Washington D.C. Day 5

I only did one thing out in the city but it was the best! I had the chance to attend an exclusive performance of "Thurgood" at the Kennedy Center.

Here's the lobby at the Kennedy Center:


















The play was a one-man show featuring Laurence Fishburne. It had a successful run on Broadway in 2008 and is finishing up a 3-week run at the Kennedy Center this weekend. This performance was taped for use by teachers, students and schools. I think they said it would be available to 46,000 schools, something like or maybe I'm way off.

Anyways, the play was tremendous and Fishburne was outstanding as Thurgood Marshall. It was really informative, thought-provoking and inspiring. It makes me want to read about any and all of the Supreme Court justices to see how their journeys led to highest court in the land. It was really powerful.

I also received a lovely compliment. The lady sitting next to me serves as a volunteer at the Kennedy Center. She looked at my outfit and noted that she saw one of the Kennedy ladies recently who wore a similar outfit to mine: white pants, black top and black sandals. I was "looking like a Kennedy." My real name is Jacqueline...I'm just saying.

Washington D.C. Day 4

Today...more museums! Today was art day with time at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the National Portrait Gallery. I was going to do the Art Ventures art walk but there was not a subway stop out that way. So I got frozen yogurt and wandered back home past the Capitol Building, snapping a few more pictures as I went.

I really enjoyed the modern art of Hirshhorn. The Yves Klein exhibit was great. At the National Portrait Gallery, I mainly went to see the American Presidents exhibit. It's amazing how many presidents you forget about, like John Tyler, the "accidental president."

Presidents included below: Andrew Jackson, since I live down the street from his home The Hermitage, Abraham Lincoln cuz he's Abraham Lincoln, Gerald R. Ford because he's from my hometown Grand Rapids, and Richard Nixon because the painting was done by Norman Rockwell, which was unexpected.

Pictures:

Washington D.C. Day 3

Day 3 was pretty low-key. I went to the National Air & Space Museum at the Smithsonian. I spent more time there than I anticipated. I love air and I love space.

From there I headed north to Columbia Heights to meet up with my friend Justin from Fuller. He's finishing up his internship with Sojourners. He hosted a screening for the upcoming movie "Countdown to Zero." The movie is about moving the world towards nuclear non-proliferation. It's by the same guys who did "An Inconvenient Truth." It was a bit frightening to consider what could happen but it contained information we need in order to work for the elimination of all nuclear weapons.

Some pictures from the day:

One thought from D.C.

I snapped a picture from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, looking out past the Reflecting Pool towards the Washington Monument. The 1963 March on Washington came to mind. I was moved to think about all the people there (a quarter of a million!). I'm sure I'm not the first person to do this but I had to compare pictures when I got home.

Washington D.C. Day 2

Day 2 in Washington D.C. was spent at the National Mall with all the monuments and memorials. I started at the White House and made my way around to the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Reflecting Pool, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, FDR Memorial and Jefferson Memorial. It was quite a bit of walking but worth it.

There was a rain shower midway through but I found shelter under a tree by the Reflecting Pool for a while - quite relaxing.

Washington D.C. Day 1

I am in Washington D.C. for the first time. And it's quite inspiring - seeing all the monuments, memorials and buildings in the city in person.

Monday I spent my afternoon visiting the Postal Museum (which is part of the Smithsonian) and the Library of Congress. I saw the Capitol Building and Supreme Court on my wanderings as well.

The Postal Museum

My Niece Makes Me Smile REAL Big

My 3yo niece emailed me today (translation given by my mom):

bbgftjj (Hi)

dfgggggggggggggggghappyaaaaaa (That is Happy Birthday to you.)

(Except it's not my birthday; it's my aunt's.)

sdfgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg (thank you for the stickers)

(That she used to decorate my aunt's birthday gift.)

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb (Bye)

*****

My sister-in-law also told me that my niece is looking forward to my visit in June.

"Elizabeth is looking forward to doing 'chick-flips' with you because you LOVE doing them. She plans to do 'chick-flips' with you at the cabin. Oh and to jump waves with you because you love that too."

What are "chick-flips," you ask?

I had to ask as well....

"A chick flip (which she says you taught her) is a little jump and a spin at the same time. She tells me that this is what she did with you while we were at the hospital when Ava was born. Just get ready-- she has some TALL tales these days."

Oh, so apparently I'm supposed to know what a "chick-flip" is...I better re-learn real quickly.