A New Day

It's inauguration day! It's inauguration day!

Our wee family has been reeling from the tragic start of 2009 that has included the shockingly brutal passing of my father-in-law. His brief battle with cancer started in November, when we found out that he had an already progressed form of pancreatic cancer. We're slowly finding center again. Today will help. We're fans. We're hopeful.

And I won't be watching. I've tivo-ed the festivities, and I will watch it this evening, when I know that everybody has made it to the other side, happy and safe. My friend JD is a Washingtonian (Washingtonite? DCer? Beltwayer? What is the correct term??) and we've been emailing about all the excitment. She's going today, despite her aversion to crowds (holy!) so she can represent for all the people who are cheering him on from a distance.

Being a long-time resident, she even mentioned how "hope" and "change" have moved from campaign rhetoric to a palpable feeling in the air. Everybody is doing it.

So will we. One day, the sadness will find a proper space in our hearts and home and Erik will make peace with not having a dad any more. He will probably be forever changed by this, but it won't be a bad thing.

Hoping and dreaming and changing.