I'm Outta Here!

I won't be blogging for a while. I'll be jumping on the Amtrak to North Carolina in the morning to attend my family reunion. I cannot wait to see all of my family. It's been a while since i've been down there. We have so much fun together. It's great to look around and see different variations of the same face, the combination of my grandmother and father. I wish they were here.

I can picture my granddaddy sitting on the porch getting a kick out of the things we're doing. The smell of my grandmother's biscuits was the best smell ever. It's not going to be the same without them there, but at least we have wonderful memories to share.

Family is so important. I know people who don't have what I have. Even though I don't get to see all of my family as often as i'd like to I know they're always there for me. If I need something and they have it, it's mine.

I'm looking forward to the laughter and good times that are coming my way. My family is great. I feel complete when we're all together. The stories and jokes that are going to be told will be as plentiful as the love that will be shared.

I'm sure my grandparents will be looking down on us and smiling.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend folks!

It's Official

Yes we did!

It's official people. Barack Hussein Obama is the democratic nominee for President of the United States. Wow! How amazing is that? I'm almost at a loss for words.

When I got home yesterday, I turned to CNN to watch the roll call. As state after state cast their votes it became so real. A black man was going to run for President. I started to cry and every time someone said they cast their vote for, "The next President of the United States, Barack Obama," I cried a little bit more. What a wonderful statement.

When it was Illinois turn, they passed. I wasn't sure what was going on. State after state cast their votes and when it got to New Mexico they yielded their votes to Illinois, who in turn yielded to New York. Down the aisle walked Hillary Clinton. She moved that the voting end (the votes would still be counted) and Barack Obama be nominated by acclamation. At this point, I had no control of my tears. They were coming from my gut.

House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, came to the podium and asked for a second and yay from the crowd. It was great to hear 20,000 people second the motion together. I had to catch my breath. Barack was the nominee.

This is something I thought would not happen in my lifetime. Now, I can tell my grandchildren the story of the day the first black man was nominated to be President because I saw it with my own eyes. I felt it in my heart. I thought of my grandparents and my father. I know they would have loved to see this. I thought of all our people have gone through and the fact that we haven't even had the right to vote for very long. I thought of Jesse Jackson and Shirley Chisolm. So many thoughts went through my head. I'm so glad I get to share this experience with my children.

Bill Clinton gave a Bill Clinton speech. He was great, but I have to be honest. I've grown tired of him and he's said some things that I cannot get over. He's made me feel as though he used my people for their votes. Anyway, he said he thought Barack was ready to be President. I don't know if he really meant it, but who cares. He was just being a good democrat.

Joe Biden came out later in the evening, looking dapper as hell in his black suit and sparkling blue tie. I really like him. He speaks from the heart. He had a long journey to the vice presidential nomination. He lost his wife and daughter in a car accident years ago and almost left politics. His son's introduction brought me to tears. He spoke of the father who was always there for him and his siblings, no matter what. After hearing them both speak, I got the feeling that Joe Biden will be there for the American people too.

Barack will accept the nomination in a football staduim filled with 80,000 people. I don't really need to say anything else about that. It will be historical. What makes it even more special is the fact that a black man will be accepting the nomination for President on the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech. It is so appropriate.

The work begins now but win or lose, and God knows I hope he wins, the brother will forever have his mark on the history of America. In the words of my daughter, "This is the first time i've felt patriotic in a long time."

Say it loud............."I'm Black and i'm proud!"

Oh, Michelle

I'm a mess right now. I haven't blogged in a few days because I really couldn't think of anything interesting. Every time I tried to start a new post it fell short. I don't know what the problem was. I've never experienced writer's block. Maybe I just didn't have anything to say.

Then, like a strong, proud, intelligent, beautiful, breath of fresh air came Michelle Obama. As I watch her speak at the Democratic National Convention my body fills with chills. My daughter, who is watching in her room, came into my bedroom and said, "I want her to run, she's great!" I look at the eyes in the convention center that are filled with tears like mine, and I feel good. I look at this dignified sister and I am captivated. I need her to be my first lady.

How wonderful is it to hear this black woman speak of her hard working family. If you watch television, you would never know that our families exist. Michelle's brother introduced her and that really touched me. When she began her speech, she said he has always been there for her. He is the one who watched over her and her mother after their father died of multiple sclerosis. It was a beautiful moment.

Michelle also spoke of her mother who struggled to raise her and her brother on her own after her father died. She praised her strength and it's obvious that she passed it on to her daughter. Her face beamed with pride as she watched her daughter speak. They're both wonderful role models.

As I listened to Michelle Obama speak, I felt like she was someone I could relate to. The story of her childhood told me that she would always be empathetic to those who will need the help of her and her husband the most. I saw a woman who would not be presidential arm candy. I can't remember the last time I was as impressed with someone as I was with her.

One thing I have always loved is the relationship between Michelle and Barack Obama. They had me even before the fist pump. I cried and smiled the entire time I watched Michelle bigging her man up. She painted a wonderful picture of her family and her husband. Her speech was eloquent heart felt. I pictured the two of them getting down in the trenches and getting things done. They remind me of couples that I know, including my husband and I. I can picture them making each other laugh and just having fun. They just seem like your average, every day couple who love each other very much. One of them just happens to be running for President.



I never thought i'd ever witness the day when a black men would even get anywhere near the presidency in my lifetime. Barack Obama has definitely surprised a lot of people. Who would have thought the black, junior senator from Chicago would be accepting the democratic nomination for President of the United States? It's crazy that a black family could, and hopefully will, be moving into the White House and running our country? It's a beautiful thing.



Barack Obama has already inspired and impressed me. Now that I have seen Michelle speak, I am excited and uplifted. What a thing of beauty. I can't keep the smile off my face or the tears from falling and it feels great.

Can we paint the White House black in 2009? YES WE CAN!