DAY 30 – July 28, 2012 – Arlington Cemetery

Our tour guide compared him to a real life Captain America…the most decorated U.S. combat soldier of World War II

Our tour at Arlington Cemetery started at 10am.  We walked for two hours through the Cemetery while our guide taught us about different gravesites, and stories from Arlington.  I want to preface this by saying that yesterday I loved both walking tours about Lincoln and the Memorials.  But I found myself wishing we hadn’t done the Arlington walking tour.  We did learn a few things that we hadn’t learned last year on the tram tour that Arlington provides.  But I have a couple reasons why I prefer the tram ride.

First, it was a very hot day, and walking two hours was uncomfortable.  They are good about having us stop in the shade.  But I wondered if it was harder to enjoy the surroundings…but that being said, because I know I am a wimp, I do have another reason that I think better justifies the tram.

When we took the tram last year, I don’t remember ever feeling rushed at our stops.  I’m not sure if the tram waited for a long time, or if we caught another tram.  But I remember having time to stop and contemplate the places we were visiting.  I was overwhelmed with emotions as I was able to silently, on my own, take in Arlington.

With the walking group, they understandably can’t wait around places for long, because they don’t want the walking tour to turn into a 4 hour event and have everyone exhausted.  But that limitation took the quiet thoughtfulness away from the experience.  So in this case, I think I would have done it differently.  I highly recommend the tram that Arlington provides.  They talk about Arlington while you are on the tram, but then you have time on your own to quietly reflect when you get off and walk around.  And that time alone in Arlington was one of the most sacred experiences I have ever felt at a historical site.  I’m sorry my kids missed that part.

We visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  One of the things I love about Arlington, is the respect and honor they show the soldiers.  The Tomb of the Unknown has had soldiers guarding it 24 hours a day since 1937.  It seems there are so many things we don’t have respect for anymore.  It’s refreshing to be in a place where respect and honor are still alive.

The guide was informative.  Jawbreaker is my history buff, all my older kids are, but he tends to be my most avid reader.  It was fun to see that there was nothing the guide could stump him on.  At one point the guide asked if anyone knew who Audie Murphy was.  No one, older and younger knew except Jawbreaker.  I think the guide was kind of stunned.  I guess this is one of the times it’s fun to have an “expert” in the family.  Sometimes we don’t always appreciate the random facts of knowledge shared every time he talks.  But our kids do love history, and this trip has been so fun to enjoy with them.

We visited on a great day. Today they had some activities to remember the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812.  We were able to enjoy an old time army band, and watch them shoot a cannon.  None of us could believe how loud that was.  I can’t imagine being in battle with multiple cannons going off.  That is crazy!

The Arlington House also had a place where the kids could earn another Junior Ranger badge.  Only here they had more hands on activities for the kids to do, rather than a work book.  They were able to make their own potpourri.  Many people carried satchels of potpourri in their clothes to hide their smells from not being able to bath often.  After they made a satchel of potpourri, they tried on some civil war era clothes and played some games.  For that they earned the “Arlington House” junior ranger badge.

We saw some girls had a “150^th Commemorative Civil War” junior ranger badge.  They told us they earned it by doing a separate workbook that is about multiple sites in the area that have to do with the Civil War.  We were able to get a book at the Arlington House, and many of the places we had already visited, so the kids were able to earn that badge also.

Starburst asked me if I could make a plaque for her badges similar to the plaque the older boys have for their scout badges.  I guess they might have enough when this is all done, that we will have to do that when we get home.

We got a call today that a huge branch of our giant evergreen tree on the side of our house ripped off the tree.  I’m so sick about it.  It’s the trees on our land that make our home.  I don’t even want to go home and see it.  So I am trying not to think about it on this trip.

We came back to the RV campground by 2pm and let the kids have the rest of the day off.  I think this is only the second time this whole vacation we have had free time.  I think they enjoyed the break.  Cherry Hills is a great RV Park.  They have 2 swimming pools, a café, a very large clubhouse, and many other things going on.  Some of our kids swam all day, and some watched the Olympics in the clubhouse.  It’s 10pm here, and Spitz and Jawbreaker just walked in from watching the Olympics, and everyone has passed out.

We have come down with something.  I think we have strep, although I don’t know how we caught it on the trip.  Half of our family has it.  In these small quarters, with cups all over the place, and no one willing to use their own cup, I’m pretty sure we will all have it soon.  I guess something was bound to happen this long on the road.  Right now it’s the older kids, and they have been troopers about still going on, although that’s one of the reasons we came home, to let them rest and figure out what to do.

I can’t believe we have less than two weeks left.  Can I say, this trip has happened in the blink of an eye.  It’s been the fastest 45 days of my life.  We have so many fun memories, I’m so glad that we will always have this to reminisce about.  We’ve had the craziest things happen, some of which I have not publicly blogged about, but which will be family jokes forever…Just very, very fun memories.  I’m so glad we did this.

Summary of Day 30
Drove: 43 miles
Walked: 2 miles

Places we visited or saw: Arlington Cemetery including President Taft, Doubleday, Audie Murphy, Robert Lincoln, John and Jackie Kennedy and the eternal flame, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Challenger Memorial ….

QUICK NOTE ON RV’s at ARLINGTON:  You can park there.  We were there for almost 4 hours and it cost us about $10.  Could do easily do Arlington, and then walk the memorials with that parking spot.