Day 21- Dedicated to Chris, Jane & Grace

We had a day off in Philly today.  We were able to sleep in, but really was not able. The way it works with this group and meals and such on days off is that we get an allowance to buy our meals and pay for transportation on the bus etc.  It isn’t a big allowance.  We received $30 for the day and I had to have a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich for lunch, of course, and we went to Olive Garden for dinner, so that alone pretty much used all my allowance for the day.

We had a good visit to all the sites.  We toured the place that the Liberty Bell is located and the story behind it and Independence Hall, which is the place that the Declaration of Independence was signed.  There is also an American Jewish Museum here that we toured that goes through the history of Jews in America, which was very interesting.

There is a park next to Independence Hall that has the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for the Revolutionary War.  The park was used as a burial ground that many soldiers were buried in while England occupied this town and used Independence Hall as a hospital for revolutionary soldiers.  As we talked about independence today and the freedoms that we enjoy and often take for granted and seeing a tomb of a person that fought for General Washington and lost his life in fighting for something that I enjoy each day, I just wanted to thank all those who put their lives in harms way so that I can enjoy the freedoms that I have.  My son Chris just returned from Iraq.  He is now in Fort Louis in Washington getting trained on how to come home and get back into everyday life.  Jane, his wife has had to do without Chris for a year now and keep a home and raise a child.  Grace, their baby girl has had to grow up much of her life so far without Daddy.  They as well need to be thanked for their sacrifice.  Not only them, but about 1,500 other people and their families from Idaho that have sacrificed these same things to keep us free and I know at least two from that group have given their lives.  Our tour guide put it very appropriately when he said, “the price of freedom is anything but free”.  Thank you Chris, Jane and Grace and thank you to our great Idaho National Guard for a job well done.  I am thankful for all those who have served in all our conflicts.  I truly have a blessed life because of them.

Chris, Jane & Grace on day he left in September 2010 and Chris and fellow soldiers in Iraq.

 Indepence Hall

 This says, "Beneath this stone rests a soldier of Washington's Army who died to give you Liberty"