He Does Exist!

Thursday morning our class was bussed over to Main State for an event. We had been kept in the dark about the nature of the event until that morning. Apparently President Bush was going to be on site for a briefing and wanted the chance to meet our class while he was there. When the President beckons, you come.

We got there about an hour and a half before he was due to speak to us. It took a while to get 90 State and 45 USAID entry level officers through security, and then we meandered our way through the ceremonial suite to the Benjamin Franklin room, where the President would address us. The President's staff arranged us on bleachers for a class photo with him and then let us relax until they got word that President Bush and Secretary Rice's meeting was concluding. Then it was back to attention, waiting for him to join us.

He came peaking around the corner and into the room. Everyone applauded. The first thought in my mind was "He does exist!" Not to say I didn't think he existed before, but you'd be surprised how it strikes you after seeing someone in the papers and on TV for years. It's quite a different experience. He looks much younger in person than on a television screen. He took pictures with both the USAID and the State classes and then stood around to answer questions for a few minutes. The whole thing was very down to earth. According to our instructors, it's been a couple of years since the President last greeted an entering class like this.

In other news, the weather is getting crisper (love it!), but the leaves have yet to really change color (please be in full swing for Mom's visit). My aunt spent yesterday morning baking muffins for church today, and the warmth and smell in the house when you walked in from the morning chill was perfect. We're really getting into fall (leaves aside), and that means the holidays are coming up. In my mind that's always meant lots of family and the food, warmth, and happiness that comes from being with them.

That means the holidays are starting early this year for me. There will more than 30 family members in town by this weekend. A whopping grand total of one will be coming to Flag Day with me (thank you, Mom!). To be fair, I'd really like to be at the wedding with everyone, but, alas, I have yet to master the art of being in two places at once. I'll settle for the family brunch on Saturday, even if they do plan to thwart my brilliant plan. I had hoped to show up to brunch on Saturday with my flag and make them figure out where I'm going, not unlike what my class will have to do on Friday to figure out where each of us will be going. No go. My uncle's made very clear that I am expected to call Friday night between the wedding ceremony and the reception to tell them where I'm going. As I'd rather not jeopardize my invitation to Saturday's brunch, I shall acquiesce.

I'm much more excited about Mom's chicken and buscuits on Thursday and the big family brunch on Saturday than finding out where I'll be going on Friday, anyway. Come Friday, I'll have a(n approximate) deadline to leave DC, and I'm not overanxious to leave. I'm enjoying my time with family and classmates. Games, dinners, cooking lessons, chit chat, and more, all with such good company. Really, what more could I ask for?