Kenzie and I had the amazing opportunity to travel (with about 140 band members and parents) to Washington D.C. with the MC Marching Band over the fourth of July.
(The touring company gave us all these red shirts, which we wore the first day. It made it nice to be at the airport and know who was with us because we were all dressed in red shirts!)
The Band was invited to march in the National Independence Day Parade!!! We had the most amazing time! I think Washington has got to be one of the most perfect places to be for the Fourth of July!
We went through a tour company and split into three groups. Our group DEFINATELY had the best tour guide! Her name was Janice and she was hilarious. Everyone in our group loved Janice!
(Kyle, Janice, Kenzie and me)
We were shuttled around in comfy, airconditioned, bathroom equiped coaches, which made travel super nice. :)
Our first stop was dinner and then we attended a fun concert at the Air Force Memorial.
The Three Stainless Steel Spires represent the three core values of the Air Force-Integrity, Service before Self, and Excellence and the bronze Honor Guard Statue.
The Glass Contemplation Wall that honors fallen airmen and the Runway to Glory.
And Kenzie...just cause she's so cute!
The following day we visited the Arlington National Cemetary. I think this was one of my favorites.
It was quite sobering to stand amid 200 acres of ground with more than 300,000 people buried there.
Veterans from all of the Nation's wars are buried here and there is also a section dedicated to 3,800 former slaves.
The grave of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy
The graves of their two children who died in infancy.
The most exciting part of the visit was when we went to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers for the wreath laying ceremony and were suprised when the MC Drum Majors were able to participate in the actual ceremony.
Quite an exciting day for the band!
We all wore orange polo's that day!
These posts will probably be quite lengthy, but hey...this was a once in a lifetime trip for us. And if I don't document it here, I will forget all the fun details!!
