I am trying to edit my manuscript, but I keep getting emotional—because of this.

I’ve said before I’m not a member of a political party. I’m just me. The first time I ever voted in my life was for Gore—and he lost. The second time I ever voted in my life was for Kerry—and he won, or so I thought, but the courts said he lost. I voted for them mainly because I didn’t want the other guy to win and because there really wasn’t another viable choice, but yesterday I voted for the third time ever in my life for someone I really believed could change this country. I was voting for someone, not against someone else. After I pulled my lever for Barack Obama I stepped out from behind the curtain, beaming. I spent the rest of the day more calm than nervous—until the polls closed and the states started getting called for red or blue and then I was a wreck of nerves. Like so many, I was glued to the TV set, not ready to say he won even after he got Pennsylvania, then Ohio (!). E came home from teaching and was here when the clock hit eleven and CNN called it for Obama. I couldn’t keep it together—I’ve never felt this emotional over politics in this country, never.

Barack Obama is our next president!

This morning, I checked the news sites immediately, afraid they would take it back, the way they did last election. But it is real, it happened! It actually happened.

I am worried about the outcome of Prop. 8 in California, though.

But altogether, after last night, I feel… yes, you know: hopeful.

So I am here, editing my manuscript, or trying to. I am at the café sitting beneath a photo of our president elect. There is so much stress going on in our lives—E and I are worried over many things that I won’t go into here, and we don’t know what to do—but there is this. We will not be looking to leave the country. We’re staying! I have so much hope for the future right now.