our vote counts

yesterday was election day
here in the us of a.

citizens from across our good country

made their way to the polls.

volunteers held campaign signs
and counted ballots.

friends shared selfies and 

adorable pictures of their kids wearing their 

"i voted"  or "my vote counts" stickers.
voters held doors for each other
and made "everything but politics"
small talk with others from their precinct.
this lovely volunteer from precinct four

made my red, white and blue heart sing
with her amazing bow and all american glow.
i'd like to be her friend...
and i made sure knew that before i snapped this picture.

every year i take just one of my kids 

to the polls with me.

it's special and important,

and i cherish my role as a parent
in helping to teach this.

this year was bennett's turn.

he loves the campaign and election process the most,

and is so curious about it all.

maybe because he dreams one day of
having his name on a ballot.

maybe because he's more than a little competitive,

so the fact that there are winners and losers gets him jazzed.
maybe because he knows that his mom & dad
share the same views on most things,
but that their ballot circles are filled in a little different,
so he's curious why and what it means
to us, and to him.

ah election day,
you make this political science degree holding,
christian, feminist, farm girl, independent,
feel all the feels.

and even if today is not as filled with the same spirit and curiosity,
but rather the noise and declarations of winners and losers,

let's all try to hold onto the truth of yesterday...

that we are citizens, neighbors and friends
who walk down the same sidewalks and cereal isles

and that deep down we are created to actually really like each other.

onward dear citizens, onward.
your vote counts,
my vote counts,
our vote counts!

and oh guess what else?
the sun came out today,
and it is glorious!