Last post on our trip - I promise!

We spent the final few days of our trip in Washington, D.C. Dan had some business meetings there so I spent time visiting with my college roommate, Bridget Harding, and her family. This was Stephen's favorite thing because Bridget has 3 young children. Unfortunately, we were having so much fun, I forgot to take pictures! I hate when I realize that later. Right before we left, we had a neighbor come over and take a picture of our two families (I'll post it as soon as they e-mail it to me).

We headed into the city late one afternoon and visited Arlington Cometary. We decided to leave all the other D.C. sites and museums for a later visit when it wasn't so humid. The temp was in the high 80's with 70% humidity and climbing :( Poor Daniel had a very difficult time since he walked around with his own built in heater 24/7.

Arlington was beautiful. Stephen enjoyed watching all the squirrels and Daniel enjoyed watching the changing of the guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.



My favorite place was the "Memorial Amphitheater." It is a beautiful amphitheater constructed almost entirely out of marble in Roman style. What made it so meaningful to me were the inscriptions. The first is from George Washington when he was General of the Continental Army, "When we assumed the soldier we did not lay aside the citizen." The second is from Lincoln's Gettysburg address, "We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." And the third, translated from the latin, "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country. Then inscribed around the colonnade are the names of 44 battles from the Revolution through the Spanish-American war and the names of 28 generals and admirals prior to WWI.

This amphitheater is right behind the Tomb of the Unknowns and since they ask for silence there - the amphitheater is pretty quiet too. It made it a beautiful and peaceful moment to reflect on all the men and women who have sacrificed for us to have the freedoms we do. And it made both Dan and I resolve to do what we can to insure they they did not die in vain.