Recovering and Remembering

Recovering and remembering. It's late morning on Thursday, and I am still in my pajamas recovering from all the walking and driving and just having finished watching the welcome ceremony concert. In my first ever blog I spoke of the spirit of unity swirling around me since the election; well, at the concert, we had that in spades! The entire next day, I just kept thinking that I wanted to 'go back' and do it again. I have never been in a gathering where I felt more in tune with so many people. There is no way to adequately describe the feeling when everbody there broke into American Pie, This Land is Your Land, America, Shower the People, Higher Ground - and on and on.

Happily, the great feeling I had that day carried over throughout the entire trip. It would be overstating to say that this experience is the best thing that ever happened to me, but as Janie and I agreed, "It was SOMETHING!" We struggled physically and emotionally, but that made it all the more meaningful. We had to sacrifice and compromise and work to see ourselves in each other, just as President Obama has asked us all to do going forward.

The give and take expanded beyond our cousins 12 to 77. In addition to Laurel - who tirelessly made this all possible and who patiently and kindly answered each and every one of the two zillion times her name was called, and Janie who lovingly prepared our meals when she was just as tired, cold, and hungry as we were, we had:

* sister Mary stocking our pantry and serving as our own personal gps system;

* Oliver Uberti beginning by 'breaking' into his own home (our home for the trip) because we did not know that he lived there and had locked him out and finishing by breaking out a bottle of champagne to celebrate the Inauguration with his new housemates (we did wonder whether Oliver was celebrating Obama's inauguration or our impending departure!);

* hostess Diane Powell and host Marc Urhan being unbelievably gracious and generous to move themselves out and us in to the fantastic house where we were all able to gather in comfort for meals and sharing;

* Haven Powell - who is perhaps the nicest 17 year old young man - if not person on the planet - for leading (dragging) our bunch home from the concert when we were cold, tired, hungry, and in Nelva's case quite ill; to Haven and his friend, John, - we truly could never repay your kindness and compassion; you two are special.

The highlight of my day each day was when we all shared the highlight of our day; I learned so much. And I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to share this historic time with my three daughters. They worked hard, gave of their time and comfort, and added so much to my joy. I was so proud to see Ellis walk Nelva all the way to the Inauguration and to learn that Kate generously helped to get her home safely. Emma's poise when being interviewed reaffirmed that hers is, indeed, a wise, old soul. Thanks, girls, for being there with me!

And, finally, to my cousins 12 to 77 - what a group! It's true that we are mostly chiefs - or as one of the men said, a bunch of "boss hogs"! But, this trip was not for the timid or the faint of heart. It was for the big-hearted, strong willed, determined women that we are. We pushed and prodded our way to participate in an event that even 200 years from now will be seen as one of the most significant in American history. We were there!

- Dana (cousin 51)