Gettysburg

After my family left for the airport, Wes and I decided to pack up and take the kids to Gettysburg. The timing was perfect because with wind chills in the thirties it was extremely comfortable to be outside walking through a battlefield and climbing Little Round Top. However, when Wes reminded me that the crowds would have been over the top in August when I first suggested that we go, I decided zipping through the park on the coldest day of the year was maybe not that bad.

Evan and Keagan actually got a lot out of the experience. They now understand that the South was composed of "bad guys" and that the "good guys", The North, succeeded in winning the war. Considering our next move is to South Carolina, the heart of the Confederacy and the first state to succeed from the nation, I figure Evan's analysis of the Civil War will go over really well when discussions begin in history class in say two years. Keagan made the most important observation when he said he would fight for the Union because their uniforms looked the best. 

When Wes and I tried to explain the implications of the North winning the war, and the effect it has had on our society, Evan was able to simply say, "The brown guy wouldn't be president; he would just be a guy."

Keagan "What's the brown guy's name?"

Me "Obama"

Keagan "Yeah, yeah, I like him! He should be president!"

And because this conversation proves we have lived outside the Beltway for most of our our childrens' lives and indicates we now have Democrats in our midst, we will be even more popular in the state of Georgia. Instead of Icebergs, I can hear Keagan suggesting that his next soccer team be called the blue donkeys.

In all seriousness, though, I found the day trip highly educational, and I am really glad that we were able to make the trip before we PCS. I read an article a month ago that stated that every American should visit Gettysburg because the outcome of this battle had more implications for our country than any other. I couldn't agree more.