Inauguration Day!!

So, this post is a couple weeks late....but better late than never, right?! I DID venture out to the inauguration of this our 44th president Barrack Obama on January 20th 2009. It was SUCH an cool event! So many famous people in town...so many people in town in general. I think I heard the final estimate was that 1.8 million people went to the National Mall to watch the Inauguration (most of those watching from gigantic television screens put up across the fields). We left our house at 8am in the morning (the show was to start a 11:30am)....and we walked there because all of the bridges in to dc were closed to vehicular traffic and the metro was going to be ridiculously packed. It took us about 45 minutes to an hour to walk there....crossing the 14th Street bridge passing over the iced over Potomac. It was FREEZING!!!!! We finally settled on a spot right in front and barely to the south of the Washington Monument...(a mere mile away from the actual ceremony taking place at the Capitol). I seriously could not believe how many people were out there braving the temperatures in the teens for hours....but there I was too. It really is an incredible thing we do here in this, the most powerful country in the world....that we change power so peaceably even amidst vehement disagreement as to how to solve the problems we face. It really is cool when you stop and think about it. Anyways. The ceremony was fun, and I thought Barrack's speech was really good. I loved what he said about how everyone needs to step up to the plate and start taking responsibility for making this country better. I loved how he went further to say how we all need to be better parents because I think that single thing could help alleviate and maybe solve SO many other problems in this country.


Callie and Andrea


My one disappointment of the day was the class-less display of the crowd around me that booed every republican leader that walked out except for the african american ones. They especially booed our outgoing president and chanted (hey hey hey...goodbye - that song you sing at sports stadiums). Wow. No matter how you feel about his politics, he was the leader of our nation. Dedicated 8 years of his life to serving our country. Led us through incredibly difficult times. He's being replaced...how about we show him a little respect and have a little class. I didn't vote for Barrack Obama because i don't agree with some of his policies and views, but I think he has the potential to be a great president and as our elected leader, he has my support. I went to the inauguration to celebrate with the rest of America....but seriously, the way the crowd reacted to President Bush when he walked out was appalling.