The Experience - Witnessing History

After an awesome weekend with Dad and family, I took a nap then packed some bags and jumped on the Metro with Daughter and her Friend J. Dragging a suitcase of blankets and snacks, we herded like cattle towards the metro and rode downtown to my office on 7th street - right in the heart of Chinatown and the Verizon Center (an arena). We unloaded at the office, got Thai Chili food with Sushi, watched a Movie at the theater (Benjamin Buttons - so cute!) and then wandered the streets with thousands of people, buying tshirts and buttons and hats and getting excited and caught up in the thrill of the moment....


We headed back to the office around 10pm in the feint hopes of getting some sleep. We prepped our bags for the morning, set alarms, rolled out sleeping bags and took over the partner's office down the hall who had a couch for mom....

All night long sirens wailed, buses emptied, people hooted. And We Did Not Sleep. ..

Finally at 4 a.m. we "awoke" to get ready to go. We donned layers and layers and layers....shoveled food in us even if we weren't hungry, and away we went...


We wandered 3 blocks down to the entrance just below my office...but at 430 a.m. it was full. so we went another block, but that entrace was full!!!! Crazy. So we hi-tailed it to the 3rd street entrance and VICTORY is ours - we are in the "running" for getting in...along with 5000 of our closest friends....



Someone said it was about 8 degrees at about 5 a.m. when this was taken. (below)

But we have our FRIENDS to keep us warm!


And we DO get in - not only that, but we also snagged a FRONT ROW SEAT to the parade!!! Life. Is. Good.

We had "dice" and cards and food to keep us warm til the show started.

And we felt very very very safe with a policeman/woman from all over the USA standing approximately every 2 feet apart all up and down the streets. The Miami Police were in front of us, braving the Cold to celebrate the MOMENT. Awesome

The Magic Hour - as President Obama gave his inaugural address, my girls Smiled! (above)

We could hear him but not see him - but we didn't care. We knew he'd be coming...soon...

A view of the capitol - up the street from where we were standing. There are a LOT of people up there -and then in the 'gardens' there are people flowing all over the place.

SEE?? People! (below)

And then we waited...and waited....and waited some more. And my "texting Girl" kept the police informed as to why there was a 1 1/2 hour delay when we heard about Senator Kennedy - they police kept saying, "Where's that Texting girl who can give us an update?!" Yep, Daughter's friend was giving us the play-by-play from home so we knew when the parade finally started....kids and their gadgets, she even beat my Crackberry and my cnn.com. Hey CNN You should Hire My Kids!

Finally we saw Flags and People Moving!

We watched tall men in cute uniforms perform daring feats of feet....

That's the General of the Armed Forces above in those tall, adorable Men.



And men With Furry Hats...

And REALLY REALLY Tall Men with big bayonets...

Yes you KNEW I was going to take photos of Shoes!

And then one of my favorites - the Fife and Drum Corps - awesome hats and nice wigs...

Reminding Us we've Come a Long Way Baby...

And then we saw media trucks, which could only mean one thing: The President is coming......

SEE??!! Him in the back seat and one of the girls in the middle....

Indeed, he came and we saw him and we took photos!!!

AND WE SCREAMED AND SHOUTED AND CRIED! "I SEE HIM I SEE HIM OMG I SEE HIM!"

We cried. We cheered. We enjoyed being in the moment.

We wear our buttons "I was there " with pride.

We will never forget....