Days 171 to 173 | Washington, DC

The first two and a half days back in the US were spent in Washington, DC. We took care of some business, relaxed at the hotel, had some Chik-Fil-A and Chipotle, went for a swim (we pretty much filled up the hotel’s capacity limit for social distancing), and saw a few special places that represent our country and people of the past.

Day 1 Chick-Fil-A meal!

Day 2 Chik-Fil-A meal!

I’m so glad the girls were able to swim! They enjoyed it so much!

Beautiful sky as the sun goes down!

This was my first time to be in Washington, DC. It’s hard to put into words what was going through my mind as we walked through the Washington Mall, so I’ll let Samuel Francis Smith’s words explain. He wrote My Country ‘Tis of Thee in 1832.

My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees
Sweet freedom's song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright,
With freedom's holy light,
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God our King.

The Washington Monument

The Smithsonian

The Whitehouse

The Capitol

The Supreme Court

The East Wing of the National Gallery

The Lincoln Memorial

The Washington Monument

World War II Memorial

The Vietnam Memorial

I’m thankful for my country.
I’m thankful for my rights.
I’m thankful for the ones who died for my freedom in a fight.
I’m thankful for my God.
I’m thankful for His grace.
I’m thankful for Jesus who gives ultimate freedom, who carried sin in my place.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.
-Galatians 5:13-15 (ESV)