees him on the television and say "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA". I need to get this kiddo out more though...the other day we passed a little African American kid and Charlie pointed and said "BER-AHK-O-BA-MA". That made me smile and worry all in the same breath. Differences. Differences are all around us and I'm sick of people saying that they'll "tolerate" differences (which I guess is better than what is going on right now in California). The word tolerate is so negative and superior and I'm tired of it. I say the new word needs to be "embrace". Let's embrace our differences and learn from one another. It's shocking that we may be voting in the first African American President (or god help us, woman vp) but there is a state considering taking away fundamental civil rights from our friends, neighbors, grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles....and on and on. If you have ONE person in your life that you love who is gay you cannot in good conscience vote yes on 8. I'm sorry, but they go hand in hand. You cannot on one hand say that you love someone and then deny them love on the hand. It doesn't work like that people. It doesn't work like that family. Do what is right. Please. We love you Ah-May!