With All My Love

Dear Tanner,

Here is the conclusion of our Washington DC trip. Other memorials we saw included the: 

Iwo Jima Memorial

Korean War Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Franklin Roosevelt Memorial (with a few extra bodies in the soup line)

Your mom wanted to go see the Pentagon Memorial, so we drove across the Potomac and visited the Pentagon. There I was reprimanded by a police officer for taking a picture outside of the actual memorial. Apparently the officer saw me taking a picture of the Air Force Memorial (which is the opposite direction from the Pentagon) and he came flying in his car, across the parking lot, pulled up to the van and gave me instructions not to take any pictures of the Pentagon except of the Memorial. I was respectful and he said he understood what I was taking a picture of however, these were the rules I needed to follow. I'm sure driving a big white cargo van does not allow you to travel to secured areas incognito. I'm sure this sets off all sorts of red flags for security.

(The Pentagon Memorial – Benches facing away from the Pentagon represent those who were in the building that died, while benches facing the Pentagon represent those who died while on the plane.

This is the U.S. Airforce Memorial as seen from the Pentagon

(A few extra officers reporting for duty ;-)

(Do try to see it at sunset!)

A couple of things about Washington DC. We went over to Arlington National Cemetery, so that your brothers could witness the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 We walked over to John F. Kennedy gravesite. Most interesting to note there, the last time I had visited I found out that Ted Kennedy was buried at Arlington. The year before he had a simple white cross as a marker, like his brother Robert Kennedy. Apparently the cemetery is fixing up some special area around his marker, as it was closed off behind a wooden fence and a sign said special ground preparations were taking place.

Most special at the cemetery was the witnessing of a burial unit from the “Old Guard Regiment.” I know they have burials at Arlington most every day, and heard there were a couple of burials to be performed the day we were there. As we were walking towards the Kennedy plot, I could hear the clip-clop of horses on pavement. I looked towards the sound and rising up from behind a hill came the unit and caisson. Apparently they were coming back from another part of the cemetery having delivered the person to their final resting place. The soldiers and horses were immaculate. The soldiers spoke no words, but apparently had to stop and one soldier got off his horse to fix a strap or something on the caisson. The lead soldier quietly took off his hat, wiped his head and replaced his hat. The soldier who fixed the caisson quietly climbed upon his mount and the unit proceeded. No words were ever spoken. Soldiers who rode were up right with dignity, but not with any sense of self-glorification. It is if they had simply done their duty.

 Approximately 10 minutes later as we walked on further down the path, with a sense of reverence of where we were, I heard the first of three volleys fired by the honor guard. That first volley made me slightly jump but prepared me to ponder upon the meaning of the second and third volley. I would like to go back to Arlington, especially on a day that is not hot and humid. It would be nice to sit there for a while, especially with a cool breeze. Through-out Arlington the headstones are marked with different symbols. The various Christian crosses – Presbyterian, United Methodist, Russian Orthodox, Lutheran, Episcopalian and Greek Orthodox are carved on various headstones. We saw the Star of David and I was explaining these symbols to your brothers. Then Sawyer asked about the one “blowing a horn.” I told him, “Sawyer that is the Angel Moroni. That man was a member of our Church.”

Inside Arlington is a Women in Military Service for America Memorial with a special Naval Honor Guard, who gave up their weapons to your brothers.

There is also an artist in residence, Chris Demarest, wearing a kilt, has been commissioned and is very passionate about preserving specific military individuals' actions through paintings

We discussed leaving the hotel early, going to the Washington DC Temple and heading down to the Air and Space Museum outside of Dulles Airport (the one with the Enola Gay and the Space Shuttle). As I mentioned, Sawyer really wanted to see the Star-Spangled Banner. So we left the hotel and were downtown at the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History before it opened at 10 o'clock . Most interesting to be there at the opening was to see a man emerge from the museum, wearing 1800s fashion, give a speech on the Star-Spangled Banner. When he finished a loudspeaker played “the Star-Spangled Banner” and the museum was open for all individuals (including little kids in day care groups) to be inspected and walked through metal detectors.

We went straight to the Star-Spangled Banner, and I wanted your brothers to see the Nauvoo Temple stone (which used to be on the first floor lobby, but is no longer). I thought “if I operated the museum where would I put the Nauvoo Temple stone?” So I looked at the exhibit titles and chose correctly. However, along the way we did pass a number of interesting items (see we were in a hurry because your mom was still in the car waiting for us, in a free parking spot, almost in front of the museum) but one of the most notable items we passed was Superman’s uniform from the 1950s. Therefore we took a picture of Miller Man in Superman pose in front of Superman's uniform.

Your brothers Hunter and Porter walked through the Museum of Natural History on their own and found a booth where they can have a picture made of themselves as a Neanderthal or Cro-Magnon man. The pictures were free and were e-mailed from the museum to our account. It would have been nice if we all had seen it and had our pictures taken. We could have used them as a family picture for our Christmas card this year.

*-

In parting let me say, you help establish a legacy for your family at the high school. Hunter has done very well to build on that legacy and add to it. Now your brother Porter is expected to keep it up. I went with him to the freshman orientation night, and many people asked how you were doing. I know that while certain individuals do not engender positive feelings, you have had a positive impact on them. Once they know that Porter is your brother, there is an expectation that he must be the same quality of a person. This is good and I am grateful for your example. Mr. Hayes is excited for Porter to be on quiz bowl, and I think he is going to bypass the silly rule of not allowing a ninth grader to be on varsity. He stated that the team’s “only chance” is by having two Schenewarks on the varsity quiz bowl team. One teacher who will not be named, but is not the most perceptive and has had you and Hunter, did not realize that Porter was your brother until he asked a number of history/government questions (which only your brother was able to answer) and then saw his name in the role book. So he asked the class, “Do you know what is smarter than a Schenewark?” Nobody would answer the question, so Porter raises his hand and says (as if everyone should know the answer), “Two Schenewarks.” At which the teacher in a quizzical “I don’t know how he knew that” look acknowledged that was the correct answer. It is a bit funny, especially if you look at the two Cro-Magnon pictures of your brothers. I have reminded Porter to be humble, to serve, and be his best, regardless of his standing in comparison to others.

Until next week, love...Dad