A Capital Fourth

We spent the afternoon and evening of the fourth of July in Washington D.C. with about a million of our closest friends. 

We took the subway and met Amanda's friends Randy and Sharon, who she knew in Greeley and Germany. They live in New York now (chasing the dream!).

They saved us a place for our blanket just west of the capital. We were right next to the canons that went off in the 1812 overture.

Although we could just barely hear the music from the Capitol steps,  the cannons really woke up the crowd around us.

We DVR'd the concert so we could see what we missed after we got home. It was a beautiful, hot (but not humid) day, and after the Hare Krishnas refreshed my water bottle I was good for the rest of the afternoon.

It was fun for Amanda to have friends again.  Ed and I, sadly, are not enough. It was also nice to see Randy and Sharon doing so well. Joining the church has been great for Randy, and he says he's never felt more free. Isn't it interesting that discipline gives us freedom?

The main event was just as good as advertised. Seeing the fireworks with a the Washington Monument in the foreground was very awe-inspiring. We might even try it again next year!