Fourth of July… best day ever!! Perhaps an 8am start on your day off doesn’t seem like the most attractive option, but when you’re heading to play ultimate Frisbee with the best team ever, it becomes thee most attractive. It was an impressive turn out of fine sportsmen (and women…thanks to Elaine, Zelda, Sarah and Laura) for such a fine morning activity. The game was heated-in every sense, but Bob (or was it Jonathan, I can’t remember) led our team with audacity and athleticism. Although we conceded to a draw just to keep it all friendly, I’m pretty sure we clinched the victory by a good two points clear. (I have Aidan’s support on that one.) Following a photo shoot in the stands and discovering that we weren’t actually allowed to play on the field we just played on, we swiftly headed back to the Van Heuvelen residence. Amazing eggs which Colm whipped up, bagels and fresh fruit filled our hungry tums, followed by a team recital of the Declaration of Independence. This was most certainly one of my brightest mornings in D.C.
And things just got better. We headed to an amazing “cookout” at Tim and Cathy Lynch’s home. Yet again, I never fail to be amazed by the overwhelming generosity and hospitality extended towards those from the Washington Ireland Program by American families. A little (or a lot) rain couldn’t dampen our spirits in the afternoon, and with determination we forged our way to the foggy bottom metro stop and joined the pilgrimage to the Lincoln Memorial steps. We sat in the rain, belted out Northern Irish football chants, posed for photos and generally celebrated U.S. independence in a rather over excited, youthful way. I felt privileged to be here, to share in this important day of remembering history. And then the fireworks commenced, shortly after 9 o’clock, against a backdrop of the tallest masonry building in the world… the Washington monument of course and a 2000ft long duck pond… more commonly referred to as the reflecting pool. I watched in wonder, wowed by it all. The whole day was just such a privilege, a blessing and a memory made.
