Inauguration of Our New President

I saw President Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony. I was there for this historic occasion. I saw our first African-American President sworn in as President. And I was speechless, awe-inspired, and overwhelmed.

So let me start at the beginning...

Lawrence sings in the St. Louis Gateway Men's Chorus (the gay chorus) and plays in Band Together (St. Louis's LGBT concert band). Ahhh...my little band geek...how i love you...

Seriously though I think the singing and musical instruments is sexy probably because I can't do either. Trust me...ask my mother (she once told me to just hum along in church- I'm that bad.).

Anyway, Band Together is part of a national association of GLBT bands from all over the country. It is called LGBA (Lesbian and Gay Band Association). They have annual conferences and march in parades as an Association at times throughout the year. Anyway, long story short- LGBA was invited to march in Obama's Inaugural Parade. Of course we didn't know until plane flights were sold out. Luckily my friend Paul lives in D.C. so we had a place to stay. We ended up driving to D.C. from St. Louis with three other band members from St. Louis. We left at like 10pm on Friday night. I don't remember much from the drive there. It was uncomfortable, there was cramping, neck pains, and a really gross port-a-potty at a West Virginia bathroom.

So we got to DC Saturday afternoon, met up with other LGBA members for dinner and then went out to the bars. I was sooo tired but it was fun.

The band had to practice most of the day Sunday and Monday to prepare for Tuesday's parade, so I was mostly on my own (Paul was not interested in fighting the crowds).

On Sunday, there was a concert on The Mall. Lots of speakers, muscians, and of course President-elect Obama. The above video is from the concert. Also the pics below are from Sunday's concert. It was insane, but so so so fun. And also REALLY cold. The mall was packed from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. I was near the Washington monument.

Sunday night we went out to dinner with Paul and drinking at some of D.C.'s finest gay bars. On Monday I just bummed around D.C. and goofed off. Tuesday started bright and early when Lawrence had to wake up at some un-godly hour like 4am or something insane. I went back to bed.

I just have to tell you that I hate crowds...hate them. So this was quite the adventure for me. I can't describe what it was like trying to get to the national mall that morning. I got on the subway and for the first couple stops it wasn't bad. And then more and more people got on the subway. It got so bad I thought I was going to have a panic attack. And then it got worse. When I exited the subway onto the platform it was pure insanity. There were so many people you couldn't even walk. They had to open the turnstyles and just let people through. It was like herding cows. You couldn't walk, just shuffle your feet. I wish I had my camera (it got misplaced for a few hours and I have no pictures from Tuesday morning or of the actual swearing in ceremony).

I finally got to the mall and was once again at the Washington Monument, but facing the Capital Bldg. instead of the Lincoln Memorial. There were SO MANY PEOPLE! But it wasn't what I expected. The concert on Sunday was loud and mildly rowdy and people were just partying. But on Tuesday the mood was just more serious. The atmosphere was just weird. It was as if people were holding their breath, wondering if this was really happening. The Bush years were over and the Obama years are here... It was as if everyone just got how serious the moment was. It is burned in my mind. Of course it was also really COLD!

The parade didn't start on time, so I went back to Paul's house and warmed up. I finally headed down to the parade around 3:30 or so. I found myself a spot on some really cold bleachers and I waited for my man to march by. I waited and waited...and soon I was convinced that I had missed them... I was sooo bummed.

And then... I see them in the distance coming toward me...

I'll admit it. I cried. The tears froze to my face, but I did cry. I was so proud of my husband. That he was part of something so historic. The first gay band to march in the inaugural parade! I was there...I saw history happen.

Although the outfits they wore were kind of stupid...Shiny silver jackets and black berrets. Bizarre outfit choice, but besides that it was awesome! I actually ran along side them for probably 6 or 7 blocks taking pictures and getting choked up. Luckily Lawrence was on the end of his row and was on my side of the street so I got a couple of close ups of him...

The drive home was much better, mostly because Lawrence and me took turns driving and the two of us drove much faster than the others! =)

YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!! YES WE CAN!!!

Justin's 6th Birthday!

Justin turned the big 6. Justin is the middle child of my older brother and sister and is therefore near and dear to my heart. You have to love the middle children of the world. We are so wounded and such good martyrs! =)

Justin is a sweetheart. He also is very very smart and very funny. Often he's sort of lost inside of his own head. He's constantly talking to himself and moving his hands with weird signals. I think he is driving a car or just traveling along a map. Justin loves maps, streets, stoplights, directions, etc. He loves to look at Google Maps and has certain directions memorized. He can tell you street by street how to get from his house to Grandma and Grandpa's house. It's really amazing.

And now he is 6. He loves school. He also loves a little girl in his class. I think her name is Natalie. They are inseparable and whenever he says her name, he turns red and giggles. It's adorable.

As with every Barker birthday we had a party to celebrate. And delicious cake.

Happy birthday my favorite middle child...Just remember your Uncle understands and will always be there for ya!

This picture cracks me up because William has sucked Grandma into reading a soda bottle. He isn't allowed to have soda except on special occasions. And then it has to be caffeine free and preferably sugar free! I'm not sure what they are looking at, but it's just funny. Plus William's outfit is bizarre. One glove, a sweatshirt wrapped around his shoulders, and his ID badge around his neck. Who knows? I let him wear what he wants for the most part.

This birthday party was a little different because my little brother just started his radiation. He is going every day Monday through Friday. He's on anti-nazeau meds, but he still feels sick. He is still working (if it was me I'd be at home in bed). He's lost a little weight already and the weirdest part is that his belly is warm in the spot where they give him the radiation. It's very unnatural and bizarre. At the same time it is really amazing to me that modern medicine can do what it does. Who would think that we could direct radiation and control it so that it can help us instead of killing us.

But the warm spot on his belly weirds me out. Of course lots of things about my little brother are weird, including these pictures from the party. Don't even ask me what he was doing?