WASHINGTON, DC

I know this post is long overdue since it's been a few weeks now that we returned from our trip to DC. I can honestly say it was an amazing trip and everyone should visit our Nation's capital sometime during their lifetime. We spent 3 whole days in DC and every single one of them was jam-packed with activity. We started our days at 6 a.m. and typically didn't end up back at the 4-H Conference Center until 9:30 p.m. It was hot and humid and it felt like we walked a hundred miles (we didn't always look or smell real great either), but it was worth it. The city is amazing in so many ways. So let's see if I can just give you a few highlights:

• We saw every monument/memorial in the city I'm pretty sure - even some we didn't know existed prior to going (the new Air Force Memorial for instance, which was really cool)
• Food courts seem to be very popular
• The Smithsonians are amazing - and FREE!
• Arlington National Cemetery is WAY bigger than I ever imagined (and I'm certain it's all UPHILL - if you go there, pay the $15 and take the shuttle)
• The changing of the guard at Arlington is a must-see
• Schedule a tour of the National Cathedral. I've never seen anything like it - incredible!
• We were nearly run over by the Secret Service speeding out of the drive of the Capital Building. We never did find out what was going on but there were fire trucks, ambulances and several huge black suburbans involved.
• Favorite memorials: Korean War Memorial and Iwo Jima (be sure to count how many HANDS are in that memorial)
• Mount Vernon was interesting, but I was a little disappointed in it.
• There are tons of homeless people, but you don't notice them too much unless you are out very early and they are still "camping out" in the parks, or until early evening when they start to stake their claims on park benches (or you see them literally eating from the garbage cans in the parks - very disturbing)
• Everything about the Capital Building is awesome - the magnitude of the building itself, the architecture, the ornateness of the ceilings, the inner-workings, the underground tunnel and train... it was my favorite building of all and I would love to be able to explore it more fully and without all those dang tourists.
• Saw the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights
• Saw the Hope diamond which was pretty impressive
  

There is so much I could say about this trip, but it would take too much space. I took about 300 photos. I'm not sure how many Caitlyn took. This is an experience I am glad I had and glad my daughter had. I don't think the kids will really fully appreciate the trip though until they are much older. I think maturity and life experience are the keys to really "getting" a trip to DC.

This is one of my favorite photos from our trip. The whole city is very massive - lots of limestone and marble so most of the buildings are grayish/brownish/white. But this was one area (a relatively small area) where the landscape was very different. This was on our walk to the Smithsonian Castle. This is such a stark contrast to the rest of the surroundings. It's very serene and beautiful. And notice there is no congestion. That struck me as odd since it was the prettiest spot in the whole city.

IT"S ALMOST TIME

Caitlyn and I leave for D.C. in four days. We're both really looking forward to the trip although we agree we could do without the 12-hour bus ride. But then we can't really complain considering it is costing us $25 for Caitlyn to go on this trip which includes her room and board, tickets, and dinner at Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday evening. Her only other expenses will be 2 meals a day for 5 days, plus whatever "stuff" she brings home. It's a great deal and I'm thankful she is getting this opportunity. As we get closer to the trip, we have a couple of things kind of hanging over us though that concern us. For one, Granny hasn't been well and has suffered some more mini strokes. She is now bedridden and hospice makes daily visits to care for her. That's never a good sign. It is difficult for me to know she's been in this state for so many months now and I am praying nothing else happens while we are out of town. Last Saturday our neighbor, Ed, suffered a massive stroke. He has been hemorrhaging from his brain since then and is not expected to recover from this stroke. We are told it is just a matter of time before he dies. His family has already been making funeral arrangements. This has made our whole family sad since we have lived next door to them for the past 12 years. For many years our kids were the only "grandchildren" they had. We have so enjoyed getting to know them and talking with them and helping them. They are neat people. They are good people and both Keith and I have taken advantage of the wisdom Ed was able to offer us on many different topics - especially about life and faith. We will miss him and we worry about Beverly whose health is also a huge concern. Ed always took care of her. So anyway, Caitlyn and I are saddened by the realization that Ed may pass away while we're gone and we would miss the funeral. We are praying for things to work out differently but we also know God is in control. So for the next few days we will focus on making sure we have everything we need and getting packed. We will be leaving around 6 a.m. on Monday so we'd definitely appreciate prayers for travel mercies as well as a safe overall trip. There will be about 25 teenagers and 10 adults on this trip. For many, it will be a chance of a lifetime to fully experience the rich history of our country.