"Nappy Naterman" and "Sleepy Swinney"

Okay...Did I mention we're all exhausted? (Check out the itinerary to the right and you'll see why!)

Colonial Williamsburg

Jamestown

St. John's Church

Okay, we all agreed this was one of the most incredible things we've seen thus far! We cuddled into the tiny pews which were in this Episcopalian church where Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech not really prepared for what was about to come. Suddenly, we noticed several men around us dressed in period attire. They began arguing in a formal meeting about the path the colonies should take -- should they remain loyal to England or break away knowing the risks were extreme? The reenactment was riveting. We were particularly surprised when one of our own students, Ty Derouen, led our meeting's invocation. (We never realized he was a minister!)

Monticello

We went to Thomas Jefferson's plantation today. Wow! It's hard to decide what was more captivating: this beautiful home on the mountain or the incredible weather we've had. We were all mesmerized by the interesting architectural elements like his bed which was actually nestled inside the wall separating two distinct rooms. The view of vibrant fall color which you overlooked as you stared down into the valley from Mulberry Row was absolutely breathtaking. We learned so much about this visionary that was indeed our third president -- truly amazing!

Michie's Tavern

Yesterday we woke up early, boarded the bus, and began our trip from D.C. to VA. We arrived at the famous landmark eatery, Michie's Tavern. We went on a guided tour of the establishment and learned about travel during the 18th century. We even performed a traditional tavern "jig"! It was great fun. With all of the dancing, we worked up a real appetite. We feasted on homestyle southern comfort food including fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, cole slaw, stewed tomatoes, beets, cornbread, rolls, peach cobbler, and the coldest iced tea in the south. Yum! We got back on the bus with full tummies and big smiles:)

SO VERY TIRED!

We all got back to the hotel not too long ago, and I can safely say, there isn't a student, parent, or teacher on this trip who isn't ready to hit the hay. We've seen a huge number of historic sites within the past two days: Arlington National Cemetery, ALL of the monuments and memorials, the Capital Building, the Supreme Court, The Library of Congress, The National Archives, the Smithsonian (Air & Space; American History -- parents = Holocaust), and of course, the White House. We've learned so much on our visit to our nation's capital. We can't wait to share our experience when we return. Tomorrow we're headed to Virginia where we'll see Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's plantation), St. John's Church (where Patrick Henry gave his "Liberty or Death" speech ), and Michie's Tavern. We would ask that you would please continue to be in prayer for our group as we will continue to pray for our family and loved ones back in Fort Worth.