Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, there lived a young lady and a young man. Both the young lady and the young man loved each other and also loved spending time together. As they grew older with each passing day, both were beginning to realize more and more that life's lessons really never end. They came to this conclusion the night of July 3rd, 2008, when the young man was getting ready to venture off to his nations capitol to work for some time. You see, the Lord had placed an unexplained desire in the heart of this young man. A desire to make a difference in any way he possibly could, even if it meant leaving loved ones or home and staying away in a new and exciting place for a while. This young man was a very passionate person...one who had the potential to do great things with his knowledge and zest for life. The young lady, the one that he loved, was able to go with the young man and his two parents to take him to the nations capitol. Even though she may have acted nervous or sad a couple different times, she had a genuinely good time being with the young man and his family. They let her know that they wanted her there with them to share in the experience. She will never forget the way that feeling felt. So as mentioned earlier in the story, the young lady and the young man were learning more of life's lessons as the 5 day trip quickly passed by. The young lady learned that she needs to trust in the Lord. She also learned that she needs to enjoy the time that the Lord has given her with such wonderful people. I believe both the young lady and the young man saw on that trip that there's no need in worrying about what tomorrow holds, because the One that holds tomorrow is going to take care of it for them. As the young man showed the young lady around, she noticed his excitement for her to see the things that he was fascinated with. His parents made the trip to the nations capital funny and enjoyable, while the young man made the trip exciting and at times, calm. To this day, the young man is still in the nations capitol, working and learning, and achieving things that he will some day be able to share with generations after him. The young lady may miss the young man like crazy, but the young lady also knows that their God has placed the ambition in the heart of this young man, and she knows that he will soon return home to share of his adventures in his nations capitol, Washington, D.C. Until then, she will pray, along with the young man's friends and family, for him to be safe and to have a wonderful time.
Here's Bryon's things, the night before we left for D.C. Well, the green bags and the white one, they're mine.
George Washington Memorial Parkway. We're on our way to D.C.!
Here's the view of our hotel from the outside...
...and here's the view from the inside!
This is Darlene, Bryon, Bob, and me in the Capitol Building on the first day. Thanks to Senator Carper for setting up the tour!
This is what we're standing on in the picture above. It's supposed to give us good luck!
What a pretty chandelier! It hangs in our nations Capitol Building.
I know this is awful, but I can't remember if this was the Old Supreme Court room or if it was some sort of chamber for something else! I still think it looks really nice, though.
Here's where Bryon will be working! Room 513 in the Senate Hart Office Building!
The Washington Monument
Erin and Bryon having dinner at Georgia Brown's.
Darlene and Bob having dinner at Georgia Brown's.
Erin and Bryon on the metro! We loved sitting in either the very front or the very back (well,
preferably the front) because we liked to look out!
Here's the space craft in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum!
Honestly, it amazed me how much Bryon knew about all this stuff. I seriously had my own personal tour guide at this museum! :o) Thanks, Bryon.
Too bad I can't remember everything that he said to put it on here about the planes.
I do know this one broke the sound barrier...
I really like this picture.
I know this one's dark, but here it is! Isn't that neat?!
Ahhh!! My birthstone! What lovely jewelery!!!!
Oh my goodness! These pictures do not do the actual pieces justice! You must go see!
Pearls!
The Hope Diamond, in the Smithsonian National History Museum.
Okay, so here it is from the back...and I really like it...a lot!
Unfortunately, Fords Theatre was under construction, but we did get some pictures of the outside.
And across the street from the Theatre where President
Lincoln was assassinated is the house where he took his last breath.
Here's a replica of the bed in which he died. It's in the same spot. This was so amazing.
Bryon is staying in '
Letts Hall' at American University.
Here's a
goodie box that I made for him. See those letters? There's one for each Saturday that he's gonna be there!
Look at where he had to put his
refrigerator! It's a perfect fit.
A Patriotic bedspread!
Check this one out...Here's Bryon's clothes...
...and here is his roommates clothes.
Bryon and his Daddy
hangin up his clothes.
Bryon and Erin in the top of the Washington Monument.
Here's a pic of the
Whitehouse from the top of the Washington Monument.
Here's the mall...not a shopping mall...a grassy mall...and the World War II Memorial, and then the Reflective Pool, and then the Lincoln Memorial. We watched fireworks on that grass down there for the 4th.
Here's a
helicopter.
This is where President Bush and the first lady, Laura, live.
These things are nuts!
The back of the
Whitehouse, where we see President Bush talking during interviews on television.
Father and Son on the Fourth of July.
I will not mention names here, but I will tell you that it wasn't a boy and it wasn't me who decided that a certain picture of a person drenched in the rain before the fireworks was not allowed to be posted. :o)
I'll respect that, but nonetheless, I'll dedicate this spot to that picture!
It rained before the fireworks, stopped during the fireworks, and rained on our way home. Bob and Bryon still let me stop and we got ice cream while waking back to the hotel!
These next couple of pictures also do not do the fireworks justice. You'd have to go to experience the full effect. They were wonderful!
Arlington National Cemetary.
President John F. Kennedy's eternal flame
Slaves were traded here...man oh man...I stood there. It was amazing.
Bryon with his head in the end of a cannon.
Bryon, you surprised me with your strength! I had no idea you could hold up big huge anchors like this one.
Bob and Darlene
Erin and Bryon
Man. This was the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. I have a new respect for these men.
They guard through rain, snow, sleet, or sunshine...no matter what.
Bryon's papaw was an "MP" (military police). Notice the "MP" on the soldiers helmet in the left corner.
Here's the WWII Memorial. It is so very beautiful.
The Lincoln Memorial. "Thank you God for our founding fathers who helped build this nation on a foundation of faith in You."
Pretty picture of the Washington Monument and the Reflecting Pool.
Just read this.
Hi. I'm Erin. I'm from Ohio.
This is Bryon and Bob. They are from West Virginia.
Pretty WWII Memorial.
I seriously loved this time of evening. I think it was the first night that we got to D.C. and Bob, Bryon, and myself walked to the mall to see some of the memorials.
Last picture of the Washington Monument.
And I thought you might enjoy what was published in the Parthenon today on your birthday. None other than the New dorms. I thought you might appreciate me mentioning this in my entry!
drewandemilee 
...and this picture below just makes me laugh because of how well I know my family. Here we are at the gas station after church...all of us in the van. Emilee is not being serious, but is really telling Drew, my brother, how she feels about the words to the song that was just playing on the radio. I think they were disagreeing about how the song went. The look on Drew's face? Oh that one's easy. This is my brothers signature look that says without words, "I'm thinking of something funny to say to you as soon as you finish yelling".
