Kentucky Gubernatorial Inauguration - December 8, 2015

Thank you, thank you so much. It's- it's an interesting measure of how much we think alike that actually we did our speeches separately and we're going to actually reference space, so just saying. As far as being a night owl but I love about being a night owl is Matt is too, and so cabinet get ready because we're going to be meeting at two in the morning. I have no doubt of that. Midnight is where the day begins, that's what U2 said.

Thank you for being here. I want to recognize all the dignitaries who are here Governor Bevin, Governor Beshear and honored guests, thank you for coming and sharing this day with me. I want to especially recognize my family and friends who are here, my husband, my sisters are here I have some sisters from Detroit, from Maryland, some close friends from Detroit. Thank you guys for being here, I do appreciate you coming to share this day [applause]. And I especially want to- to thank my mom, and after traveling the state, my mother has her own fan club. 88 years old, Miss Marie's wave… she is a huge part of who I am and so I thank you mother, we all love you, thank you.

We are so blessed to live in a nation where someone born and raised in poverty can rise from poverty and I truly appreciate this; it’s the best nation on earth, it is. I don't think in any other country are we given the freedoms and liberty where we can chart our own paths and I've always been appreciative of that, and so, yes, I dreamt of space. And for those of you not old enough to remember in the 1960s, there were launches, boy just maybe every other month maybe every month I don't recall, but I just remember spending many a many a morning curled up on the couch watching the launches watching the splash downs because the rockets- the rockets when they came back to earth they splashed down in the ocean and there's the whole ritual where the ships went out to get them.

But boy it just made me dream such huge dreams. And looking back on this what this was I was- I had something that was so huge a goal that was so big and lofty that it colored who I am, it's shaped Who I am who I have become and even though I did not become an astronaut sometimes when you have a huge goal even if you get halfway there or a third of the way there, you've grown as a person. And so, God sent me- ended up sending me on an incredible journey from Detroit to here. From- I spent time in the Air Force so from the- from me- from Air Force blue to the Bluegrass State it's just been a fantastic journey and I believe I was sent to serve to help set to launch Kentucky on its rise from the bottom to the top [applause].

Governor Bevin and I have a vision for Kentucky which will help every citizen of Kentucky. We see Kentucky is being vibrant, the vibrant Commonwealth that it's meant to be- that it could be and we're not there yet, but we are certainly relishing the challenge of shaping Kentucky and moving it forward. We look forward to the daunting task of putting Kentucky on solid financial footing. I've been sitting in budget meetings, that's been an eye opener.

We look forward to a Kentucky where jobs are plentiful. We want people to come here, stay here, grow here. We say that- we say to people around the nation come here, raise a family, start a business, shape your career, maybe even refresh your soul I think one of my sisters came one time to a retreat here. There's a there's a hidden retreat she did at a monastery if I remember correctly yes oh she says that's her secret spot so I wasn't supposed to mention that.

I am so grateful- even though I didn't become an astronaut- I am just truly grateful to have an opportunity just to serve. I joined the military back in 1985, I was grateful then for the opportunity to serve my nation, and I am equally great four or more so to serve the citizens of Kentucky. I look forward with a servant's heart to being a champion for entrepreneurship, for small businesses, for education. I would love every Kentuckian have a love of lifelong learning that I have because it has served me well throughout my years. I look forward to sharing my story as I've traveled the state on the campaign trail might- the story of my rise from has inspired so many and so I hope to inspire many many more.

I will be a positive and uplifting voice to Kentuckians. I want to- I want to travel- I want to talk to kids I plan to be- as gorgeous as this building is I plan to be behind a desk as little as possible. I plan to be out and about in the Commonwealth come visit some of you come visit small business- businesses, talk to schools, talk to colleges, just everywhere I could be to inspire and help people see the potential in themselves because when every one of us discover the potential in ourselves, we discover that we unlock the potential that Kentucky has and I'm looking so forward to helping make that happen and watching it grow and it's going to be fun to watch.

The Bible verse that I will place my hand on in a second here is one of my favorites, just Galatians 5:1 and I found it one time after I loaded my bible app after I finally joined the 21st century and got an iPhone and loaded my bible app and wanted to see what the bible had to say about liberty and that one popped up and it goes like this, it says, “stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” And so I say to you today I'm going to help Kentuckians shake off the trappings of bondage, and I'm going to help you stand because our Liberty is truly God-given and we need to keep it, preserve it, and more importantly than that we should use it and be grateful to almighty god for it as I am today, and I thank you for allowing me to serve you as your next lieutenant governor. Thank you.