Yes! We can!

It's not quite 1:00pm here and I feel like I've changed the world already.

I couldn't sleep last night, tossing and turning thinking about the new president, Prop 8, and a pregnant teenager of mine. But, this morning I felt ready and very positive. The kids were so excited for Mommy and Daddy to go vote and change the world. Annike couldn't stop talking about "Rocka Bama," and Petra was doing her usual muttering about Prop 8. Before we left the house Lars put the You Tube video "Yes! We Can!" on repeat.

It was a good morning because Mother Earth thought to send rain showers, actual rain like we used to get in Michigan. It felt a bit Noah's Ark-ish, as if this morning represents a good cleansing after an episode of horrid amorality. It really lifted my spirits. I took this as a good sign. Together, Lars and I took the kids to school, swinging Annike through the parking lot over puddles. I was feeling so darn positive. Another good sign.

We went to my NST, Ultimette did her job and had 4-accelerations in her heart rate in the first 15-minutes of monitoring her. A very good sign. My amniotic fluid index was over 10 cms. Yet another good sign.

Lars and I went over to our polling site, a cute little liberal church tucked into a residential neighborhood. We walked in, no line. Another good sign. The volunteers running the polling site were sweet and kind and thanked us for voting. I filled in my ballot - yes on 2, no on 4, no on 8. Yes for change. I walked out sobbing, heaving. I felt grateful for the opportunity. I felt grateful that after years of voting for conservatives, my well-known federal judge grandfather is voting for a Democrat for what could be the first time in his life -- he's in his 90's! I was grateful that my mom, who is in France with my brother and SIL and beautiful nephew, was able to vote weeks ago by absentee. I felt grateful that since I've had the right to vote, 3 out of 4 of the presidential elections I have been pregnant and finally this time I feel so very good about my candidate. I'm very grateful to Ultimette, who kept her buns in my oven long enough for me to vote. I'm grateful that the No! on Prop 8 people were out on streets in the pouring rain this morning. I feel like all the signs are pointing to yes.

I came home with plenty of energy. I've cleaned the bathrooms, started the laundry, begun the dusting and cleaned the rooms. I started sorting and washing the baby clothes and organizing a few things for Baby Ultimette's arrival.

Finally, my dear friend Jess (she caught my Baby Annike, I caught her Baby Ella) sent two boxes of baby clothes that Ella had worn after my kids wore them. In one of the boxes, I found a cute little bunting that Grandma Peg had bought for Annike just days before Grandma Peg passed away. Grandma Peg's real name is Margaret, as you may remember, she is Ultimette's namesake. I saw that little nightie and all my will-power left my body. I just sobbed and sobbed, then I blew my nose on the bunting cause there weren't no tissue. Don't worry, it's going straight to the wash.

I'm going to keep smiling all day. I'm going to stay positive. I've done what I can. I just know it's going to be okay. And then, just for good measure, I'm going to keep "Yes! We Can!" on repeat just like my husband instructed me to. We're not turning it off until the last of the votes are tallied and the results are announced.