Inauguration...

I am not a fan of the individual who will become our 44th President tomorrow morning. I have reasons, but they're not anything worth sharing. The voices have been raised and he will become our new Commander-In-Chief, and that deserves the utmost of respect. I am more than willing to gulp down my opinions and give the man a chance. He could be a masterful one who does great things for this country! Granted, it could go the other way, too, but only time will tell. No matter what, I tip my hat, extend my hand, and wish Mr. Obama the best of luck as he takes office.

But there is another side to all of this. The inaugural proceedings are driving me crazy! I have mentioned that I absolutely love the city of Washington, D.C. I am not a city person, I like to be out where I have room to move and breathe, but this one particular city just stole my heart. I desperately miss being so close to it, being able to visit so many sights and see so much history. This morning saw Good Morning America inside the Library of Congress. Now I'm really twitching!! That is, by far, one of the most grand buildings I have ever seen! Not to mention the amount of information one can find there.

I had my best, most fun, and definitely favorite celebration of Independence Day in D.C. We walked all over the place, including parts of the city you generally wouldn't want to find yourself in, saw tons of interesting people, and just enjoyed a fantastic day. Sitting on the lawn in the Mall, situated between the Washington Monument and what is now the WWII Memorial (it was just getting the fountain finished then) watching the fireworks shot off from the river behind the Lincoln Memorial was amazing!! It was especially poignant for me since my 2002 celebration was halted for evacuation in New Braunfels due to a catastrophic flood. To have all the festivities and fireworks that lasted close to an hour in our nation's capital more than made up for it.

My parents were able to fly out and attend the dedication of the WWII Memorial with us in May 2004. It was my mom's first visit. Standing in front of the White House with her was special. Sharing the grandeur of Union Station, gasping at the awe of the National Cathedral, walking the miles, and seeing the spots major historical events took place with family members was a lot of fun. Memories that I will always treasure.

My time to write today is short, so my thoughts are a bit scattered. As much as I would really like to watch the inauguration and remember the time I was fortunate enough to spend in that wonderful city, I will be in class. I have no idea if I'll get to see any of it. For those who can, enjoy it and know we're a strong nation.....