President Obama

While I've never wanted to be president, be married to a president or raise a president, I spent most of yesterday watching the inauguration. Some part of me would have liked to have been there just for the feel of the crowd. The excitement of "history being made," as we were so often reminded by the news media, and the goodwill which seems to have been in abundance.

It also finally dawned on me that America is pretty special in its transfer of leadership. This was the forty-fourth time that one president has left office and another has taken over without blood shed or fighting. Which is really pretty amazing when I think about other countries where only violence causes a change in regimes.

I just hope that the Obamas can live up to every one's expectations. The girls will have to find all the hidden doors in the White House, burst into the oval office at least twice a day and continue to be darling girls as they grow into teens. Michelle will have to attend all the PTA bake sales looking like a J. Crew model, work on her First Lady projects while making sure the girls make their beds and be available so Barack can reach her at all times for a pep talk.

And Barack... well, he must solve our financial crisis, unite the red and blue states into purple states, lead the way to make America green, bring peace to the Middle East, bring the troops home, restore America's name in the rest of the world, and show all the fatherless boys in America that they can rise above their beginnings, graduate from an ivy league school and become president.

I truly feel sorry for the Obamas. I pray that they will succeed and restore America's good name in the world. I also pray that people-- and the media--will give him time to succeed. I hope we realize that while he may have good ideas, we must all do our part also. And that may mean we will have to grow up as a country and realize that it takes work and sometimes sacrifice to be a success.

Good luck, Mr. President.