My daughters school was a polling place. I had no idea until I dropped her off on Tuesday morning. She still had class (she's in kindergarten) and as I pulled away from the school, I wondered if they were going to explain to the little ones what was going on that day.
And they did-in a big way. My daughter told me at dinner on Tuesday night "Mommy, today I voted for Arack Omama!!" I laughed and said "You did! What happened?!"
Apparently they put up two posters. One of Obama and one of McCain. The children walked up to the posters and put a pin next to the person they wanted to have as their next president.
"Who won?!" I asked her.
"Arack Omama WON! He's our next president!" I appreciated her confidence, because I was a wreck all day Tuesday.
Tuesday night, my 5 year old stayed up as long as she could, to witness history. Every hour on the hour when we got returns, my husband and I would shout 'WOOO HOOOOO!' and she would do the "Arack Omama" dance (picture a cross between the Hampster dance and some macarena...oy).
After the race was called and after cheers, tears and a few more "Arack Omama" dances, we settled in and waited for his speech. My kid didn't last that long- it was a long day and night to say the least. As she stirred from the couch at 12:15am our time for daddy to put her to bed, she asked "Did you see Arack Omama? He won, right?" and went back to sleep.
When I think about sitting in school and looking at the pictures of the presidents along the wall, I try to put myself in my daughters place. How exciting and amazing that she's here for the first African American President. How neat for her to vote for the first time at age 5, have it mean something to her and have her candidate win. I'm so happy for her and for her generation. I'm just....amazed.