While strolling through Lafayette Park yesterday morning (yep, I'm behind and am actually writing this on Day 4) on our way to the Mall, I spied men walking on the White House roof. At first, I thought my eyes were playing a trick on me...you know, something on my contact lens maybe.
But on closer inspection, via zooming in with my camera, my initial thought was proven correct. There was a man on the White House roof. Hmmm...wonder what's going on? Never seen a man on the roof of the White House before.
We kept walking and discovered why when we arrived at the intersection only to find it blocked. Reminded me of my days of working at Dupont Circle when some dignitary would be driving through and police would have the intersections blocked to allow the limos and security teams to pass unhindered. In this case, the Presidential motorcade was on the move.
According to a man we spoke with once the motorcade had safely left the White House grounds and the intersection was cleared of Secret Service - yes, the guy in the shorts with the bike is Secret Service. I know because I spoke to him. Actually asked if that really had been the Presidential motorcade and if the President himself was present.
Anyway, according to a man who was visiting from California and who had been standing on the opposite corner from us, the President was in the second limo and rolled the window down to wave at everyone. That must have been the reason for the big cheer that sounded from that corner when the car went by.
After all the hubbub, we continued on our way to the Mall to meet Melissa, Steve and Rachel. Of course, it was necessary to take a photo of the Washington Monument along the way.
We finally arrived at the Mall and I met up with Melissa. Some of you are probably wondering who she is. Melissa and Steve were in our adoption group in China. That's where we met. Both of us had opted for a few sightseeing days in Beijing before traveling on to Nanchang so we bonded while viewing the Forbidden City and especially while climbing all those steps on the Great Wall.
Since returning home with our daughters, Melissa and I have kept in touch. I regale her with tales of Ellie's and Grace's wrong doings and heart stopping antics. She laughs as only one whose child has yet to do what mine have done can. A few months go by and I get to laugh at her stories of Rachel doing exactly what Ellie and Grace had done earlier. You could say they're paving the way for Rachel since she's a few months younger.
We decided to take the girls to the Folklife Festival on the Mall. Crafts and entertainment. What could be better? Well...snacks actually. My girls ate all of snacks that Melissa brought.
Or nearly all them. Rachel did manage to get a few bites.
And then Ellie met Rosie.
I think it was love at first sight.
Ellie even decided to share her milk wth Rosie.
Grace just wanted to take Rosie for walk. Thankfully she never got the hang of it.
Rachel had discovered the fan and was fascinated by it.
When we decided the girls would enjoy a ride on the carousel, Steve somehow ended up with stroller duty. Not an easy feat to accomplish one-handed!
All too soon it was time to part.
But first goodbye kisses were bestowed.
Along with group hugs.
Later, Ellie and Grace discovered the fountain at the Hirshhorn. Who needs to view the art inside when there's a water fountain to play in handy?
More soon as to what the rest of the day held in store for the girls.
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