It was pouring rain this morning when I asked my trusty sidekick to get dressed and go vote with me, even though she hasn’t been feeling well. Just a couple weeks ago, she had played the role of Leslie Cockburn in a debate for Civics class and had won the mock election. I wanted her to be there when I cast my vote.

Go, Leslie, go!

Despite the wide grins…

…we’ve actually been feeling like this all day:

But the future is NOW…and we are going to live in hope. Even on a cold and wet day, there is beauty to be found…

By the time I got home from work, the sun was shining. There were even some flowers valiantly blooming, bowed but unbroken by the torrential downpours we’ve been having lately…

We live in hope.