Known Unto God: D.C. Chronicles Part 7

Tuesday afternoon we visited Arlington National Cemetery, site of over 300,000 graves of soldiers and their families. The beauty and peace of the cemetery washed over me as I thought about the courage and the honor of these men who had dedicated their lives to their country. After we walked around visiting the graves of men like John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, Audie Murphy (the most decorated veteran of WWII), we went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the 8th graders participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has the unidentified bodies of soldiers from WWI, the Korean War, and WWII. The body from the Vietnam War had recently been identified using DNA analysis and re-interred in his hometown. Because of DNA analysis, there will never again be a soldier only "known unto God," as the inscription on the Tomb says. The tomb is guarded day and night by an honor guard from the Army's 3rd Infantry. Watching the precision and perfection of these guards inspires a sense of awe and timelessness. The soldiers always take exactly 21 steps and pause for exactly 21 seconds during their turn at guard.

Hail to the Chief: D.C. Chronicles Part 6

I just got back from D.C./N.Y. I am so happy to be back! I can't wait to hang out with my friends. Sorry for not keeping up with the blogging. A combination of exhaustion and lack of internet. But we had a great trip and I'm going to update my blog in the next few days. (FYI: I have no idea what happened to Part 3, but I think I just misnumbered. Again, exhaustion.)

On Tuesday, we visited the White House. It was so cool knowing how much history had been made there and how even as we were there, decisions were being made a couple hundred feet away that impacted the whole world. It was especially fun chatting up the Secret Service guards around the rooms. Since they were guards not agents, no dark sunglasses and suits, but it was still amusing to ask them questions. Q: Is that a door in the hallways? A: I'm not allowed to say. Q: How many people work in the Secret Service? A: I'm not allowed to say. Q: How long did it take to do your background check? A: Two and half years, back to eighth grade.

Btw, on the way out of the White House, we noticed that the street was closed down. Pretty soon a cavalcade of black SUVs with men and guns hanging out the window started to drive by. Then we saw a limo and believe it or not, George W. Bush leaned forward from the back seat and waved to our group! Unbelievable!! The kids jumped up and down and screamed like it was a rock star. I am still smiling!!