Declaration of Indepence

Tyler heard about the Declaration of Independence being displayed in SLC for only 2 days so we decided to make an outing of it while our floor was being waxed. Well, after 2 hours of waiting in line (at least it was air conditioned) we were able to see it. It is not the original but one of only 25 copies left. It is not signed by anyone and it is typed not written, like the original. But it was published the same night as the original and witnessed by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams as it was printed. This man bought a $4 frame at a flea market and later found this folded and tucked behind the original art in that frame. He sold it for 2 million dollars. Lucky him!

Aside from our overtired children (luckily I brought snacks for them) and somewhat unpatriotic (due to their hyperness) we had a neat experience. We were able to see the newly renovated capital building. It's beautiful inside! So neat! And Tyler was so good to take the kids up and down the stairs and around for the first 45 minutes. There was a neat video being shown hosted by Reese Witherspoon who's ancestor (somebody Witherspoon) signed the original. Then as we got our chance to view it up close (and fortuanately, to my relief, our children did not touch or knock it over due to it's nature on this table. Maybe bcse Tyler told Samuel the gaurd with the gun may have to use it if he did anything naughty) this SL Tribune reporter asked to take our pictures and took our names and qoutes from us. We haven't picked up a copy yet to see if we made it in or not.

But aside from all the waiting and hoopla, it was a neat experience. I've never seen the original and probably won't for a few years. It is so special to view this piece of history. The founding fathers breathed on this document! They wrote it! They are the reason our nation was so successful many years ago (can't say the same today, our politicians are probably making the forefathers roll in their graves right now). They were inspired men! I love America!

Oh, and for any of you who are dumb like me, and should never be asked the dumb questions on Jay Leno's show bcse I would put America to shame. I seriously had to ask Tyler if the founding fathers were the "fore" fathers or "four" fathers, like the one's on Mt. Rushmore. How dumb am I? Tyler informed me that the men on Mt. Rushmore did not even live in the same time period as each other ( I could have figured that out if I actually knew who was on the monument)! Duh. I am ashamed to admit this. Did any of you ever wonder this? Maybe if I had paid attention in US History I would have noticed the spelling. Oh, and I honestly thought chili's came from Chile. Ya, I am a little blond sometimes.

Oh, and for you Denver-ites, it's coming to Denver next !