I started getting text messages early this morning, "Mom, we're walking across Memorial Bridge, now.  This is amazing." 

"Tell everyone there are about a billion people here and half of the military that's not in Iraq."

"What an amazing speech, huh?"

My 19 year old son and his father are in Washington for the inauguration.  He has a terrible cold and hasn't been very enthusiastic about traveling, but being THERE, on the mall this morning, changed his attitude.   His grandfather, with whom he is staying this week, worked in the Senate for 30 years and my son was raised in a very political climate.  This is the icing on the cake.  Thursday, he'll get to attend Senator Reid's breakfast and have a special tour of the White House and the Senate.  I am so happy for him (not to mention a little jealous!).

This is the first presidential election that he has been actively involved in and attending the inauguration, even if it was via Jumbotron, was deeply meaningful for him.  He first saw Obama way back in October of 2007 in Reno.  He came home from that event and sat me down to go over the notes (notes? my son takes notes??) that he had taken so it would be clear to me why I should support Obama, too.   He registered, participated in our caucus, canvassed and voted.  Then, he traveled to see the man he admires be inaugurated.

The American dream is alive in our young people.

At the school where I teach, we kept all the kids in their homeroom for the whole process.  You could have heard a pin drop.  It was historic and important and they knew it.

What a day.