January 20, 2009.

The day after the elections we decided that we wanted to head out to D.C. for the inauguration.  We wrote all of the congressmen who's addresses we could get our hands on, and we were able to get a couple of tickets.  We just about froze stiff, but it was an unexplainably beautiful event to be able to take part in.  We can't wait to tell our grandchildren about it. 

All week long people yelled "Yes we can!" or "Yes, we did!" at every question, command, or request directed toward them.  They thought it was a hilarious.  By the end of the week, it wasn't very hilarious. The part that was funny during the inauguration when they would say "please take your seats"  the crowd of millions that had been standing for hours and hours roared.  You could hear the laughter rolling back through the mall.

Despite the fact that we were squished right up next to thousands of people for hours and hours the whole day enduring very stressful situations, everyone stayed pleasant and enjoyable.  If we had to submit to sharing our personal space with a crowd of two million again, we would pick them.

These are photos of us skating on the reflection pool that is in front of the capitol.  It has frozen over, and after the ceremony was through we snuck out on it to to show our American pride!

This is when they shut down the freeway to foot traffic.  They had closed most of the roads and public transport until evening so we walked miles and miles.

Below are before and afters of the inauguration:

Before: The empty National Mall, and the empty escalators down to the metro.

After: the lines on the escalators going down to the metro, and the security guiding them.

The two security guards standing on the escalator were holding crowds back and saying in to the megaphone: "Repeat after me.  I will be kind to the people around me."

crowds:  "I will be kind to the people around me"

security: "I will not push."

crowds: "I will not push."

security: "When the people in front of me stop, I stop.  When they go, I go."

crowds: "When the people in front of me stop, I stop.  When they go, I go."

etc. etc. etc.

 

Look at the fun things cold & humidity do to David's hair.  If you look closely at his beard you can see his breath beads. 

This is a video of the oath being taken.  This gives you an idea of how the crowd was.  My favorite part about this clip is that you can hear in everybody's voice as they shout that they are just about to cry if they aren't already.  You know how your voice changes it's pitch when your throat is preparing for you to cry?  That kind.  Listen closely.