Mount Vernon

Jess and I went to Mount Vernon yesterday. Wow, haven't been in town two weeks, and I already get to check something off my D.C. to-do list! Mount Vernon, of course, was George Washington's Virginia plantation. It's only 10 miles south from our apartment. Jess and I decided to go on a day with a 30% chance of rain, so it wasn't even too crowded in the morning. Below are some of the photos from our trip (taken by Jess and myself).

Although the trip was mainly lighthearted, I really did enjoy learning more about our first President, and his wife. Martha was pretty incredible--did you know that she traveled to the battles to visit her husband, since he couldn't make it back to Mount Vernon to visit her? Apparently, she was a great morale booster. I learned much of this from the 20-minute video at the education center, which was introduced by none other than Pat Sajak! Sooo random (or so I thought--apparently, he maintains a residence in Maryland). Jess and I had to exercise incredible levels of self-control to not burst out laughing, especially when he strolled on screen in 17th-century attire.

The first thing we saw? Sheep! Adorable sheep.


Inside the education center, there was an opportunity to hold hands with Washington. In fact, the hand was worn down from so many tourists!


We weren't allowed to take photos inside the house, but here are some of the slaves' quarters. Wow. It was strange to be on an actual plantation, having only ever treated them as a part of American history.


The house looks grand from afar, but actually isn't that big up close. Also, although it looks like it is made of stone, Washington had the house made of wood, and then used a paint-and-sand method to make it look like stone. Apparently, he was quite frugal.


The view from the porch onto the Potomac is gorgeous. As you can see, the Maryland shore has been maintained as a state park.


Jess and I are going to frame this for our apartment.


Washington's tomb was impressive. We attended a wreath-laying ceremony. They invited members of the military, boy scouts, and girl scouts to participate, which I thought was cool.


Down at the wharf, there was a silly little owl hiding in a corner!


Jess is so cute.


Oh, trees... You're so lovely. The shade was very helpful, since it was really hot (and humid... always humid) in the afternoon.


This was not the answer that we expected as we pulled the lever.


Hee hee, an owl hand puppet in the gift shop. The head turned 360 degrees!

The Lion's Final Roar

The passing of Senator Ted Kennedy affected me more than I would have anticipated. As I watched the coverage of the burial yesterday evening (taking place a mere 3 miles from my apartment), I was particularly struck by Cardinal McCarrick's reading of excerpts from a letter that the senator wrote to Pope Benedict. I would like to share that letter here:

Most Holy Father, I asked President Obama to personally hand deliver this letter to you. As a man of deep faith himself, he understands how important my Roman Catholic faith is to me, and I am deeply grateful to him.

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I pray that you have all of God's blessings as you lead our Church and inspire our world during these challenging times.

I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago, and, although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me. I am 77 years old and preparing for the next passage of life.

I have been blessed to be a part of a wonderful family, and both of my parents, particularly my mother, kept our Catholic faith at the center of our lives. That gift of faith has sustained, nurtured and provided solace to me in the darkest hours. I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path."

I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I've worked to welcome the immigrant, fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and been the focus of my work as a United States Senator.

I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I am committed to do everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health care field and will continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate and I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone.

I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings. I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and our Church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me.

As a Catholic and a Democrat, this letter reminds me of why I went to law school, and the hopes that I have for my own impact upon others. I know that Senator Kennedy wasn't perfect--we're all sinners, after all--but, I nonetheless look up to him, and pray that he finds eternal peace.