America the Beautiful.

I can never get enough of the mountains, especially on mornings like this.  The photo is a bit grainy because it was taken with my phone, but the Rockies looked incredible this morning.

For purple mountain majesties

Brrr.

I truly love all seasons, winter included.  It's weather that I don't always like.  Specifically wind and bitter cold.  The last two days have fallen within the latter, and venturing outside has been miserable.  As I was gathering a recipe to send to a friend yesterday I realized that there is one thing that can take a bit of the sting out of the cold and make enduring the sub-zero temperatures a bit more bearable... chili!  I found a recipe for vegetarian chili several years ago and have put my own twist on it in the mean time.  I'm pretty sure I've perfected veggie chili and I'd love to share it with anybody reading.  Here is a picture, the recipe, and a couple more photos capturing the cold.

 

Matt’s World Famous Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

Olive oil

Garlic

1 Large sweet onion (use 1/2 - 2/3)

1 Green pepper

1 Zucchini

1 Jalapeno pepper

1 Bag of frozen yellow sweet corn (16 oz)

28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes

2-14.5 oz. cans of dices tomatoes (1 no salt added, 1 with diced green chilies)

16 oz. jar chunky salsa

2 cans of kidney beans (no salt added)

1 can of garbanzo beans (no salt added)

1 can of black beans (no salt added)

1 bottle of dark beer (this is used to add liquid, you could probably substitute another can of diced tomatoes instead of the beer if you prefer)

3 teaspoons of chili powder

1 or 2 teaspoons of ground cayenne pepper

Black pepper

Optional Ingredients

1 bag of frozen meat-substitute ground burger crumbles (I prefer Quorn brand, but anything works)

Sourdough bread

Shredded cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Diced red onion

Prep

I prefer to prep everything first, which makes the process go much more smoothly.

Start by dicing the onion and green pepper.

Cut the zucchini into 1/4 inch slices and cut each slice in half.

Open the all 4 cans of beans and rinse thoroughly.

Open all cans of tomatoes, but don’t discard any of the juice.

Mince garlic.

Dice the jalapeño, don’t discard the seeds.

Steps

1.) In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add a fair amount of garlic.  Cook until just browned, and add diced onion.

      2.) Cook several minutes and add the can of plum tomatoes.  I prefer to take a big spoon (or knife if you won’t ruin your pot) and cut each of the plum tomatoes in half.

      3.) Add both cans of diced tomatoes; stir.

      4.) Add the jar of salsa.

            5.) Add all of the beans, stirring while adding.

      6.) Add 1/2 - 2/3 of the bag of corn.

      7.) Add the zucchini and jalapeno.

            8.) If using veggie crumbles, add the bag  to the pot.

      9.) Add the beer.  I usually take a couple swigs, so the full 12 ounces never make it in.

      10.) Last ingredients to go in are the spices.  This can be done to preference, but I usually add about 2-3 teaspoons of chili powder and about 1 teaspoon of cayenne.

            11.) Finally, mix everything together, turn the heat up to high and bring it to a boil.  Once it is boiling, cover the pot and turn the heat down to simmer.  Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes and you’re ready to enjoy.

      12.) I think a nice toasted sourdough is the perfect bread to eat with chili.  I also like cheese and sour cream, and a finely diced red onion on top of the sour cream is great.

I just missed it flipping from -1 to 0

Looking west on campus, just as the sun begins to hit the Rockies

ISPP Holiday Party.

This past Saturday night was the annual Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe holiday party.  Amanda and I were invited last year as well, and even without having started working and therefore not really knowing anyone, we had a wonderful time.  I was looking forward to this year's party because now I do know everyone, which makes the evening much less stressful... or so I thought.

The party was at the amazing Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver.  It's one of the oldest hotels in the city, and although I have heard wonderful things about it, I had never been inside.  Last year Amanda and I were the first to arrive, which was a bit awkward (remember, we didn't really know anyone).  So this year we decided that we would try to arrive around midway through the cocktail hour, around 6:30.  Well, that plan didn't exactly pan out.  The travel time between home and the party should have been about 15 minutes, but instead it took nearly an hour and a half!  Somehow we forgot to account for the poor driving conditions (due to snow) and, most importantly, didn't account for the fact that nearly every road in the city was closed due to the annual Parade of Lights!  After multiple detours and having to wait through 2 or 3 light changes at almost every single light we came to, we got to the Brown Palace at about 7:20; 20 minutes after dinner was supposed to be served.

When we walked in everyone was seated and every table was either full or had one empty spot.  After saying hello to a couple people and quickly realizing that there was nowhere for both of us to sit, we were almost relegated to our own table.  You know, the one in the corner that is perfectly set but where no one is sitting.  Everyone was trying to be accommodating and was telling us that there was "plenty of room to squeeze in," when really everyone was already pretty much elbow to elbow.  At this point there was no hiding the fact that we had arrived so late and certainly no hiding the fact that we were causing a slight commotion trying to find a place to sit.  Eventually we did end up squeezing into a table that had one empty spot, and surprisingly the 9 of us fit almost comfortably at an 8 person table.

At this point the embarrassment began to subside and things began to calm down.  We ate, drank, and enjoyed the rest of our evening.  In fact, that last thing, enjoying our evening, would have been nearly impossible to do based on the company we were surrounded with.  What I began to realize is that showing up a few minutes late for dinner is certainly not the end of the world, even when you're still at the point of trying to make a good impression.  Really, in the grand scheme of things, it's meaningless.  Although I was slightly embarrassed, I should have known that the last people on earth that would have cared would be my future colleagues.  One of our managing partners, K.C., always makes a speech at the holiday party to thank everyone for coming and gives a brief "state of the firm" type address.  The past two years (and several times in between) he has mentioned how ISPP is like a family.  How everyone cares for each other and cares about the work that they do.  This year, possibly due to a couple too many cocktails, he threw in the concept that ISPP has a strict, "no asshole" policy.  While his words are simple, and most managers or "bosses" would love to believe that they foster an idealistic work environment, K.C.'s message is absolutely true.

While I realize that Saturday night was an incredibly minor incident, it reminds me why I feel so fortunate to have a job with ISPP.  There are many reasons why I feel fortunate, but after spending a summer working there and having the opportunity to join in several social functions with them, I think what I am most excited about in starting my new career are the people I'll be working with.  They don't care if you're 20 minutes late to dinner.  They're the type of people that don't even think twice about the small commotion you've created and instead offer to squeeze two more into their already full table.  A simple gesture, but a perfect indication of how caring and accommodating they are.  If you're going to dedicate yourself to a career as demanding as law, you might as well work with people you enjoy and respect.  I am confident that ISPP lives up to that.  I enjoy my future colleagues and, more importantly, I respect them.

I leave you with a couple photos of the beautiful setting of the holiday party.  The first is a stock photo of the outside of the hotel and the second is one that I took overlooking the main lobby/bar area of the hotel (not the actual room our party was in):

Let's try this again (final exam edition).

It's been a really long time since I've blogged.  Judging by my last post, my life has changed quite a bit in the mean time.  I have wanted to pick this back up for some time now, but for some reason I just haven't.  I hope to write somewhat regularly now.  When life is hectic my posts will be short.  When I find more time, I'll write something more substantial.  Right now I'm in the midst of my second-to-last set of final exams, so this post is going to be short and sweet.

Finals are torture.  I have already taken my criminal procedure final, which completely destroyed me.  I was more prepared for it than I have ever been for an exam.  Unfortunately, I felt like all my hard work flew out the window the minute the proctor said, "begin."  I was tasked with writing five essays in three hours, and I didn't feel like I was able to really apply my knowledge to the exam.  I didn't feel like it was an adequate showcase of my high level of preparedness.  The word counts, time crunch, and blandness of the essay questions resulted in what I am anticipating to be a poor showing.  Now it's time to keep buckling down and prepare for commercial law and labor law.  Commercial law is going to be a beast, and labor law, two days later, is going to be a breeze.

Like I tell myself every semester, in 11 days it will all be over whether I like it or not.  The exams will come, I will do the best I can, and then it will be done.  And this year I will have an uninterrupted, work-free break that lasts nearly a month.  I plan to relax, run, and read (for enjoyment).  It's going to be incredible.

I leave you with a picture of my snowy Sunday morning, the rim of my cup of coffee, and Wendall looking intently out the window...

The Past Week.

The past week has been pretty great and I'd like to share what I've been up to.  Let's begin with last weekend...

Nick, Paul, and Brian

My three best friends from college came to visit last weekend.  It started off as just Nick coming down to VA because he wanted to go to our local running store to get some shoes and a GPS watch with me.  We didn't have any plans, just wanted to hang for the weekend.  A few days before Nick was going to come, Paul decided to tag along, and then just a couple days before, Brian joined the crew!  I was pumped.  We didn't have any real plans, which is a change for the 4 of us.  We usually try to hang out every 6 - 8 weeks or so, and there is usually something pretty crazy going on.  A concert, a holiday, a sporting event, a bachelor party... something.  This time it was just a great hang.  We rocked on Guitar Hero, took a trip to Paulie's favorite Winchester bar, Brewbakers, and did some serious damage at Waffle House.  Always good times.  Can't wait till we can do it again!  

Paulie, singing Brittany Spears

Nick, LB (we found her at Milano's), Paulie, and Bri

The Inauguration

Well, I had waited 8 long years for this day.  Actually, after Bush was "elected" to his second term I bought one of those LiveStrong style bands for my wrist that said, "Think Blue - 1.20.09".  I could go on and on about what this day meant to me, how I have felt since election night, and how proud I feel.  Instead I'm going to keep it short and sweet.  

I would have been happy with just about anybody but Bush being sworn in on January 20th.  In 2004 I was really distraught that Kerry didn't pull off the victory.  I guess everything happens for a reason though.  If Kerry had won I can only imagine how much better these last 4 years would have been, but we wouldn't have had Barack Obama inaugurated this past Tuesday.  What made this day so special to me was the combination of two incredible things.  First it was that the Bush era had finally come to an end, and second, not only was Bush out, but we had elected more than just a democrat to office.  The country decided on a man that exudes confidence in America, understands the need for responsibility, instills a renewed sense of honor, and someone that seems willing to put in the time and hard work necessary to turn this country around and send it in the right direction.  It's so much more than the "anyone but Bush" mentality.  President Obama really seems like the exact person this country and the world needs at this moment in history.

So we didn't head into Washington like we had originally planned.  We stayed at home and celebrated in our own way.  Mel and Kenny came over and we made a great brunch.  We drank mimosas and tons of coffee, ate great food, and listened to the inspiring words (and messed up oath) of our new president.  

Sportin' the Obama shirt and rolling a crepe

Slumdog Millionaire

It took a lot less convincing than I imagined, but I talked Amanda into seeing a movie in Winchester.  Because our theaters are really, really crappy and disgustingly dirty, Amanda hasn't seen a movie here since 2004.  We usually make the 15 minute trek to Martinsburg, WV to a half way decent theater.  However, I really wanted to see Slumdog Millionaire and it was either here, or 45 minutes away in Ashburn.  We decided to see it here and we were incredibly impressed with the film.  The story, the action, the creativity, the cinematography, the music... everything.  I have only seen one other movie nominated for best picture (Benjamin Button), but I can't imagine any of the other being as great as this one.  It's definitely the best movie I've seen in quite some time and I highly recommend it!

NatsFest with Bob and Meg

Last week Bob gave Amanda and I an invite to NatsFest.  All Nationals season ticket holders were given 4 tickets to the first annual NatsFest, which is essentially a fan appreciation day in the dead of winter.  It was a pretty cool event.  They had all of the VIP restaurants and lounges open, along with player autographs, pictures with players, tours of the club house, and the opportunity to take "batting practice" in the team batting cages.  It was very cool.  It made me wicked excited for the start of baseball season.  Only 18 days until pitchers and catchers report for spring training.  And then... the long nights of watching the Dodgers and the hope of another season begins.  

We're really glad we got to tag along because we had a great time with great company.  After a delicious dinner at Carrabba's we headed home after a really fun day.  Thanks Bob and Meg!

Scott Olson and Josh Willingham, recently acquired from the Marlins.

I can only imagine that they wish they were back in Florida with the sun and sand.

In the clubhouse!  How cool!

I bet the players do this exact same thing in these chairs... 

with nothing but jock straps on.

They were impressed with my hitting skills.

They offered me 2 years/1.7 million, but I'm looking for Manny money.  

Gas is up and so am I.

Bob in front of Christian Guzman's locker, 

wearing a Christian Guzman jersey.

I'm Back.

I know, I know.  It has been WEEKS since I've updated my blog.  But don't fret, I've decided to finally take the time to sit down and give the much anticipated updates to my loyal followers.  There has been a lot going on the past 7 weeks so I'll try and stick to the important stuff.

My Major Life Decision

This first part has been a very long time coming.  Actually, it has been more than 8 months since I decided to make a major change in my life.  I could literally write pages upon pages to describe why I've decided to change my course, but I'll give you the succinct version in honor of my future profession.  

As I was finishing my Master's Degree at George Mason I began reflecting on the 2 years I spent balancing work and taking classes.  I had an incredible sense of accomplishment on both fronts.  At work I had applied myself 100% and put in many long days to gain as much administrative experience as possible, while at the same time maintaining a 4.0 in a graduate program that certainly can't be considered "easy."  I knew that all my hard work payed off and I wanted to keep the momentum going.  I have always planned on continuing my education and working toward a doctorate, I just hadn't put my finger on exactly what area that degree would be concentrated in.  I always assumed it would be education, but numerous factors (that I could extrapolate on for quite some time, but will spare you) presented themselves and I decided that I didn't want to dedicate myself to something that may end up pigeonholing me into a profession that I may not always want to be a part of.  I have plenty of other interests and passions in life and I want to be able to pursue them.  I decided that the time was right to dedicate myself to a degree that can open many doors in my future and will allow me to work in a field that affects almost every aspect of our lives.  In May 2008 I decided to start researching law schools, the admissions process, the curriculum, and the future possibilities.  It seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.  I started studying for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) over the summer and registered for a class in Tyson's Corner that would prepare me for test day on October 8.  For about 2 months I spent up to 20 hours (or more) each week studying and taking practice tests so I could get the highest score I was capable of.  After I took the LSAT I gave myself a 3 week break while I waited for the results.  I received the highest score of any of my practice tests so I proud of what I did and knew I had done well enough to at least get me in to law school.  The next 6 weeks were consumed with writing my personal statement, which along with my LSAT score and undergrad GPA, are some of the most important pieces of my applications.  Around Christmas time I began sending applications and have currently sent 11 in all.  I plan on sending 3-5 more apps and then I'll be playing the waiting game again while my fate is in the hands of the admissions counselors.

So this major career change will also come with a change in location.  I don't want to jinx anything so instead of listing the exact schools I've applied to I'll run down the list of states that the schools are in.  Amanda and I are keeping our options wide open and are really excited about the possibility of moving to Florida, Arizona, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Indiana, Pennsylvania, or possibly even staying put right here in Virginia.

I'm going to write a blog at some point in the future about Amanda's involvement in this process and what a source of inspiration, comfort, help, and compassion she has been.  I can barely even express how much she has meant to me through all of this.

T.G.I.Fridays

Alright, here is major change number two.  Because I plan on being in school full time again in the fall and my income will be reduced to $0, I decided to pick up a second job so I can get my finances in as good a shape as possible before that time comes.  Without any real experience working in a restaurant I decided to walk into T.G.I.Fridays and ask to be hired as a server.  Well, they gave me a job on the spot, but told me they weren't hiring for the position of server.  I accepted a job as a "Service Partner" which basically means I do everything for the servers except take the orders.  Oh, and I don't make as much money as they do.  I was told when I was hired that there was an opportunity to become a server but it could take anywhere from 2-4 months depending on several different factors.  So that's my goal.  If I don't move up to server by some time in March I'm going to blow that popsicle stand and look for a place that I can earn a little more money.  Overall, the job is incredibly easy, very stress free, and I'm making some extra money, so I can't complain too much.

Everything Else

Other than the 2 previously mentioned changes in my life, nothing much has really happened since the end of November.  My life really has been consumed with teaching, working at Fridays, and working on stuff for law school.  I guess things haven't been all work, I've found a little time to have fun as well.  I had a great couple weeks off from school over the holidays.  I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Amanda's family.  It was great to be a part of the Sauer Family traditions.  Amanda's parents got me Guitar Hero World Tour so we've spent plenty of time since then rocking out.  I also got to go home to Rochester for a few days and hang with my family.  It was very low key but it was great to just hang and see my parents, my brothers, and Julie.  

Recently my weekends have been capped off with football on Sunday afternoons.  I'm not the hugest football fan in the world but I do cheer for the Eagles.  It's been pretty cool seeing them make it to the playoffs and then tear through the first 2 rounds.  We've been doing it up right by making tons of food, drinking beer, and of course playing the yellow card.  Huge one this weekend against Arizona, hopefully we can keep the momentum going!

My best friends from college are coming into town tonight to hang for the weekend.  It's ALWAYS great times when Nick, Paul, Brian, and I get together so I'm pumped about the fun we're sure to have this weekend.  No big plans, just good times with friends.

The End

Well, no pictures this time around, sorry Nick.  But I am excited about getting back into the swing of things with my blog.  I'm hoping to update at least once a week like I used to.  Amanda and I have some fun weekends coming up soon so I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.  Oh, and once I start hearing from law schools you can bet I'll be updating and letting people know who I've heard from!

 

Marathon Number Two.

After the Marine Corps Marathon several weeks ago I had the brilliant idea to run a 2nd marathon with a stronger focus on my finishing time. Instead of setting a specific goal I told myself that I wanted to finish as close to 4 hours as possible. I knew that 4 hours was pretty unattainable for me because I had never really trained with that kind of speed, but I thought that somewhere between 4:10 and 4:30 was doable.

I only had 3 weeks between the two marathons which some people might think isn't enough recovery time. I mentioned previously that I felt pretty good after the first race but I still took a week off to give my body some time to rest. I eased myself back in with a couple shorter runs and then tackled a 14 mile run with about a week and half until race day. I clocked in at record time after the 14 miler, doing it in under 2 hours and building some great confidence.

With 3 days to go until the race I started coming down with a cold and I was super nervous. I started popping Zicam and Mucinex and chased them with NyQuil to try and beat it back before it had a chance to ruin my race. I did a pretty good job of suppressing the cold but there were other forces trying to work against me. The weather forecast for Saturday morning was calling for impending doom. Rain, thunderstorms, and 20-30 mile per hour wind; it certainly didn't look ideal. Amazingly, the weather turned out to be pretty good. Not a single rain drop or rumble of thunder the entire time, in fact the sun even came out about half way into the race. If anything, it was the heat and humidity that I had to battle. Certainly not what I expected in mid-November.

Alas, it was me against the clock this time around. I had to block out my cold, the weather, the hills, and anything else that stood between me and the finish line. Although I didn't have Amanda running with me I did have the best "cheerleader" you could ask for. It was quite a different experience running by myself, but it was great knowing I had someone supporting me along the way.

The race began at 8:00 am and I felt strong through the first half. My split time at the 13.1 mile mark was 2:03 and I knew I was on pace for the finish I was hoping for. Around mile 15 the heat, humidity, and hills began to catch up with me. The wind was working against me as well, but I tried to focus on what I could control and block those other elements out. I slowed my pace down knowing that I had a lot of running ahead of me, but I have to be honest, I was dying. And then mile 20 happened. It was a sensation I had never felt before, my calves began to spasm. It only happened every 50 strides or so, but I knew something wasn't right. I slowed down a little bit more because I didn't want to force an injury with just 6 miles to go. Then at around 20.9 miles my right quad began to tighten. I slowed down even more and almost instantly my left hamstring was completely out of commission and I had to pull up and stop running altogether. Luckily there was a "Team in Training" coach right there and he took me off to the side of the course and stretched me out for 5 minutes or so. I felt good enough to walk to the next water station which was only a tenth of a mile away. I did some serious hydration and forged ahead slowly but surely. At this point my pace was taking some serious hits and the 5 minutes I spent laying on my back certainly didn't bode well for my finishing time. I knew that if I could stay hydrated I could plug along at a fast enough clip to finish strong. I worried about my legs with every step I took for the last 5 miles and at times they showed little signs of giving up on me again, but there wasn't a single fiber in my body that I was going to allow to quit. Then at mile 25 my calves started freaking out again. This time I ran faster. I wasn't going to allow them to put me on the sideline again so I powered through and knew that the sooner I finished the final mile the better. I took it to a level I didn't think my body was capable of for the home stretch and crossed the finish line with Amanda by my side in 4 hours, 24 minutes, and 58 seconds. I was overcome with emotion when I was done and I knew that I gave it everything I was capable of. I shredded 45 minutes off my time from 3 weeks earlier and knew that on this particular day I did the absolute best I could do. It was an incredible feeling.

Minutes after I finished I told myself that it was going to be my last marathon, but I think it was the pain talking. I have loved (almost) everything about the last 7 months. The runs, the progress I made, the discipline, the sense of accomplishment; it has all been priceless. As I write this blog a week later I don't think last Saturday was my final marathon. I want to keep going. I want to keep making progress and continue to discipline my mind and body... however, after this last one, I'm definitely giving myself some time off. I deserve a break!

3,000 runners ready to go

And I'm off!

Around mile 16 I think. Those legs are so unsuspecting.

Me on the brink of death with my sign

The official "victory tastes good" shot

Happy...

I found this old MySpace blog post as I was rifling through the documents folder on my computer.  Sometimes people get comfortable in routines and forget to take a moment to tell loved ones how we feel.  I thought I'd take a moment.  This is how I still feel... 

"October 6, 2006

happy...
So the past 5 weeks I have been continuously happy. Reason being, I've had a certain someone on my mind almost every minute of every day. Nothing has brought me down. Not the stress from starting a new school year. Not the stress of beginning graduate school on top of an already full schedule. Not even a 5:30am alarm clock after way too many late nights in a row. Nothing. 

I relate every happy song lyric to her and I get saddned by the thought of a weekend coming to an end because it means I have to go back to reality. 
I constantly look forward to seeing her, to hearing from her.
 My friends HAVE to think it's "sickening" at this point. Heck, if you're reading this you probably think it's ridiculous. Too bad :o)

 I have learned an incredible amount these past few weeks. About myself, about relationships, about being happy, about more than I could possibly list in this blog. 

Why? Why am I writing this you ask? Well, I want anyone interested to know where my head has been recently. It has been so overrun by thoughts of an incredible girl. My head has become crowded, in a good way. A very good way.




I leave you with my favorite song lyric as of recent...

"All that I am, 
All that I ever was, 
Is here in your perfect eyes, 
They're all I can see" 

If you read this far, thank you :o)"

Now we say "I love you"

3 Nights Later.

A great montage with highlights from the evening.  

It's 10 incredible minutes long...

President-Elect Barack Obama.

President-Elect Barack Obama.  Wow, it feels incredible just to type that.  President Obama.  Say it out loud.  President Obama.  Seriously, say it!  It's unbelievable.

I don't even really know where to begin with this post.  I have so much I want to say, so much emotion I want to convey.  I just don't think this is the proper medium in which to do so but I'm going to try anyway.  As I listened to Obama's speech last night it moved me to tears.  I heard the end of the speech again in the car this morning and it had the exact same impact.  Each perfectly timed "Yes we can" was more powerful than the next.  As he spoke of optimism and change like he has so many times throughout the past 2 years there was something more refined about his words, something more captivating about his message.  The first glimmer of this becoming real was starting to enter my psyche.  No longer was he trying to win our support with words, he was instead instilling a sense of pride in every listener.  No longer was he asking us to believe, he was grabbing our hands and taking us with him.

I began learning about Obama 6 years ago when I read Dreams from My Father.  The country became aware of him on a greater scale after his 2004 convention speech.  Back then I hoped that he would wait to run for president.  I was excited for the day to arrive somewhere in the distant future, but I thought 2008 was too soon.  I knew the "experience factor" would be an issue, and it was.  When news began to break about Obama throwing his hat in the ring for 2004 I was nervous, I didn't think he was ready.  I struggled at first over whether to support him or support Clinton.  However, in the very early stages of primary campaigning I attended a conference in Richmond, VA where I saw a presentation by a principal from a high school in Baltimore, MD and my decision was made.  This principal spoke to a room of about 100 teachers and administrators about reaching out to African-American male youth.  He shared some revealing video interviews of black students in his school.  Each one had a different story, but each one shared a similar message: They felt as if no one gave a shit about them, they had no one to look up to, all they could see were dead ends, and they all wanted more for themselves but they didn't know how to make it happen.  It was right then and there that I knew Barack Obama was the candidate I was going to support.  If for nothing else but the simple reason that if he were to win it would give these kids someone to look up to, something to strive for, that was good enough for me.

Over the following months I continued to read and watch and do my homework on the candidates and I knew my choice was one that I felt strongly about.  Not just because of those kids from Baltimore, but because of the message Obama was delivering all across the country.  So I volunteered my time during the primaries to knock on doors, talk to voters, and spread the word about why I felt Obama was the right man for the job.  I donated money to the campaign.  I helped in the weeks leading up to the election and canvassed more neighborhoods.  I did what I could to help deliver Virginia for the democrats and ultimately the presidency to the man that I know cares about each and every person in this country.

So I'm running on fumes right now.  I know the exhaustion I feel pales in comparison to what Obama is probably feeling, but I'm operating on about 8 or 9 hours of sleep over the past 3 days. My sleep deprivation began on Monday when we decided to head to the final rally of the campaign.  We spent the evening with about 80,000 other hopeful Virginians and it was absolutely incredible.  Here are a few pics from the evening...    

First arriving

Supporting our boy

We did!

There he is!

After arriving home around 1:30am from the rally I crashed for a few hours and woke at 5:40am to get to the polls.  I knew I wanted to get there first thing in the morning so I could spend my time after work volunteering rather than standing in line.  So that's exactly what I did and I got to the Obama office around 3pm to help any way I could.  They sent me out in a team of 3 to canvass several neighborhoods.  Joe, Collin, and I knocked on doors, reminded supporters to vote, and talked politics until just before the polls closed at 7pm.  I made it home in time to crash for an hour and then enjoy the evening with Amanda, Jeff, and Mel.  We watched the returns on TV and stayed glued to the internet so we could get up-to-the-second info.  It was truly an incredible evening for all 4 of us.

I was groggy as I woke up this morning after 4 and a half hours of slumber  and I stayed that way most of the day.  But the idea of Bush on his way out and Obama on his way in kept me going.  A renewed sense of honor and pride in our country has overwhelmed me since my class of 26 students and I stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance like we do every morning.  Every single time I have said those 31 words throughout the last 8 years I have thought about George Bush and what our flag symbolizes around the world.  In all honesty, every single time.  As I have said it I have thought about the hatred Bush has fabricated and the lies and deception he has covered this country with like a blanket.  This morning was different though.  This morning I was proud.

Obama says change will not happen over night.  Well, he is wrong.  It happened.  If perception is reality, then change has happened in the blink of an eye.  I know that there is a lot of work to be done, possibly more than ever for a new president, but I believe Obama has organized and excited enough Americans to affect the change that is necessary.  Those that voted for Obama yesterday realize that we can't sit around these next 4 years and let things happen, we know that we need to be active, stay involved, and work within our communities to make real change occur.

It was the end of his speech last night that I keep coming back to in my head.  I can't shake his demeanor, his conviction, or his words.  Every time he uttered the words "Yes we can" you could sense millions of people across the country and around the world willingly giving him their hands and running right behind him.  Even if you have heard the speech please read the excerpt I'm describing and enjoy the pictures that follow...

"This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America"

It's official

Yes they are

Even Fox had to report it

It still feels good to say - go ahead, say it...

My thoughts exactly lady

Yes We Can!