One of the great things about Dallas is, there are so many fun things to do here (like when we saw the Bodies Exhibit back in 2009, or countless Rangers games we've been to). Yesterday we drove over to SMU's campus and visited the new George W. Bush Presidential Library. Not only are we geeky about history like this, but W. is probably my favorite president. I've always loved him. He's just so cute!
My sister and her family outside the library.
Love my little family!
When you enter, the ceilings are covered with the most life-like digital pictures (of Americans) I've ever seen.
The lighting was AWFUL inside the museum, and they were funny about you using your camera/flash, so I ended up using my iPhone for most of the pictures I took.
Of course, the teacher in me stopped here and read every bit of this!
It was interesting to read all of the stuff concerning NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), and Laura and George W. Bush's thoughts on it from more than a decade ago. So much of this still impacts (in a big way!) my job.
Amen!
The children's section included all of Laura's (we're on a first name basis) favorite books from her librarian days.
The flag contained words from W's first Inaugural Address.
The section of the museum dedicated to the events immediately surrounding Sept. 11 were very somber, to say the least.
Twisted steel from the World Trade Center towers.
"These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."
Names of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001.
This is the flag that was flying at the White House on September 11, 2001.
The bullhorn that Bush used to speak at his first visit to Ground Zero on September 14, 2001.
"I can hear you! I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people--the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!"
Terrible picture (Eli took this one), but these are actual copies of W's speeches following Sept. 11, with his own edits, markings, emphasis, etc.
The President and First Lady's attire from a state dinner.
I had to take this picture. The place was crawling with old people who were COMPLETELY oblivious to everyone around them. You could "check out" iPods and ear plugs to listen to an audio tour as you walked around. I can't tell you how many times I was taking a picture and these same old people (on the right) kept stepping in front of me.
I have no idea why this lion was in the museum. I did stop long enough to look and see that he was from Tanzania. Eli thought this thing was great though! He kept running around it and roaring...loudly! The museum guide near us thought it was hilarious; she said that most of the kids were terrified of it.
Katrina
A sad day...George and Laura leaving Washington as citizens....
Shovel from the museum ground-breaking.
A replica of the Oval Office as it was under the Bush administration. It was hard to get a really good picture of the room, 1) because it is circular, and 2) because there were so many people everywhere. I have to say, the Oval Office wasn't nearly as large as I imagine it in my head to be!
Eli for President 2048!
President Maddie Burgin
When we left, we stopped by the gift shop and bought this over-priced Christmas ornament. We make it a habit to buy a Christmas ornament from places we visit together, but we've never gotten one from Dallas (I guess because we come here every year to see family). However, I knew I had to have this ornament once I saw it. It was the White House ornament from 2004, which was the year that Wesley and I went to D.C. for Bush's second Inauguration and Parade, right before we started dating.
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