The Lutherans Are Coming! The Lutherans Are Coming!

It gives me a great deal of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment when I have schools that have actually changed their travel dates so that I would be able to conduct their respective trips!

While I am not a Lutheran, I feel as if I have become an 'adopted Lutheran'!

Four Lutheran schools, two from the LA area and two from the Seattle area will be arriving, one after the other, starting Monday. (There are three Lutheran Synods that I know of: Evangelical, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Most of my Lutheran schools are Missouri Synod.)

In one case, I drop one group at the airport in the late afternoon, and pick up another from a redeye the next morning!

I have been connected to three of these schools for over 20 years! In fact, there is one school that has had me as a guide and designer for 24 of their 26 years traveling!

Because of the festivities and crowds in the Jamestown and Williamsburg areas, two opted for some alternate locations.

Tomorrow I shall be traveling to Philadelphia to pick up the Seattle group the next morning. We will be visiting the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Independence Seaport Museum, Temple Mikvah Israel for their program, Arch Street Friends Meeting House (Quaker/Society of Friends), have a Colonial Tea Program, lunch at City tavern, and of course, a cheesesteak at either Geno's or Pat's. They will also go onto Lancaster for an Underground Railroad Program and each in an Amish Farmhouse. There's also Gettysburg, and Washington, DC. We will be meeting Nancy Pelosi. A highlight will be the Ford's Theatre Performance of, 'Meet John Doe'. One of the students is a direct descendant of George Mason, so the visit to Gunston Hall will be particularly meaningful. They end the program with an overnight Civil War Adventure Camp at Pamplin Historical Park and Museum of the Civil War Soldier and then a reenactment of Patrick Henry's Speech at St. John's Church, Richmond.

On the sixth (my birthday!) I pick up a group from Whittier that combined with a small group from Seattle for a Washington, DC, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. On this one we're going to visit Gettysburg and Monticello along with the Williamsburg study visit and evening program, Jamestown, and Yorktown. There will also be a dinner with a patriot as well as Ford's Theatre.

However, I do get one day off! It's what is known as a busman's holiday: I shall be at Jamestown with my brother and stepmother/cousin for the festivities. My cousin (also stepmother) attended the last celebration in 1957 and her father was at the one in 1907! It's become a family tradition. Some of my family even were able to see the young Queen Elizabeth II, in 1957! (Alas! I have to work!)

The last group is from Rancho Palos Verdes and we'll be visiting Gettysburg, Lancaster Underground Railroad Experience, Baltimore (An Edgar Allen Poe character interpreter will 'surprise' the students at his gravesite!) Annapolis is also on the itinerary. In Washington, DC we'll be visiting the usual sites (including the Capitol) as well as the US State Department, Organization of American States, and laying a wreath at the Korean War Memorial.

Naturally with these schools the Christian content and context is a very important component. Please reference my posting: Educational Touring for God and Country.

So I have my work cut out for me.

But what makes this so delightful is that I will be seeing some wonderful teachers and Principals that represent enduring friendships.

I am blessed!