Thursday 7-12-12



Suffering from constant off and on dizziness today was a bit difficult to get through (hope I'm not getting what Jacob had).


Jacob and I are safely home and very happy to be in the company of the fam. I missed Gavin, Brie and TD so much. Four days feels like forever!


This morning was another early 5:30 am wake up, to clean our room, check out and head into DC. Jacob and I wanted to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Kennedy's Eternal Flame and Arlington Cemetery. We were thrilled that Savannah and her mom, Becky, were going to venture out with us for the morning. We met at 7:30 am and took the bus to the train to the memorials. It was Becky's and Savannah's first time on the Metro... and during rush hour. Piece of cake. I always feel like I've accomplished a lot when I reach my destination after riding the Metro. I think the feeling was mutual today. We first walked to the Women's Memorial. I didn't even know it existed. I liked it very much. One of the plaques with dog tags hanging said something along the lines of not all woman wore pearls in the 60s. I think women are tough as nails, but I just can't wrap my head around being in a war, in any position. Walking through the hall and being among their awards, photos and uniforms made my eyes well with proud tears of being a woman. I will go back when we have more time and sign the guest book and I'd love to take Brie to write something for the wall of notes.


The Arlington Cemetery is huge. We should've bought tickets and rode the tram around to see everything, but, being a bit determined to not complain about being hot, the hills being enormous and my luggage being heavy among the graves of our country's bravest, we walked. We saw Kennedy's Eternal flame and JFK's cross. Since Jacob had been so sick yesterday, we never got to see Casey. About the time we were melting and not sure which road was going to take us to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Casey, Gracie and Lacey appeared... and with a map (and with a car and homemade spelt bread :))!


The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (it has no set name if I understood correctly) it was breathtaking in a way I can't explain. The Army Officer, dressed in his dress blues carrying an old rifle, M-14 maybe, radiated with pride and honor. Fortunately, we were there at the right time to see the changing of the guard ceremony. Again my heart pounded and I felt overcome with emotions.


The tomb reads "Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God"


http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/VisitorInformation/ChangingofTheGuard.aspx


Savannah really wanted to see the Pentagon, so Casey was nice enough to drive us by it and around DC. I know that I want to visit Martin Luther King Jr's memorial and Thomas Jefferson's. Casey told us about some other neat places too for next time.


Right at noon, just as planned, Casey dropped us all off at Ronald Reagan National Airport. We said our goodbyes and headed to check-in, through security and onto our direct flight home. First direct flight for us and I loved it!! Will do that again if I have a choice.


Jacob is feeling a little better. Last night him and Savannah went walking, played pool, air hockey and cooked after dinner dinner. He was in bed early and slept good. It was tiring for him to walk a lot today, but he manned up.


The next few weeks we are going to work out the ins and outs of his surgery next month, try to get the 8lbs he's lost back on him and get him to work on his posture.


Tomorrow I will be back on the road at 5 am to take Brie and Sierra to Universal and the CoCo Key resort water park.


As life goes on....


PS: Thank you to all my friends and family for your kind support yesterday. Reading your texts and posts meant a lot. Thank you for your reminders that God is with us.


I realize I was (am) a rotten child of God, who was devastated for things not going the way I want them to. Seeing that God is always good isn't always easy to see, but I will keep looking and praying for God to "open the eyes to my heart."