Standing on the National Mall witnessing the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th President of the United States has to be one of the proudest moments of my lifetime. Being there with my daughter Kelly, eight of my grandchildren, my sister Kim and her two children guarantees this to be a moment we will never forget.

The idea of getting a bus together for the Inauguration was born during the campaign - wouldn't it be great to see Obama inaugurated if he won? So when he did, we did. Women for Obama chartered a bus, planned our "express" itinerary,did some advertising ($150 each) didn't hurt,filled the bus and just waited for 19Jan to roll around. Wasn't quite that easy, but we made it.

We boarded Tri State Travel bus at KMart lot in Dubuque at 10:30 am on 19 Jan. We were joined by folks from Delaware, jackson,, Polk, and Black Hawk counties. List included party activists, three generations of the Arthofer family,two great ladies, age 84 and 89, lots of mother, son/daughter combinations, five members of the local Hickey family and our Monahan/Jochum family.

Driving all night we were wide awake when we hopped the Metro at Shady Grove (Gaithersburg) MD. and made short work of the walk from Farragut North Metro Station to the Washington Monument on the Mall. Since we didn't have tickets, the family (now joined by the great ladies of Cascade) opted to stay put and watch the festivities on the Jumbo tron. We were soon joined by 10,000 (by official count) of our closest friends. There was dancing, singing, lots of high fives and hugs when the magic moment arrived. It was amazing to catch the cheering from the mall carrying back up the hill to us. Two million people all cheering together for this young man who reminded us that 40 years ago, his father couldn't sit at a drug counter. As I watched my grandchildren I realized that what started out as a gift to DC for them, was really a gift to me. I have never been so proud.

Well, after the ceremony we were lucky enough to be included in the group that was kept walking the streets for five hours so as not to rush Metro Stations. But that's another story for another time. Suffice to say we boarded our bus at 10pm and made it home by Wed afternoon.

What a grand event!!