Blogs

Hi everyone,

As I was browsing through everyone's blogs with the mission of selecting excerpts that Morgan was requesting us to send to her, I was blown away. You all are so amazing! Everyone's blogs are outstanding, thoughtful, thought provoking, intelligent, well written, and very interesting.

Fortunate and optimistic are the two words that most come to mind when people have asked me about what it was like to be at an Inauguration for the history books. While I believe our full understanding of its meaning and significance will not completely set in for years to come, I can say that I was wholly reflective and aware to the best of my ability at the moment.

We're back...but not fully. Back in KC trying to salvage the little scraps of memory and wisdom and experience acquired in DC before the tumultuous life of a student/daughter/friend/sister/employee et cetera wipes it all away and leaves me with an inauguration invitation as a visible reminder of a 'nice trip.'

No.

America, I have seen the promised land and it shines brightly. The dawn of a new era has begun. On Tuesday, January 20th, America was taken by storm as Barack Obama officially became the 44th President of The United States of America. His swearing in opens up a new chapter in American History and forever changes the face of American Politics. It was a defining moment as Obama's Inauguration reinforces the fundamental belief that out of many we are one and the enduring spirit of freedom will prevail.

Some favorite quotes:

 You can be whatever you wanna be and the only thing that stopes you, is you. David O'Conner
 Your physical being is one way people relate to you, talk to you. Marc Patcher
 Don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach. Cal Thomas
 Nobody has the right to tell me I don’t have that right. Cal Thomas
 Seek people who are not agree with you. The more you get to know someone, the less you think about them as evil. Bob Beckel
 Health care begins with the person himself. Cal Thomas

As I arrived home this afternoon, greeted my horses, Skyla—our dog, our cats, and eyed the familiar surroundings I was struck by the realness of it all. I have to keep telling myself that it was not a delusion that I had just witnessed a historical presidential inauguration with my own two eyes, that I had seen and been in the company of people that were previously confined to my television, that I had spent eleven days with ten other students who have made me strive to be better, and that we all got along like a big happy family. Maybe reality will set in one day, but not yet.

Indescribable. But I will try.

When can a 5-year-old hold his mother's leg tightly, shifting his tiny body every second in avoidance of being inadvertently squashed, while gazing blindly into a sea of towering figures crammed on a street without a centimeter of breathing room.......and not cry?

January 20th, 2009

Where? The District of Columbia-- 7th and Independence, 4th and Constitution, 12th and Madison, L'efant Plaza, 3rd and Maryland, the Smithsonian.........for blocks and blocks and blocks.

Everything and every moment was amazing during our trip to Washington DC. Seminars, group discussions, thoughts of the day, site visits, being together, etc. But, the inauguration day was the day that we were waiting for since the very first moment that each of us received the e-mail from Patti which was “ Congratulations, you have been selected to go to Washington DC”.
The night before the Jan 20th was so exciting.some of us couldn’t sleep….

Potomac fever has infected me. I cannot believe that it is over already. On the plane ride back to KC we were already planning on when and how we can return as a group. I plan on returning to DC one day, hopefully for an internship through the Washington Center, the host of our seminar. It will not be the same being there without the group of people that I went with though. Andy and Patti made the experience truly special with their insights and enthusiasm. My fellow students kept me cracking up the whole time with their wit and camaraderie.

Today was the culmination, of all our hard work and preparation, anxieties and apprehensions, thoughts and prayers; today, Barack Obama was officially inaugurated and sworn into office as our 44th President. Most of you probably watched the ceremony on television, and undoubtedly heard President Obama’s magnificent speech that inspired millions.