Jason and Stella

This picture just cracks me up every time I look at it. It looks like Stella is giving Jason a back rub. She does love him but she doesn't have opposable thumbs. :)

First Day of School

New school for this boy. He leaves an hour before his sisters and from another bus stop. Time for him to be an independent kid. I'm not quite ready.

She is at the Upper School this year and is my only kid there. She is so nervous but I know she will be great!

This one is now the big sister on campus. She is going to help Paige get where she needs to go as the veteran Primary School student. She is going to rock second grade!

My baby is a kindergartner I will miss this devilish smile being with me all day. I am not sure what awaits in store for her but one thing I do know, it won't be boring!

It's official. All my kids are in school. I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I am SO excited to have my day on my own schedule. On the other hand, I am mourning the loss of when my babies were little.

Daddy was able to slip away from work and see Brendan off at the bus stop. That eases my mind a little. Now he sees the girls off at the bus on the first day too.

And they're off! The bus being ten minutes late on the first day is not bad.

This is how Stella feels about a quiet, kid-free house.

And at the end of the day the bus came, Paige (being a kindergartener who sits at the front) was first off the bus. She is an extrovert and was so energized that she wasn't even tired though it was a long day. Darby got s prize from the treasure box and Evas best friend from last year is in her class again. Brendan's bus came later. He told us that his class is nice and the bus ride isn't bad. Hallelujah!

National Cathedral

For our last trip before school started, we decided to go see the National Cathedral in DC. It had been recommended as one of the most beautiful buildings in the area. And it didn't disappoint.

 As we walked up I was awestruck. Even the detail on the outside was amazing. These pillars outside were each carved with different animals and figures.

 There were many doorways and passageways with pointed arches at the top. This is the gothic style, allowing for thinner walls with windows and higher ceilings.

You could see where there are stained glass windows. I was excited to see the inside.

As we entered I was struck by the beauty and enormity of the place. This is the first view of the inside from the main chapel. Wow!

We were asked to sit in the pews near the entrance and wait for our tour guide. I am glad we took the tour. We learned so much.

Inside there are three levels of stained glass windows. Each level has a theme. The top was all stories from the Bible. The middle level is all about contributions of people to mankind (physicians, scientists, soldiers, etc). Each profession has a window. The lower level is dedicated to individuals who bettered society, like Martin Luther and Abraham Lincoln.

These stained glass windows show the parables of Jesus.

The largest circular window depicts the creation story.

This window is depicting the sun, moon, and stars. Do you see that dot in the middle of the moon? That is an actual lunar rock that was donated to the cathedral.

Our guide explained that stonemasons were tricky and had a sense of humor. in the stonework you can see a cat chasing two mice, a monkey holding a rocket (symbolizing the first monkey in space) and a Darth Vader gargoyle (I couldn't zoom in enough to get a clear shot so I took one from the internet). Those definitely weren't in the original plans. :)

This is the bishop's chair. Our guide explained that without this it would just be called a church because this chair is called a "cathedra".

The Canterbury Pulpit was made from acquired stone from the Canterbury Cathedral in England. This is where Martin Luther King gave his last Sunday sermon.

Here is a stone carving behind the largest chapel in the cathedral. In it is the High Altar and it is huge!

These are the intricate wooden carvings that are in front of the High Altar.

Everywhere you looked there were amazing tapestries, glasswork, woodwork, stonework, and paintings. I want to go back and just wander around.

This is where the choir sits. We are going to try to come back and listen to a concert.

This chapel was built as a celebration of women. There are many chapels, including a children's chapel where everything is smaller.

After the tour, we headed down to the chapel of St Joesph of Arimathea and the crypt. We never made it to the crypt due to bad kid behavior. :(

Here is the lower level. It is under the main chapel.

This is the chapel of St Joseph of Arimathea. Beautiful paintings!

Down in the lower level is more history of the cathedral. This drawing of it is quite old.

Here is a marble statue of George Washington in an alcove near the entrance.

And a bronze statue of Lincoln in another alcove.

About six years ago there was an earthquake here. It caused the cathedral towers to whip back and forth. Pieces of the pinnacles fell. Stonemasons have been called in to recarve them. They are not quite finished yet. You can see pieces of the original pinnacles on display here.

Lastly, some random kid pictures at the cathedral. The older two enjoyed it more than the younger two. It's hard to be quiet and reverent. ;)