Presenting a Wreath

(This is from January.  Sorry for the lateness of this post.  I also have video but, can't locate it right now...)

We never imagined in a million years that we would be able to have so many friends come to visit us!  Since we had so many handsome scouts here at the same time, we decided to make a memory for them.  Mt. Vernon allows the scouts to come and present a wreath at the tomb of George and Martha Washington.  It was so awesome!  We began with Dawson and Dalton presenting the flags and the Pledge of Allegiance.   After that, Ethan, Justin, and Max recited George Washington's prayer for his country and a quote from George Washington.  

George Washington's prayer for his country:

Introduction to prayer

"Adapted from Washington's Circular to the States, written from his headquarters as Commander in Chief at New Burgh, New York, on June 8, 1783.  This letter was directed to the Governors and States of the new nation; his reference to them has been replaced by the words "the United States."  Otherwise the words and spelling are those of General Washington."  

Prayer

"I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have the United States i His holy protection, that He would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to the Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at Large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Devine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation." 

Quote

"In politics as in religion, my tenets are few and simple.  The leading one of which, and indeed that which embraces most others, is to be honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved.  If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease and our swords would soon be converted into reap hooks and our harvests be more peaceful, abundant, and happy."  George Washington 1795

L-R:  Sam Jeppsen, Dawson Smith, Seth, Dalton, Ethan, Max Larsen, and Justin Breinholt.

The casket on the right is General Washington's, on the left is Martha.  After He left the presidency, he asked everyone to call him General instead of President.  This was to show his support to the new president, John Adams.  

One of my besties, Tiff (Sam's mom) was able to be here to watch this.  It was awesome!!

All the boys received a pin to put on their scout uniforms for doing this ceremony.  This is such an amazing place and I am grateful that they offer such great experiences for these boys!  I love our country and I love George and Martha Washington!  

Lacrosse in St. Petersburg

Headed to St. Pete for a real life lacrosse game!

Toilet on the train

St Isaac's cathedral is the coolest cathedral in the entire world!!  Every single piece of art work in there is mosaic.  A-mazing!!

Close up of the door in previous picture

Wha???

We win!  We win!

Moscow Rebels are in white and the St. Petersburg White Nights are in black.

This is an article that was in the St. Petersburg Times.  Ethan is #2 in the white jersey.  http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=40030

"White Nights".  It is 11:30 p.m.

Train ride home.  It was quite a cultural experience for Ethan.  He had a top bunk.  

Train ride home

Victory Day

Victory Day is the day that Russia stopped Hitler's army.  They stopped the army just inside the Moscow border.  This is something that the Russians are very proud of and celebrate with gusto.  They parade their army trucks all about the city and have a massive firework display.  I don't know if you can fathom the effort it takes to close the roads in Moscow.

Vedenha Park.  This is where we went to watch the fireworks.  This is also where the upside down house was.

Dalton's Adventures

European Medical Center

Behind these doors are the doctor's offices.  When you come out of the elevators, you check in at a desk and then they send you down the hall to wait.  There are little couches in the hall where you wait, the doctor comes out and says he's ready for you.  He has his desk and the patient bed in the same room.  It seems a little bit futuristic or 007ish.  

Two blood draws and then

we wait...

This is one of the images from one of the MRIs they took.  Dalton is concerned because he can't see his nose...

I found it interesting that they use the same smiley pain scale as we do in the states.  Another thing I find interesting, it is in English...

After a day of blood draws, MRIs and having a camera shoved down his nose, he ends up in ICU.

Not a happy boy!

It's morning and life is much better!

Fancy robe huh!?!

Breakfast that nearly made us all throw up.  Chris tried it to prove to Dalton is wasn't that bad.  He did a Nacho Libre spit out the nose.  I guess it was pretty bad and that was as much as got eaten.  

He got a room with a view.  This building was used in the 1980 olympics

Dad had a pretty rough night in the hospital.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Sherametovo airport.

Chris had never seen such a thing so, he photographed it for documentation. 

I felt pretty special.  I got one of these for my birthday this year and that was the only one I can remember since he was in kindergarten.  And yes, he really is that tall.

After passing through security, Dalton and I promptly went to TGIF's and had some lunch.

This is the TV that was on the back of all the plane seats.  The bottom little thing pops out and the back side can be used to play video games.  We could select to watch from 100s of movies, tv shows, music, news, video games...  It was the best 10 hours I have ever spent on a plane!

We just landed in NY and Dalton is trying hard to not be too sleepy.

After our flight to Philadelphia got delayed, he quit trying to stay awake.

In Utah we have speed bumps, in Virginia they had speed humps, in Philadelphia the have speed lumps.  This one was extra special and we laughed about it the entire time we were there.

Lobby of the hospital

While we were waiting (for 13 hours) they would not let Dalton eat anything!  

They finally brought this beauty in for him.  In that little hole, there is a DVD player and a bunch of DVDs.  I guess they put them in there so nobody steals them.  Haha.  

 

 

This is what I did to keep myself occupied while waiting and waiting.

We are so grateful that there are two separate thermometers.  

This was on the menu for the kids to order their food.  Cracks me up!  "Amazing" appetizers...  soup and veggie plate.  I guess if you call it amazing, it might trick someone into thinking it is!

Spent the day having tests and more tests.  Bored, bored, bored.  Thank heavens for Legos!!

After being there for 2 days, Dalton was released with a clean bill of health and we hit the town!  My first stop was a fountain Diet Coke!  I drank so many of these that I made myself sick!  

The bell is much smaller than we thought it would be.

You can't tell from this picture but it is pouring rain and we did not bring any jackets or umbrellas.  Bummer!

We also went to a movie, Rio 2.  We ordered popcorn, had candy, and a drink!  Ahhhh!  We also went to Wal Mart, Target, and Old Navy!  These are the things we were missing the most.  Well, that and all the people speaking English!  We are super grateful for a clean bill of health and the comforts of America!