On Saturday, August 28, I attended the Restoring Honor Rally with my 3 year old and 5 month old. When my husband and I first heard about this event, we knew that we’d attend. However, right before Christmas, my husband found out that he’d been mobilized and would be heading overseas after the first of the year for a year-long deployment. I promised him, and myself, that I’d still make the trip to Washington D.C. to attend the Restoring Honor Rally. I knew it’d be hard with two children in tow, but I also knew that I needed to be there to represent all the people that couldn’t attend, like my husband.
I was fortunate to have some “adopted parents/grandparents” who were making the trip and allowed my family of three to “tag along.” We left the Norfolk area on Friday, August 27 around noon and arrived in D.C. later that afternoon. My three year old, CC, was excited to attend this “party” for which we had been invited by Glenn Beck. Believe it or not, she knows who Glenn Beck is and can easily recognized his face on television and his voice on the radio.
We woke around 6 am on Saturday, dressed, packed the double stroller and backpack, and headed to the Lincoln Memorial. I’m sure that I was a sight to see: I had my 5 month old strapped to my front in the baby carrier and my backpack of baby/toddler goodies strapped on my back. And, a toddler holding my hand and pulling me along to the “party.” We joined Grandma Kathie and Papa John and started our 2-mile trip to the Restoring Honor Rally. I knew there would be a lot of people in attendance, but I was still amazed at the number of people that walked with us. As we neared the Washington Monument, I was in awe at the number of people making their way to the Lincoln Memorial. When we made it to the Washington Monument around 7:00 am, I could see that none of us latecomers were going to even get close to the Lincoln Memorial. We didn’t mind, we were going to get as close as we could. What mattered is that we were there. We ended up under the trees near the Vietnam Memorial.
As we recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the National Anthem, I was extremely proud to be an American. CC stood proudly next to me and sang every word as she held her hand over her heart. Tears welled in my eyes as I listened to the people around me sing and show their patriotism.
With a husband serving our GREAT country overseas, this day had special meaning for me. I made shirts for both of my children. Deuce’s onesie had a picture of his daddy and read: “My daddy is serving his country, but my mommy brought my big sister and me.” CC’s shirt had the same picture and read: “My daddy is serving his country, but my mommy brought my little brother and me.” Since Nutz couldn’t be with us, in person, we brought my daughter’s daddy doll. Her daddy doll has a picture of Nutz in his flight suit on one side and his civilian clothes on the other side. So, even though he couldn’t attend the rally in person, he was still with us.
We met and talked with people from all over the United States. The family next to us had been on a motor home vacation and attended the event with their two young children. While waiting in line for the restroom, my daughter and I talked with a gentleman who had driven his motor home from Washington State to attend the event with his 13-year-old grandson. I also talked with people from Utah, Florida, Hawaii, California, Virginia and Maryland, to name a few. Some people drove, while others flew and rode the train.
I’m so glad that my children and I attended the Restoring Honor Rally. It truly was a historical event and one that I’ll be able to look back on and say, “We were there.” God Bless America!
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