National Monument

Today my husband and I attended an event to celebrate the creation of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.  A huge section of the Rio Grande, from south of Taos, up to the Colorado border, was signed into National Monument status on Monday by President Obama.  This is a project that many people, my husband included, have fought very hard to bring to fruition.  It means that the beautiful Rio Grande gorge, which we are fortunate enough to neighbor, will stay wild and protected, for my children and theirs to enjoy for generations to come.

Watching the group of politicians and conservationists talk and thank people for their hard work, I was filled with the emotion and excitement of the day.  All around me people cheered and applauded, everyone was grinning from ear to ear.  When the Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, thanked the people of New Mexico, and especially those of Taos County, for their hard work, I looked up at my husband proudly.  Although he was only a small part of this project, he is fighting every day to preserve and protect the rivers and forests around our home.  As I was introduced as Nick's wife, to senators and state representatives, it was easy to keep the smile on my face, and the pride in my stance.  Today was a beautiful celebration of what can be accomplished when people work together towards a common goal, and I was honored to be a part of it.