The Celebration Begins

It's quite a weekend, my good buddies. I finished a 4-day trip yesterday and we dove headfirst into our long list of things to get done this weekend. We're preparing for 20-25 people in our small condo for Inauguration Day morning....we're repositioning both of our TVs and will be streaming CNN on both of our laptops. There will be breakfast goodies, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and Baileys for hot coffee. There will be balloons, name tags that say "Lewis Loves Obama," and there will be Kleenex for the tears that I've already started. I just can't believe this is happening. I've been watching television all morning...Obama's train ride from Philadelphia to Washington. We were at McDonald's about 7 this morning and I couldn't keep my eyes from getting moist as I watched the excitement, the happiness on people's faces.....it's been a very long time since I've seen, or felt, it. We have been in a desperate place as of recent years. And we're still there. It's just that now, I believe, we have someone prepared to actually lead us, show us, help us along in the way we should go. The celebration has already begun. And leave me alone...I can cry if I want to.

I went to yoga yesterday afternoon...it's been a week. It was a beautifully clear and cold winter afternoon and the sun was blasting its way into the room. People around me kept asking if they should close the blinds to keep the sun out....there's no way I could say "yes." I loved it so much. As I sat on my blue yoga mat I was reminded of the worries of the week, the hopefulness of the coming week, and those around me who need help. I was also reminded of my bad attitudes and judgmental slants. And then I read my good buddy at Whisper in the Void's post this morning. Ugh. The truth seems to hit home at just the right times. We ventured back to the gym at 7 this morning and had a great workout....lots of bicep and chest work followed by abs/core crap, and then 25 minutes on the treadmill......intervals of running and fast walking. It felt so good to get back into it, kick it up a notch, and sweat it out. We hit Starbuck's in our neighborhood on the way home for one of their new Tazo Tea Lattes. Yummy.

Tonight is dinner at Alex and Paul's house with my MIL and BIL. After dinner we're going to be locked in the basement to watch Mamma Mia! on their giant TV. Tomorrow we're going to try and see HBO's We Are One concert live from the Washington Mall. And Monday is going to be chuckerblock full of errands and food preparation for Tuesday's party. It's been a long time in coming.