Tourists at Large

The Mister and I are in Washington DC at the moment in the run up to our niece's wedding, and we are acting like tourists for a couple of days. It was a little bonus to discover that the Diamondbacks are staying at our hotel for their games over the weekend against the Nationals. The Mister, of course, walked up to Luis Gonzalez and shook his hand and chatted for a few moments. He's not really shy that way.

The first, most important visit had to be to the National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport to look at various aircraft, including the space shuttle. One of the highlights was a plane similar to the one the older brother flew in the navy. This is an RF-8, with the older brother and The Mister enjoying the view:



The Mister and I brought our kids here about 10 years ago in the fall (before Gilbert Public Schools instituted a fall break, and boy were we ever in trouble for letting our eldest miss some school - not by her academic teachers, who thought it was a great learning opportunity,but by her choir and band teachers, who were incensed that she would miss music rehearsals) and spent an entire week on the mall. There were several things we missed, of course, and so today we returned to see a couple of more places. But my favorite place ten years ago and still today is the Lincoln Memorial:



There is something very comforting about Abe sitting resolutely in his chair, surrounded by his great oratory.

There are plenty of problems in the world and with various people in politics; but we were in awe and humbled to walk around the seat of our government, reminded what a privilege it is to live in America, and that our freedoms came at great cost to a great number of people.