Inauguration Experience

My trip to DC was a wonderful experience and I am truly glad that I was able to share such a historic moment in our nations history. I was able to share it with some friends that I have had for over 20 years(since college) and truly felt connected to something larger than me. It was such a humbling experience and yet I felt intense pride at the same time. There is something about our President and the First Lady that seems so genuine to me. I pray for them constantly as if they are family members & I feel so invested in their success. It's hard to explain but obviously I don't have to, as so many people have similar feelings. I am so tired of those who try to minimize the "Obama Effect" and act as if he is being worshipped. I know the God I serve and understand very well that he is just a man. But I am curious as to why anyone would be envious of a person who has been able to unify so many diverse groups of people in such an intense fashion. Why would anyone who truly wants whats best for our country have a problem with this? I love America, I truly do, but sometimes the hypocrisy of people who claim to stand for the principles in which this country was founded amazes me. When I arrived in DC on the Friday before the Inauguration, the temperature was only 9 degrees ! At that point I was a bit concerned about whether or not I was fully prepared. I followed the directions of CreoleinDC & had my layers together but once my friends Shree & Dondi inspected everything we discovered that I was lacking in the footwear department. My shoes were just not going to cut it. Luckily I was able to wear a pair of extra boots belonging to their 16 yr old son & by the end of the Parade on Tuesday I was singing his praises. There was a total of 8 people in our group. We got up at 5AM and did not make it back to the house until 8PM. We all really bonded that day. We encountered so many friendly people. I met a soror who lives in Austin. We met people from everywhere, California, Texas, New York you name it. The only celebrities I actually saw were Oprah & Stedman, getting into a car right across the street from where we were standing. I also met Chamillionare a Houston rapper at the airport on my return. The vibe was so festive and positive & despite the cold and the crowds & the absolute need for patience I would do it all over again. My friends were texting me making jokes asking me "Are you wearing Depends ?" LOL. The truth is that I was always able to get to a port-a potty very easily & had plenty of extra tissue tucked into my socks (per my mother's advice) just in case. When you are properly layered & have comfortable shoes you really can deal with the cold. The temperature actually ended up around 30 degrees & the sun came out just in time for the swearing in. I brought back lots of souvenirs for the family from the street vendors. I purchased every different newspaper and magazine I could find. I can't wait till Spring Break to put my scrapbook together with the assistance of my nieces Savannah & Olivia ages 8 & 6 who remind me so much of Malia & Sasha. They will get a kick out of that. The one thing that I intend to do this year that was already on my list of Resolutions is to step up my involvement in Community Service. I have gotten a little bit comfortable and need to make the effort to just DO more. My President has truly inspired me to do so. God Bless America !