I simply have to mention our visit to Arlington. It was a cool cloudy day, typical April weather. The cherry trees were in full bloom and there were flowers blooming as well. As we walked from the Kennedy grave site to the tomb of the Unkown Soldier I could hear a bugle in the distance. The soft sound of Taps, coupled with the rows and rows of white tombstones was overwhelming. I wear many hats but first and formost I am always a mother. As I listened to that sad, soulful sound and gazed at the white stones as far as I could see, I couldn’t help but thinking of the mothers who had buried sons and daughters at Arlington. My heart ached for them and for all the loved ones left behind. I prayed then as I do now, that they will find comfort

My sons are sixteen years old and haven’t traveled very much. It shouldn’t have surprised me that one of their favorite things about our trip to D. C. was riding the subway. “Way cool!” was their comment. I had never ridden a subway before either, but I didn’t exactly enjoy the experience. Going down into a dark hole and climbing onto a train that travels faster than I can drive, didn’t thrill me. And I’m not even going to try to explain what getting our tickets from a machine was like! I’ll just tell you this….it took a very patient subway worker to get the five of us through the gate and on the correct train! I really hope that when my son’s teachers ask them what they enjoyed most about the trip that they name a monument, or the day we went to Arlington, or the day we went Mount Vernon, but I strongly suspect they will say “riding the subway!”

Are there any other moms out there who have taken their kids on educational trips only to return and have them say their favorite thing about the whole trip was the ice cream they ate the first night they were there? Or is it just me?

We just got back from Washington D.C. Bill had a business trip and the boys and I tagged along. It was a great trip, but it was only for four days. There’s no way to see everything in four days, but we tried. One of the best things about the trip was that the cherry trees were in full bloom and they were gorgeous. One of the worst things about the trip was it was cold, wet and drizzling rain most of the time we were there and guess who didn’t take a coat! They boys loved the subway—I didn’t, but I handled it better than I do flying. It took one very nice, patient lady at the gate to teach us how to get tickets, find where we were going and which train we needed to be on. I know people ride in those things every day and don’t think a thing about it, but for a little country girl like me going underground and getting on a train that goes faster than I can drive was a big experience and one I won’t soon forget. More later about our trip. Right now I have loads and loads of laundry calling my name!