I feel so privileged to live so close to our capital that, on a whim, my family and I (or my students and I), can see sights like this. That we can experience history and feel the magnitude of our collective journey as a country right there in the flesh.

Let me tell you, there’s nothing like seeing a child experience the awe of seeing President Lincoln, larger-than-life, for the first time. Or a child asking you with wonder, “who is that man coming out of that rock?” It was well worth keeping little dude up WAY past his bedtime:

I hope all of you have the opportunity to travel — more than once — to Washington, D.C. When you do, please please please make a trip to the memorials at night; it is so vastly different than the daytime experience and it is moving beyond belief. As a native to the area, even I still get teary-eyed walking up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at night, the Washington Monument and Capitol at my back.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a peek at some projects I’m working on, I’ll finally post that freebie, and I’ll finally (apologies to those of you that kindly thought of me!) round up the amazing awards I’ve been given over the past two weeks.