MONTGOMERY — It was a day of celebration, unity and tremendous optimism as Governor Kay Ivey and other statewide elected officials were officially sworn into office on Monday.

The weather played into the symbolism of the occasion, as a cold, overcast day – a storm almost certainly imminent – gradually became sunnier and sunnier as the afternoon pushed on, much like the outlook of the state under Ivey’s steady guidance.

Political insiders and everyday Alabamians from every nook and cranny of the state gathered in front of the Alabama State Capitol steps for the inauguration ceremony, which began promptly at 10:00 a.m. From the state’s richest man to the single mom who checked her little girls out of school just to see Ivey’s historic oath of office, it was a day that transcended the lines that divide us.

Because Ivey’s inauguration message of “Keep Alabama Growing” is a theme meant for all. It is a message of hope – that even a little girl from Camden, Alabama can rise to be duly elected as the state’s chief executive through hard work and perseverance.

For those little girls huddled beneath blankets as they sat on the stone-cold Dexter Avenue sidewalk and for girls like them across the state, Monday was something more than history. It was an affirmation that dreams really can and do come true in the Yellowhammer State.

This was a point driven home by Ivey in her well written (and delivered in vintage fashion) inaugural address.

“Like most of my predecessors, my pathway to this spot was certainly not predetermined or even likely. After all, when I was growing up in my hometown of Camden, little girls simply didn’t dream of growing up to one day be elected governor,” she said. “Alabama is a state where dreams do come true. Because in Alabama, anything is possible.”

Ivey also stressed that this tremendous potential for Alabama (and its citizens individually) only increases as unity does the same. With a tribute to the Civil Rights history of the state – and specifically Montgomery with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. having spoken mere yards from where the inauguration stage stood – Ivey said that Alabamians of all races, party affiliations, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders and the like were moving forward together.

Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth also delivered a strong message to the same effect, with his mantra of “A New Day in Alabama.”

Ivey specifically highlighted the leaders who have gotten the state to where it is today, Republicans and Democrats alike. But, as she preached throughout the campaign season, the work has only “just begun.”

“Today, all Alabamians – regardless of party affiliation – have the chance to stand together, united, to help build a brighter future and guarantee that our best days are still in front of us,” she commented.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we can all be grateful for this progress,” Ivey emphasized. “But make no mistake – we’re not done yet. We’ve only just begun!”

An Ivey-led Alabama, the governor said, is one that reaches for the stars just as Huntsville’s world-class aerospace industry propels us to Mars and beyond. It is one that breaks into new modern economic drivers, like the automotive industry continues to do and just as Mobile is poised to achieve with aviation manufacturing.

With Ivey’s lofty goals come significant “opportunities,” as she called them, rather than deeming them as “challenges.”

Perhaps the largest one in the coming legislative session that convenes March 5 is infrastructure. Ivey spoke on the issue at length, advocating strongly for increased funding for roads, bridges, waterway maintenance and rural broadband.

She advised, “Improving our infrastructure is more than an investment in our roads and bridges. It’s an investment in economic development, public safety and local communities. Now is the time to increase our investment in infrastructure – now is the time to solve this problem!”

Ivey called on the legislature directly to take on this opportunity – and other important ones like the state prison system and education – with her. She told the assembled legislators that they have the unique chance to be the “most impactful” legislature in the state’s storied history.

“Let’s face it. The challenges we confront today didn’t just arrive on our doorstep,” Ivey remarked. “Likewise, they’ll not go away in weeks or even months, but if we work on them together, Democrats and Republicans, then today’s challenges can be looked upon as tomorrow’s accomplishments.”

“With your help – and with God’s amazing grace – the next four years will not only mark the beginning of our third century, they’ll be the foundation for our best years to come,” the governor added, speaking to each and every Alabamian in the crowd and at home.

Thank you to everyone for joining me in my inauguration as the 54th Governor of Alabama. I’m ever so honored & grateful to serve as the first Republican female governor of this great state & am committed to Keep Alabama Growing! #InaugurationDay #ServingAL pic.twitter.com/8Bq1GVYC67

— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) January 14, 2019

Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn