Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Growing up we all learn about the dramatic Civil War battle of Gettysburg and the importance it played in the history of our county. For this reason it was a mandatory stop on our US Tour.
On Sunday afternoon we pulled into the The Gettysburg National Military Park. To say we are getting our "money's worth" out of our $80 US National Parks Pass is a gross understatement. We seriously use it all the time! The kids, and Cindi and I, are getting amazing history lessons each week. Needless to say we do not have history books for homeschool this year--they are getting a huge dose of the real thing! What an incredible experience! There are times we just stop and thank God that we, or He, has created this unique opportunity for our family.

The new Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center opened this year and is VERY impressive. We started, as we normally do, with getting the Junior Ranger Program materials (this is where the kid's groan, primarily because it is Sunday). As part of earning another Junior Ranger badge/patch they got (had) to listen to a ranger talk entitled, "Civil War Soldier." It was very interesting but butt-chilling as it was cold outside. We then headed inside to watch a great film on the Gettysburg Battle called, "A New Birth of Freedom." We then went upstairs and enjoyed the Gettysburg Cyclorama which is a 360 degee painting that lights up with narration as the 3 day battle is retold. We then toured the museum. All very interesting and enough information to complete their Junior Ranger requirements.  Here is the quick summary: The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Confederacy," it was the war's bloodiest battle with 51,000 casualties (that is just unimaginable). It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous address, The Gettysburg Address... "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war..." OK, that did not even come close to doing Gettysburg justice so for more information visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gettysburg.

Our accommodations were within a cannon's shot away from the battlefield, at the Artillery Ridge Camping Resort. Cindi decided to work another Get Motivated show, so early Monday morning we all jumped in the car (actually I carried each sleeping kid into the car) and headed south through Maryland into Virginia to deliver Cindi to Dulles Airport. Then headed back to Gettysburg with the kids sleeping almost all the way back. After homeschool, the boys and I ventured out on a self guided tour of the battlefield. We took a couple hours driving around, stopping along the way at numbered stops that highlighted key battle locations and monuments. It is amazing that this battle took place only 150 years ago. Can you believe that? It seems like it should be so much further back in history. Fortunately the Union prevailed and we were on our way back toward reuniting the nation and more importantly moving in the right direction toward, all men being created (and treated) equally. (music starts...) "God Bless America. Land That I Love..." Sorry couldn't help myself breaking out in a little patriot singing :-)