Today was a long, exhilarating, exciting, exhausting day! I am sure you all watched the inauguration on television - did you see me, I was the one in the pink scarf?! Ha, me and a million other people. Make that millions of other people. I thought there were lots of people at the concert on Sunday, well I was wrong.

To me, the interesting thing about today was that people seemed so resolute and determined to be there. Lines were hours long and yet folks waited, with millions of people there, obviously everyone couldn't see and hear but folks stuck around and there are reports that folks got there at 3 in the morning to wait on the gates to open (not me and Ireta of course, I mean seriously!).
But we did get up early (4:30 am) and were on the train into the city soon after! The trains were so crowded that stops were being closed down and we ended up missing our stop because there were too many people on the platform. So like hundreds of other folks we walked the mile or so to the Capitol.


While walking to the Capitol I was interviewed for a Kansas City News Station http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=2898834. Things just seemed to work out for us early in the day - we literally ran into the line that we were supposed to be in for our ticketed area.
Once inside we were in the "silver" ticketed area and although we weren't up close we had a perfect view of the stage and the big screen that was in our section.


Again, during the speaking parts of the program, particularly the speech, it was eerily quiet - people just seemed to be in the moment. There were hundreds of children and even they didn't say much. It was the one of the most unique times that I have experienced in my life. I won't relive the entire speech I am sure that you have your favorite parts - but Ireta and I agreed that President Obama's words about our country in relation to other places in the world was particularly compelling. 'And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.' We thought this sign was fitting:


After the program we waited for the crowd to clear a bit and while waiting we realized that the Bushes were departing by helicopter at the Capitol, so they actually flew over us as they headed out of town. (There was lots of excited waving and shouting - hmmm, not sure if folks were saying good bye or good riddance).

So getting out of DC at the end of the day proved to be a little more difficult then getting in. Unlike the morning commute into the city, everyone left at the same time creating massive congestion at the train stations. We started leaving around 1 and we weren't able to find a train to take us back to our hotel until 5! We wondered aimlessly, desperately looking for some place to warm up (oh yeah - it was freezing in DC) and low and behold we found Chicago's own Billy Goat Tavern. The perfect place to waste some time before trying to get back on the trains.

We were finally pointed in the direction of a train station several blocks away and made it there after passing some of the best inaugural day clearance sales ever - "2 t-shirts for $5.00!" After dragging Ireta away by her hair (Ireta comment: Not True. Rashanda's eyes glazed over when she heard that price) - we made onto the train and headed back to the hotel. Here is what we look like now: