DC Trip

Wow... I logged in to post on our blog and realized it was one year ago today that I posted my first (and only) post. So, it took me FOREVER to get this thing up and going. Actually I didn't get it up and going, one of my best friends, Melissa, did it for me. She's super talented and I'm excited about how it turned out. Now that I'm not ashamed about my lack of cuteness on this thing I'm ready to try it out. So, here goes.

Our family took a day trip to Washington DC a couple weekends ago. Don't do that.. don't make a day trip to DC. It's not possible. There is so much to see and so much rich history to take in (that our small kids couldn't have cared less about) that it's impossible to see/do a fraction of it in one day. However, we had a wonderful time and it was definitely worth the trip. We went to the National Museum of Natural History, played on the lawn where a HUGE Kite Festival was underway, ate popsicles, rode all over creation on the Metro (just for the sake of riding a train). The boys were in heaven! Then we visited Arlington National Cemetery and finished up with dinner at The Dancing Crab. The kids were troopers and we didn't head home until 9:30 so they did awesome and I'm still amazed they lasted that long. It was fun. I think the highlight for me was visiting Arlington oddly enough. We didn't plan to go there, but it was one of the farthest locations on the Metro and would give us a nice long ride there and back so we decided to go. We weren't sure if it would be a good idea taking the boys since they wouldn't be able to understand the serious atmosphere, but decided to try anyway. If you've never been there, you should go. It's an overwhelming site... thousands upon thousands of white head stones lining a beautiful hillside. You think you've seen them all, but the rows just keep going and going. It's so humbling to realize that so many men and women gave their lives for our country. I've included just a couple pictures of our visit there. The boys were amazing and did so well, even when we visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They were so quiet and respectful even though they didn't understand what was going on. I think they could just sense the quiet somber atmosphere. I pray our boys (and all of our children of course) come to understand the selflessness of so many soldiers, including their own Uncle Tim, who paid the ultimate price for our freedom and protection.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

It brought tears to my eyes when we were leaving as Caleb was riding on John David's shoulders back down the hill he was singing "Take this world and give me Jesus, this is not where I belong.... "

That's right, sweet boy, this world is not our home and like so many who have gone before us, one day we will be with Jesus, right where we belong.

Family picture at Arlington National Cemetery