Slipping Through My Fingers: The Day We Walked 10 Miles (or at least it seemed like it!)

Day 2 in Washington DC proved to be the longest day of the trip. If there was a long way to get somewhere - we found it! We walked and walked and walked . . . A LOT!

I loved this picture because the kids literally followed Grandad around like this.
I think they thought he was the only one who really knew where we were going,
and sometimes that was true!

We took the metro to Arlington National Cemetery to spend the morning. I had never been,

and was excited about seeing this part of the city. We took a tour of the cemetery by trolley - which was worth EVERY penny we gave!!! We could hop on and off as we pleased.

Something very humbling about this site . . .

The eternal flame and Robert E. Lee's house

My dad's family was stationed in the DC area as he was growing up. One of his little sisters

was born during that time, but only lived 3 days. Because of my Pa's service to his country, Shelbie Jean was allowed to be buried at Arlington. We found her grave on the hill down from the eternal flame.

The plan is to one day move my Pa to Arlington. How special will that be?

On our way to the changing of the guards, we were able to see the Challenger Memorial.

One of my first very VIVID American history memories was this one.

One of the greatest things to ever experience is the changing of the guards. Words

do not do it justice.

The family from the best view of the city

In the gardens

Who knew that Abner Doubleday was buried at Arlington? Carter was PUMPED to find the

inventor of baseball buried here and did not understand how it was not a top 10 site to see at the cemetery!!! Mr. Doubleday fired some of the first shots of the Civil War we found out!

From Arlington we went to the Pentagon where we wanted to see the 9/11 Memorial.

This was a LOOOOOONNNNGGG walk, but I am glad we were able to see it.

It was a very different memorial, but again just a good way to think about things our country has

experienced.

A list of those who lost their lives at the Pentagon on 9/11

As you walk into the memorial area, the time the plane crashed is at the entrance . . .

as well as the date . . .

Each person who lost his/her life has a bench in memory of him/her. They are listed in order of youngest to oldest.
This was the youngest one.

We went to Pentagon City to eat lunch and then made our way (a looonng way) back to the National Mall. The kids were so glad to see the sprinklers going off behind the castle and took advantage of it

to cool themselves off!