A letter to our president-elect.

Dear President-Elect Obama,

Tonight, I trusted you with something with which I have trusted only one other man. I trusted you with the future of my children. Tonight, I stepped into a voting booth with all three of my young children by my side and I cast my vote for you. Then tonight I listened to you speak to our country and promise to protect that future. It is a moment in history I will not forget.

You did not earn my vote easily. John McCain is a great man who has served his country and sacrificed more than most of us Americans can ever imagine. I also believe he could have made a great president. You earned my vote because in the end I agree with more of your ideas and I believe you are the leader who can energize our country and lead us in a new direction.

There will be those who disagree with me. Some of those people will be my own family and friends. These are the people you spoke of tonight. These are the people who did not vote for you and whose help you requested tonight. The strength of our great nation lies in our freedom to disagree openly with our elected officials. While we exercise that freedom, I would ask that all Americans step up and realize that the majority of American people have spoken. Let's unite again as a country and come together to support you, Mr. Obama. My grandmother taught me that while you have the right as an American to disagree with or even dislike the president, you do not have the right to disrespect the office of the president. I hope all Americans can unite and come together to work with you and move our country in a direction that will serve us all well.

There are those Americans who fear you. It will be up to you to show them you are a man of your word. Show us Americans that we can trust you. I believe that one of the greatest challenges that America faces is that the average citizen simply does not trust our leaders anymore. I know that is one of the reasons I struggled so much with my decision. Once a politician gets to the level of office you have achieved, how do I know I can trust you to do what you say in the best interest of the most Americans? Over the next four years I expect you to show me that I can take you at your word.

I hired you tonight to protect my future and the future of my children. I expect you now to live up to your end of the deal. I remember when I was a little girl going camping with my mom and grandpa in the mountains of Colorado. Grandpa and Mom always taught us to leave our campsite better than we found it. Now, I have three small children of my own. Whenever we go to the park or camping or even out for a walk I try to pass that lesson on to them. Leave the place you are a better place than it was when you got there. President-Elect Obama, I do not envy you the challenges you will face during your time in office. Our world and our nation are struggling right now. I pass the lesson onto you though. Leave America a better place than how you found it. Fight everyday you are in office to make sure that our world is better when you leave office than it is right now as you go into office.

I am a stay-at-home mom who proudly supports my Air Force husband as he serves our country. I am also trusting you with him. You will make decisions that may place him in harms way. Be sure as you make those decisions and ask us and every other military family to make sacrifices for our country that you are doing it for the right reasons.

History was made tonight when you were elected. It is a proud moment for America. Your children and mine will never truly remember a world in which America sat waiting for the first minority to be elected to its highest offiec. It has happened and I pray that while we never forget our American history, we can now move into a new and exciting future. I pray now that we can all come together as a nation and remember that what unites us all is that we are human and we all want to live the American dream. The world and your citizens will be watching to see how you lead us into the future. Do not fail us.

Thank you for your willingness to sacrifice so much for our country.