Martin's notes: today we were runnin'! We started our day at Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. I had never been there before- it was quite impressive. 
The house itself was pretty big and interesting to see. I can't imagine how difficult it was for him to leave his amazing home and views of the Potomac to serve his country in war and peace. I have always admired him (though Jefferson is my favorite), but I have a new respect for him and what he did as the father of our country.
We then visited Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the tomb of the unknown soldier and the eternal flame at the grave of John F. Kennedy and the grave of Robert Kennedy.
I'm going to turn it over to Haley Horstemeyer, a junior, to tell about her experiences today...
I've never had anyone in my family die in a war before. I've never had a connection to the
military, I've never had to worry about a family member die overseas-nothing! So when I first heard we were going to Arlington National Cemetery, all I thought was "Sweet, old tombs!" The thing is, I didn't know that the 'sweet old tombs' would seem to last forever. Just rows and rows of cold-looking white and off-white tablets. It had never really hit me just how important the tombs were. The tombs meant someone lost a parent, a spouse, a child, a friend, etc. just so that we could be safe. I'd never thought of it that way before...
Visiting the Arlington National Cemetery was a really profound experience for me. It made me realize just how deep patriotism for the US is. To be willing to give your life to save people they don't know or will never meet is the most selfless act there is. To understand that people
you don't know are dying (and have died) to save ME and YOU was a really enlightening experience. The whole ordeal has made me appreciate soldiers and the war in Iraq so much more than I used to, and maybe now you feel a bit more appreciative too. As it turns out, Arlington National Cemetery is indeed full of sweet tombs, but the individuals that fill the tombs are some of the bravest and most honorable people we'll never meet.
The house itself was pretty big and interesting to see. I can't imagine how difficult it was for him to leave his amazing home and views of the Potomac to serve his country in war and peace. I have always admired him (though Jefferson is my favorite), but I have a new respect for him and what he did as the father of our country.We then visited Arlington National Cemetery where we saw the tomb of the unknown soldier and the eternal flame at the grave of John F. Kennedy and the grave of Robert Kennedy.
I'm going to turn it over to Haley Horstemeyer, a junior, to tell about her experiences today...
I've never had anyone in my family die in a war before. I've never had a connection to the
military, I've never had to worry about a family member die overseas-nothing! So when I first heard we were going to Arlington National Cemetery, all I thought was "Sweet, old tombs!" The thing is, I didn't know that the 'sweet old tombs' would seem to last forever. Just rows and rows of cold-looking white and off-white tablets. It had never really hit me just how important the tombs were. The tombs meant someone lost a parent, a spouse, a child, a friend, etc. just so that we could be safe. I'd never thought of it that way before... Visiting the Arlington National Cemetery was a really profound experience for me. It made me realize just how deep patriotism for the US is. To be willing to give your life to save people they don't know or will never meet is the most selfless act there is. To understand that people
you don't know are dying (and have died) to save ME and YOU was a really enlightening experience. The whole ordeal has made me appreciate soldiers and the war in Iraq so much more than I used to, and maybe now you feel a bit more appreciative too. As it turns out, Arlington National Cemetery is indeed full of sweet tombs, but the individuals that fill the tombs are some of the bravest and most honorable people we'll never meet. 
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