...I can't stop smiling.

The feeling of pride is still lingering from last night's announcement that Barack Obama will be our next president. It feels so good to be proud to be part of this country again. Words cannot describe the emotions running through me last night as I watched with my family as the the declaration came onto the TV screen. I cried with everyone else as I saw the look on the faces of the people across the world - especially the African-Americans with whom this much have such deep meaning.

While it was great to share those moments with my family, I also wanted to be able to explain the significance to my four-year-old, but then I realized – it's much better for her to grow up thinking that it's not unusual for an darker skinned person to be the leader of our country. In fact, I'd like her to not notice skin color at all.

I think why I feel so much emotion with this momentus change is that I actually do have "hope" again for our country. I didn't expect to feel this way, but I have never seen anything in my life like the reactions I saw on TV last night. I don't expect Barack Obama to make everything perfect in America. However, I believe we as a people are changing for the better. I am excited to see what comes next.