The Christmas Blogging Bash: The Mystery of the Magi

Hello Everyone!
Due to popular demand, the Christmas Blogging Bash is back! This year, a couple of people will be doing a blog post. At the bottom of this post, you will find links to their posts. However, you need to read this post first!

This year, my topic is the Mystery of the Magi. So here we go.
While there is a lot of tradition around the Magi, I'm going to try to avoid that and just state what we know, and what we suspect. 

What is a Magi Anyhow?
First of all, the word Magi is kind of made up. The word in Greek means astrologers, or magicians that watch and predict the future. But who wants to say that instead of being visited by kings, Jesus was visited by a bunch of geeky astrologers who were the leaders of a cult! So they just took an old French term that meant 'the magicians' and dropped the end of it, making the word Magi. Some versions also say Wise Men, which is probably a better translation, but less magnificent sounding.

Who Were the Magi?
The Wise Men were astrologers, or people who watched the stars. They were probably a part of the far eastern cult Zoroastrianism. This brings up an interesting question; Did God use astrology to announce the birth of Jesus? The answer is yes. God sent the message to the Magi using the stars. The Magi tell Herod such in Matthew 2:2, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Italics added by me). God can sometimes use evil practices to show people the truth, but that's a whole other post. 

What Were Their Names and Where did They Come From?
While we don't know the names of the Magi, how many there were, or exactly where they came from, we can make an educated guess. The Greek word used is generally used when referring to China or India. However, Isaiah writes in chapter 60 that "Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense." This chapter is generally seen as a prophecy about Jesus coming back to earth. The reference to Sheba is interesting, because in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, Sheba refers to Ethiopia. Now, that is a long way from China! So it seems like the Magi actually came from different parts of the world, and actually met in Jerusalem! That is a miracle within itself. That three different men from different parts of the world would all see the same star and then come to Jerusalem to worship him and then meet is simply miraculous. According to tradition, the other Magi was from Persia, but I can find no evidence of this. 

When Did They Come?
According to Matthew, the Magi came and visited Jesus while he was living in a house; "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother..." So, he was not still in the manger as many images and nativities show today. Jesus was between 41 days and 2 years old when the magi arrived. Jesus was taken to the temple to be dedicated after Mary's 40 day period of uncleanliness was over.The magi had to have come after Jesus' presentation in the temple, that is, after Jesus was 40 days old. Why? Because, Matthew tells us that after the magi departed, an angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, because Herod would try to kill Jesus. According to Scripture, Joseph, Mary and Jesus left that very night and went to Egypt. This would have left no time for the presentation in the temple, which we know happened. To see when Jesus was born, please read this article that I wrote last year. Basically, The Magi came sometime after 6 B.C. but before 4 B.C.


What Did They Bring and Why?


Everyone knows the Magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but what is the significance of that? Actually, there is a lot of significance. In the ancient times, gold was only given to kings. Thus, the gift of gold to baby Jesus was quite an astonishing thing. It was a less then subtle hint as to what the Magi believed about Jesus. Frankincense was used as a perfume, and an expensive one at that. Myrrh was used for medicinal purposes, and was believed to be able to cure many diseases. These were all very expensive gifts, and were only given to the most important of people. Tradition says that Mary and Joseph sold the gifts to finance their time in Egypt!

Why Does It Matter?
Now you've read the rest of the post and you're thinking, "Interesting, but why do I care?" And that's hard question. Why do the Magi matter? Well they matter in three ways:
1. They financed the trip to Egypt that save Jesus and fulfilled a prophecy,
2. They fulfilled the prophecy from Isaiah 60
3. The main significance of the Magi is that God so wonderfully revealed the identity of Jesus as Messiah and King of the Jews to these Gentile Magi. (And to the rest of us who aren't Jewish and are considered Gentiles.) It seems to be a wonderful fulfillment of the prophet Simeon's prophecy, that Jesus would be, "a light of revelation to the Gentiles" Luke 2:31.


Thanks for Reading!
JM


Here are the links to my friends' posts for the Christmas Blogging Bash:

Hannah posted about Christmas Traditions, Ellen posted about Christmas Recipes, Caleb posted about Desperation for Christmas, and Spencer posted about Old Testament Prophecies and New Testament Fulfillment.


Bibliography:
The Holy Bible
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midian
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi
http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/bible-scholar-brent-landau-asks-%E2%80%9Cwho-were-the-magi%E2%8
Dr. Eric Smith Prof. Old Testament
http://www.orlutheran.com/html/magifaq.html

John Patrick McQuillan

John Patrick McQuillan
July 8th 1949 - November 30th 2013
My Grandpa.

He will be sorely missed.

Rest In Peace.

JM

JFK: A Tribute

50 years ago, today, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed. It is still debated who did it, and with what, but that's not what this article is about. While I may not have agreed with President Kennedy on many of his policies, that's not what I want to discuss here. Instead, I would like to give a tribute the President. His death changed our nation, for better or for worse, forever.Kennedy was intelligent, good looking, and he had charisma. Yet, like all of us, he was a fallen man, and his life reflects that. But during his presidency, he had numerous achievements, as well as decisions that would change the world, I will just mention a few.

Kennedy's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
                   Stopped a crisis the would probably have lead to a nuclear war.
Kennedy's Atmospheric Nuclear Test Ban
                  Stopped nuclear testing in the atmosphere
Kennedy's encouraging of the NASA and the Space Race
                  Helped start and continue the Moon program as well as the space race.
Kennedy's Work with the Civil Right Movement
                 Laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Kennedy's Treaty with Israel
                  Laid the groundwork for today's friendship with Israel

Rest In Peace John Fitzgerald Kennedy 

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/cvplive/cvpstream1.html

To Late To Apologize.... Founding Fathers Style

Hello everyone!
 This is one of my favorite music videos of all time. It is a parody on the Song 'To late to Apologize' by One Republic and Timbaland. And it is hilarious. The basis is that the Founding Fathers said 'its to late to apologize' to King George III. The ending is a little weird, but it is still hilarious! Enjoy.

Thanks for reading!
JM

The Story of George Saltzman

Hello everyone!
 While I was looking through some new Myers family history documents, I stumbled upon an amazing story of a family ancestor named George Saltzman. He was the brother of my Great great great great great great great Grandfather Anthony Saltzman.

Before I get into the story, I would like to say that the research in this story was not done by me, but rather by a distant relative by the name of Norman Myers. His hobby was genealogy, and he traveled the world (Quite literally) looking for Myers ancestors and their records. When he died, he left behind mountains of research, most of which has never been published or shared. He intended to write a book, but died before he got to it. I have received bits and pieces of his work, but I have never read it all. All that to say, I would like to thank Norman and his nephew, Alan Caldwell, for researching, discovering, and then sharing this information.

We don't know exactly when George Saltzman was born. What we do know is that he came from Germany to America in 1751 with his family. The family settled in Clinton County, Pennsylvania. When George came of age, he moved several miles north of the family onto his own farm. There is no evidence that he ever married or that he left behind any direct descendants.

On June 14, 1775 the Continental Congress authorized formation of six companies of expert riflemen from Pennsylvania.  John Adams, in a letter to his wife, spoke of the vote to raise ten companies of southern riflemen.  These men were described for their “skillful use of a peculiar kind of musket, called a rifle.”

General Washington daily expected the arrival of the “Rifle Companies” which used the deadly rifle.  This weapon was almost unknown to the New Englanders but the Pennsylvania gunsmiths had for a number of years been making the weapon.  It differed from the musket in that spiral grooves within the barrel caused the ball to spin making it accurate.  The piece of greased leather around the ball clung to the rifle barrel holding in all the expanding gas.  In addition to increasing the accuracy, this expanded the range. 

One of these rifle companies was commanded by Captain John Lowdon of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.  Most of the members of this company were sworn in on June 29, 1775.  On July 1, 1775 George Saltzman enlisted at Derr’s Mill in the company commanded by Captain Lowdon which was within Colonel William Thompson’s Battalion of Riflemen.  


In late July of 1775, the regiment moved out and marched to Boston. There, they were attached to the Second Regiment of the Army of the Colonies. They were involved in several small skirmishes in Massachusetts, current day Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.

After his stint in northern New England, he was moved to Long Island, and fought there at the Battle of Long Island. After the Americans lost this battle, the Continental Army retreated through New York, New Jersey, and then Pennsylvania.  On October 16, 1776 on a clothing account at Philadelphia, George Saltzman drew one jacket, one pair of britches, one shirt, one pair of shoes, one pair of stockings, and one blanket.  He was a member of Captain James Parr’s Company at that time with the documents endorsed to show it was part of Colonel Hand’s Regiment. This was the last official surviving record of George Saltzman. However, he is not believed to have died right after that. In fact, a record in Clinton County dated 1779 says that he didn't die (Or at least, that no word of his death came until) until 1778 or 79. He is believed to have continued fighting all the way through the autumn of 1777 and perhaps longer.


This is where the story gets interesting. Not long after Saltzman drew his last consignment of clothes, Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River. Captain James Parr's company was not only there, but, according to records and accounts of the battle, played a key part in taking Trenton and then later Princeton. After these battles, they were attached to the army of Daniel Morgan, (Ironically another of our ancestors, but that's a story for another day.) and moved to upper New York. 


That autumn, (1777) the 1st and 2nd battles of Saratoga occurred. Many of you know the basic outline of the battle, but for the sake of clarity, I will write a quick summary. British General Burgyone was trying to capture Albany, New York. The American army of Horatio Gates, Benedict Arnold, and Daniel Morgan stood in their way. The British tried to break through on September 19th, but the battle ended in a draw, with both sides withdrawing from the field with numerous casualties. However, Burgyone was determined to get to Albany. So on October 7th, he sent one of his subordinates, General Simon Frasier to try and break through the American line. It is here that my ancestor comes into play. The tide of the battle was just starting to swing to the British, and the Americans began to panic. American Captain James Parr recognized the signs of defeat, and decided to do something drastic to stop it. He sent sniper Timothy Murphy of the Pennsylvania Rifle Company up a huge tree, and told him to shoot down the British. Murphy decided to aim big. He searched for General Frasier himself. He found him and then, at a distance of 300 yards, he shot him dead. Many historians believe that shot to be the turning point in the War. The British panicked and ran, and the Americans pursued. Just a few days later, Burgyone surrendered. He lost most of his 7,000 troops in the surrender, a massive amount in those days. The awesome thing is, George Saltzman was in the same company as Timothy Murphy and probably at the base of the tree when Frasier was shot. Just to think that I had relative there to witness that moment is awesome. I have read and studied so much about that war, that battle, that moment, and yet I never ever suspected that I had a close relative who witnessed it. 


This story has a sad and a happy ending. The sad thing is that Saltzman disappeared not long after that. Family tradition says that he was killed by Indians in a skirmish just after the Battle of Saratoga. While there is no evidence that that is true, the family probably got that story from one of the soldiers who did make it home from the Pennsylvania Sharp Shooters, and therefore, it is the most likely ending. The happy ending, is that Saltzman did not die in vain. The United States continued on, and won against unthinkable odds and became its own sovereign country. It continues on today.

George Saltzman has an unblemished military record. He was a man who gave everything he loved for the love of his country. He gave his life so that we could live free. I hope that his memory will never be forgotten. Thanks for reading.


JM

The Steel Cent of 1943

Hello everyone!
 I have been looking at some of my most recent posts, and I realized that I have wandered from the original goal of my blog; to share genealogy and to share some of my knowledge of history. So, I have written a short story on the steel penny of 1943. (Please hold tight! Pictures will come Saturday morning!)

The year was 1942. America was entering the midway point of her first year in World War II. The government was feverishly whipping up patriotic fervor, and the nation began to respond. People were buying war bonds, wives were working, men were going off to war, and the patriotic sons and daughters of the country were gathering scrap metal. Huge scrap drives were held to try and get metal to build tanks, planes, and trucks. Oh and one other thing: Bullets. Several billion bullets were made throughout the war. However, each bullet required a copper casing. These casing were necessary to the bullets. They contained the powder that was required to fire the bullet.The United States was beginning to run short on this precious metal, and the scrap drives around the country just weren't producing enough copper. So, the US Mint decided to take the copper out of the penny and the nickel. The nickel was easy; the mint just added more silver to the alloy. (yes, that makes them more valuable.) The penny however, was a different story. The penny had had basically the same alloy since its creation in the early 19th century. Every once and a while the weight was slightly changed, but generally it stayed the same- about 90% copper with tin, lead, and aluminium mixed in. Now, that alloy had to change. Scientists experimented with other metals, plastics, and even glass! However, in the end, they chose a low grade steel coin with a super small (super small as in .001 inch thick) coating of zinc to keep the metal from rusting- 99% Low grade steel, 1% zinc. Due to the steel, they are the first, (and the last) US coins that responded to a magnet.

 The Mint director announced the change on December 23rd, 1942. That January, the Mint began pumping the new pennies into the system. Unfortunately, the public did not like them. Vending machines refused to take them, thinking that they were metal slugs. The zinc wore off quickly, meaning that the coins rusted and fell apart. They were also mistaken for dimes due to their brilliance when they were fresh of of the press. Due to the sudden outcry, the Mint immediately began to look for new ways to make the coins, but they continued to make them at all three of the Mints. (San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia.) At the end of the year, 1,093,838,670 steel cents were minted.

Beginning in late 1943, used shell casings were picked up and recycled. These recycled cartridges had enough copper in them to make millions of coins, which the mint promptly did. Beginning in January 1944, the mint switched back to copper coins, therefore ending the run of the steel cent. Although it was only produced for one year, many of these cents still exist. This is because many American citizens began hoarding the coins, realizing that they were special. While the government bought back some of these coins, they did not publicize the buy-back and did not recover many of the coins. Today you can buy a steel cent in good looking condition for $ .50.

So there you have it. The story of one of America's most quirky and interesting coins. Thanks for reading! I hope to have another article like this one out soon!
JM

The Wunderlich Family

On August 29th, at 8 in the morning in central Germany, German SWAT teams stormed the home of the Wunderlich Family. The Wunderlich family had refused to stop homeschooling their children, even after the German government threatened to take away their children. Mr. and Mrs. Wunderlich were treated like horrible criminals and were not allowed to say goodbye to their children. The German SWAT team took the children and informed the Wunderlichs that they should not expect to see them any time soon. 

The treatment of the Wunderlichs as well as other German Homeschooling breaks many international treaties as well as the basic human right of parents being able to choose the education of their child. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers, as they began a long legal battle to try to re-claim their children. 

Thanks for reading!
JM

9/11 Never Forget Memorial Wrap Up

Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to show you some pictures of our 9/11 Never Forget Memorial. We had a great turnout.
We had 15 volunteers who came at 6:30 AM to help us set up. It took us two hours to put all 2,977 flags into the ground. (It took ten minutes to pick them up.) Our main visitors were Moms with elementary aged children explaining to their children what the flags represented and why they were there. We also had a Mom that was a Red Cross volunteer. She said that her job was to call the victims families and tell them what had happened. In the end, the memorial helped many people remember, which was the goal. Thanks to the sponsors, parents, and the volunteers who helped make it possible.
Here are some pictures:

Setting Up. (We are only three rows in in this picture!)

Continuing to set up

Volunteers putting flags in the ground

Work progresses...

Almost done!

Finished!

Cleaning up the flags

Picking up the flags.

Thanks for reading! Have a great day, and never forget 9/11.

JM

9/11: Never Forget

The 9/11 Never Forget Project

Hello everyone!
 As some of you may know I am the chairman of a Young Americans for Freedom Chapter. YAF is an organization that informs students about both sides of the political spectrum. They have an each year called the "9/11 Never Forget Project." Students assemble a memorial to the innocent victims of 9/11, erecting one American flag for each innocent person killed in the horrible attacks. They put up 2,977 flags to commemorate the 12th anniversary of 9/11.

My chapter and I have decided to participate in the project. We will be erecting our memorial at Southwest Church of Christ on 127th and Center. Below is a flier.

NEVER FORGET

9/11 Memorial

2977 Lives   2977 Flags   ONE DAY

Where: Southwest Church of Christ; 127^th and Center

When: September 11^th, 2013.

Time: 8 AM to 8 PM

If you are available, we would love for you to come.

 Also, we are looking for volunteers to help us put up all of the flags. (We have an hour and half to put up almost 3,000 flags. We need help.) If you would like to help, please leave a comment below, and I will get back to you. Thanks!

JM

Bring Them Home, Or Let Them Rest in Peace?

Hello Everyone.
 Below is an article that I read in this morning's newspaper. It talks about how some people would like to remove, identify, (via DNA) and then return the remains of Pearl Harbor soldiers who were killed in the line of duty. Others argue that we should let them rest in peace where they are. (Buried unidentified in a cemetery in Hawaii) I finished the article, but realized that I could not decide which group to side with. I will post the article below, and then your opinion below.Thanks!
JM

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130825/NEWS/130829306/1685#pearl-harbor-victims-bring-them-home-or-let-them-rest-in-peace

Person of the Week

Hello Everyone! It's time for another Person of the Week! That person is.....
Abraham Leedy
Born: 1751 in York County Pennsylvania
Married: 1778
Died: 1834

Children:
The only child I have listed is John Leedy. I am almost sure that there are more, and if you know of any more., please let me know.

Parents:
Abraham Leedy's parents were John Leedy and Elizabeth Leedy. I don't know much else.

Abraham Leedy's parents were German, and he was raised in a small German community in Pennsylvania. He spoke German fluently, a skill which would soon become useful. When the American Revolution began, he signed up to join the Continental army. When his officers learned how well he could speak the language, he was assigned to a prisoner of war camp in Ohio. Many of the Hessian troops that were captured were held here. Leedy was the interpreter and helped the prisoners communicate with their captors.

He is my Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather through my Dad's Grandpa's side.

I hope that you have found this article interesting. If you know anything more about Abraham, (Or would like to know more), please leave a comment below! Thanks!
JM

The 4th of July

Today is the 4th of July. The day when Americans celebrate their freedom. We remember the enormous risk that the Founding Fathers took to give us our freedom. In celebration, I thought that I would post a few quotes as well as a short speech. I hope that you enjoy and that you have a happy and a safe 4th of July.

"Freedom is not free."
-Anonymus

"Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!"
-Patrick Henry

"I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the Declaration of Independence."
-Abraham Lincoln

"Sirs: (Congress) I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your two favors of the (July) 4th and 6th instants, which came duly to hand, with their important inclosures. I perceive that Congress have been employed in deliberating on measures of the most interesting Nature. It is certain that it is not with us to determine in many instances what consequences will flow from our Counsels, but yet it behoves us to adopt such, as under the smiles of a Gracious and all kind Providence will be most likely to promote our happiness."

-George Washington

"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: It connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity"

-John Quincy Adams

"Perfect freedom is as necessary to the health and vigor of commerce as it is to the health and vigor of citizenship."
-Patrick Henry

"That these United Colonies are, and of right, ought to be, free and independent states."
-The Declaration of Independence

"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bossoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."
-Abraham Lincoln

JM

Person of the Week!

It's time for another Person of the Week! This week's person is.....
John D. Hoban

Born: December 25th, 1846 (Census records have his birth date listed as Christmas Day 1838*)
Enlistment: February 14th, 1865
Discharge: September 17th 1865 by a special order
Married: October 5th, 1868
Spouse: Mary Gallheger
Died: July 16 1923

John Hoban was born on Christmas Day, 1846** (Or 1838, according to the US Census) in Ireland. At eighteen years old he was 5 feet 4-1/2 inches tall, blue eyes, light complexion, light hair and his occupation was a farmer.  John enlisted in the Union army at the age of eighteen. He was honorably discharged from the service of the United States on the 17th of September 1865 in Memphis, Tennessee.  He stayed in Illinois for several decades before moving to Kearney, Nebraska sometime in the late 18th century. They had ten children, 5 girls and five boys. Their exact birth dates are unknown to me. Here is a list of their children:

Lily Ann
Delia
Mary
James
John
Lucy
Francis
Joseph
Florence 
Frank

Florence was my great great grandmother on my Mom's side. If you know anything regarding John Hoban, if you could leave a comment below, that would be very helpful. Thanks for reading! 
JM

*Date listed on the United States Census, 1870, 1880, 1890
**Date listed on Discharge Papers as well as family tradition.

The Three Days Home

Hello Everyone!
I'm writing this post from the comfort of our house. We arrived last night at 12:09. The picture that I took for the previous post was snapped just as we pulled up and I immediately posted it. However, this post is not about last night or today but rather about the last several days. I'm sorry that there aren't any pictures, but is very difficult to get pictures from my iPod on this blog. But, I am working on a slide show of pictures from our whole trip. Many are ones that my Mom and Dad took and are spectacular pictures. I will try to get that on by tomorrow night.

Day 13:
We left Maine and started south. On the way, Dad saw a sign for Lowell National Park. Lowell was the first industrial factory in the United States. He decided to stop there. It was very interesting. We got to see fabric weavers in progress, as well as read and learn about the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as well as the conditions of factories during that time. We stayed there for three hours and then continued down the road. We made it to Albany, where we stayed the night.

Day 14:
We left Albany and drove. and drove. and drove. We made it to Fremont Ohio, which is outside of Toledo. Not much happened, except that this was the last night we stayed in a hotel.

Day 15:
The final day of the trip! (Sort of. I'll get to that in a second) While eating breakfast, we noticed a flier on the table. It was advertising the Presidential museum/library of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th president. It is not an 'Official' Presidential library, because it is not affiliated with the Federal Government, but that didn't mean it wasn't a great museum! We got to learn about Hayes' life in the military, governorship, presidency, and his life afterwards. There was also an exhibit on the War of 1812 in Ohio, as well as an extensive weapons collection which included pieces of the USS Maine, weapons carried by men killed at Lexington green, as well as cannonballs fired from every war up until the Spanish-American War. There were also many Chinese weapons from the Chinese Boxer's rebellion. We spent several hours there before hitting the road. We stopped at our first Steak'nShake ever. It was really, really good. It was so good in fact, that we ate there for dinner to! We entered Iowa at around 8 o'clock and

Day 16:
got home at 12:09, just 9 minutes into day #16. We were welcomed by our Aunt Lynn. We unloaded the truck, and then went straight to bed. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about our adventures, and I'm sorry that I have been a little behind on the posts. The last post will be the video/slide show. Thanks so much for reading!
JM

HOME!

The Last Few Days....

Hello Everyone!
I am sorry that I have not posted in a couple of days. We have been in Maine with our friends, and we have been getting up in the morning and doing things and then going straight to bed. It has been awesome. However, I will start off with a summary of the last few days before getting to Maine.

Day 8:
We went to the awards ceremony and got to march in the parade representing Nebraska. Then, the ceremony began. The awards ceremony is very long, (3 ½ hours) and our category was near the end. In the end though, the wait was worth it. William and I won third place in our category with our documentary. Joel and his partner came in first in their category with their website. After the ceremony, we visited Ikea, (My Mom’s favorite store) and then began our trek to Maine.  Maine is a VERY LONG way from Washington D.C. It is a good ten to twelve hour drive. So, we did not make it all the way to Maine that day. We went to Newark, New Jersey.

Day 9:
Today, we made it to Maine. On the way, we got to see the Statue of Liberty, (From a distance) the Liberty Tower (The World Trade Center) as well as the 9/11 Memorial for New Jersey residents.  We then continued north. We arrived in Maine at 8 P.M.

MAINE:
In Maine we visited our friends the McHughs. They live two miles from the ocean in a small town called Kennebunkport/Kennebunk. The town is known as the summer home of Former President George H. W. Bush. We did many things here, and as it will be easier to put it all as a single subject instead of divided into days, I will do so.

The day after we arrived, we made a basic list of everything that we wanted to get done. Here is what it looked like:

Kayaking
Boogie Boarding and Surfing in the ocean
Hiking in the woods
Exploring the woods
Go Man Shopping in the “Dock Square”. (The business sector of Kennebunkport)
Watch the Hobbit movie
Play Basketball

We managed to get all of that done plus a lot more. On the first day, we spent most of our day at the beach or playing woofle ball. The beaches are beautiful. We got to collect shells, boogie board, search in tide pools, and I got to try to surf. We also tried to build a sea wall and levy system to protect our sandcastles. It was awesome. We also played basketball. That night, we were so exhausted that we went straight to bed without any ado, which is not normal because generally we stay up and talk.

The next day was Father’s Day. I got up early and help Mrs. McHugh make breakfast. We made Biscuits and Gravy. We went hiking while the Moms went shopping. We then went ‘Man Shopping’. We toured several of the shops with our friend Elliot. That night, Joel, Jake and Elliot watched the Hobbit, the rest of us went for Ice Cream and an awesome creamery named Goose Rocks Dairy. Their Ice Cream was incredible. That night, we watched the College World Series on TV. I am rooting for Indiana and Mississippi State.
We were planning on leaving the next morning as the McHughs were going to go on a camping trip, however, they put it off a day, so we stayed another day. While the other boys went to play basketball and go to the beach, I went with Mrs. McHugh and Mom Antiquing. We went to four different shops as well as a flea market. I got two British Coins from the early 20th century. I also got a medallion commemorating the bicentennial of the United States as well as a Ronald Reagan political button. After browsing the shops, we went to a business called Port Canvas. Port Canvas is a business that makes canvas bags from materials all made in Maine. While the Moms were shopping, I started talking the General Manager, and she gave me a full tour of their headquarters. She showed me how the bags were embroidered and how they were put together. She also showed me all of the different products that they made. I got a medium sized duffel bag embroidered with my initials. It was a cool experience.

The next day, we packed and prepared to leave. We packed up and  left at around 10. I will post more on the trip home tomorrow. Today is our last day on the road, no matter how long it takes us.

Quick Summary and then Day 8!!!!!

Hello Everyone!
I'm going to do a quick summary of Days 5,6, and 7, and then I will talk about what we are doing today.

Day 5:
We to up early and went to the University of Maryland to compete. We competed, and then decided to go to the National Zoo. We went there and saw the Pandas. Then, we returned for dinner, where we learned that Will and I had made the finals and got to compete again.

Day 6:
First, we toured two of the Smithsonian. (The Museum of Natural History and the Museum of History)  We then went back to our hotel so that I could get ready to compete. We went to the University of Maryland and I competed in Finals with Will. Then we went back to our hotel.

Day 7:
Yesterday, we went to the Nebraska breakfast, where all of the representatives of Nebraska speak. Then, We toured the Capitol with our friends the Rothfusses. We then went to the National Museum of Art and got to see the only DaVinci on this side of the ocean! We then returned to our hotel, where we swam for a couple of hours and then played Pictionary with our friend Spencer. We then proceeded to go to bed.


So there you have it. Today, we are preparing to drive to Maine. The award ceremony is this morning, and then we will drive to New York. Tomorrow, we will make it to Maine!
Today is the award ceremony. I will attempt to blog live (if they have WiFi) but I'm not sure if I will be able to.
Thanks for reading!
JM

The Documentary

Hello Everyone!
This may give away the material in the next few blog posts, but that doesn't matter. After competing on Monday, William and I made it to the finals. We then competed Tuesday night in another round which was the same as all the rest only without any Q and A. So, we have a one in ten or so shot of making it into the top three. However that is not what this post is about. Since we have competed for the very last time, it is now time to officially release the documentary! Now, don't feel obligated to watch it, but if you have benn wanting to watch, here it is!

Thanks for reading everyone!
Have a great day!
JM

Day 4!

Hello everyone!

This post will be on Day 4. I am sorry that I’m so far behind on the updates. It has been a busy the last few days.

Day 4:

We got up early to check out of our hotel. We then went to the National History Day check-in on the campus of Maryland University. We checked in and received our competition times and we got free stuff. (Always good!) I received five magazines on the American Civil War. Our Grandma bought us National History Day jackets and t-shirts. After that, we decided to go to Fort Stevens, a small gun emplacement in the middle of urban Washington D.C. We did not realize that we were there until we were in the parking lot. (It was not the best part of town) We were expecting a full blown fort and a visitors center, (It was the National Park Service.) but what we found was quite different. It was a small grass field, with a wall around it. Two cannons were positioned along the side of the wall. We found a large plaque which said that the spot where we stood was the place where the only sitting President who has ever come under direct fire from an enemy combatant. Abraham Lincoln had stood there 151 years before. The walls, while looking like wood, were actually concrete. It was all very cool. After staying there for about half an hour, we returned to our hotel. We stayed there for about an hour before proceeding to the Opening Ceremonies of National History Day. One of the cool things about NHD is that each state (And territory) has its own button. Each student gets there state’s buttons and then tries to trade them for all of the other state buttons. It is a lot of fun. I currently have 46 of 56 buttons. We traded buttons for an hour before the opening ceremonies. We listened to the host of NPR’s “Wait wait, don’t tell me” game show, a constitutional historian. We then listened to the sponsor of NHD and then the we got ready to go to our hotel. It was an awesome night.

(I will add pictures when I get some from Dad.)

Thanks for reading!

JM

Day 4! Sort of....

Hello everyone!

 Today was an awesome day. However, the competition starts tomorrow and I need to get to bed, so I will blog on today tomorrow! Tomorrow, we compete at 10:20. I will be sure to have dad take pictures. Thanks for your patience! 

JM

Day 3!

Hello Everyone!
 Well, today was an interesting day. We had planned on going the Dulles branch of the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. We left the hotel about 9:45 and arrived there at 10:15. We wandered in the halls and looked at the airplanes. We saw the Enola Gay and several World War I and earlier aircraft. We then looked at the restoration hall. We saw different aircraft in different stages of being restored and conserved. We then went into the Space Shuttle Hall. The Space Shuttle Discovery is housed in a massive hangar with other rockets and space capsules. As we were finishing in the hall, something strange happened. The lights and the AC flickered and then went out. The security lights came on, and we just kept walking. We started looking at helicopters when a security guard came along and told everyone to go to the upper level. We went upstairs. We waited for an hour for the lights to come on, but nothing happened. We couldn't see anything because they wouldn't let us in the upstairs halls, so we left to eat. They closed for the day as we walked out.

We ate lunch and decided to got to Bull Run battlefield. We took the walking the walking tour of Henry Hill, the main place where most of the conflict happened. We stood in the place where General Thomas J. Jackson stood "Like a stone wall". We also got to see a plantation that dated back to the 18th century. It was all very interesting, and yet sobering, to see where some many men had died for the cause that they thought was right. After leaving the battlefield and the plantation, we ate and went to our hotel to swim. Here are some pictures. Thanks for reading!

Jake with the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Emma's 'Ear-ring'

A surfing plane!

Joel with Space Shuttle Discovery.

Emma manning the cannons.

Us in front of the Concorde.

Dad with a cannon.

Tomorrow,(Or rather today) We will move hotels. Then, we will go to the opening ceremonies of National History Day! Thanks for reading! Look for a post tonight!
JM

Day 2

Hello Everyone!

I am writing this from our truck as it speeds down Interstate 340 towards Dulles. Virginia. Today has been a long day. We had the same amount of driving time as yesterday (About 10-11 hours, Myers traveling time), but this morning, we left at 9:30 instead of 6:45.  However, we have gone through double the amount of states today then yesterday, and it was much more interesting today. If you've ever driven through Illinois and Indiana for a couple of hours, you’ll know what I mean. There is NO scenery at all. It is blank fields, full of corn and cows. There are no billboards so you can’t play road games like bingo or Rubberneckers. Trust me when I tell you, it is BORING! Today however, we went through Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and hopefully in a few minutes, we will be in Virginia. Most of those states are covered in beautiful mountains. (The Appalachians) The green forest and high mountains provide a beautiful view as far as one can see. The valleys are covered in mist and the mountains are covered in trees, with huge limestone deposits, only partially uncovered, jut out from the side of the mountains. It is so beautiful. I am not able to capture its majesty with my camera, but hopefully, you will be able to see a little bit about it from them. We stopped for lunch in Ohio. So far, we have only had to go on one Turnpike. (Last year, we spent almost the whole trip on Turnpikes and paid about $50 in tolls.) We ate dinner in Maryland at a Chik-Fil-A.

Also, as you may have heard, a large tropical storm is currently creeping up the East Coast. We are probably going to feel its effects tomorrow. I, personally, would like to see a tropical storm, however, I don’t think that Dad would want to drive through one. We are almost to the hotel, so I should probably wrap this up.

Tomorrow, we will be in Dulles Virginia. There, we will visit the Smithsonian’s other Air and Space museum, which is HUGE. Its main attractions are the Concorde, the Space Shuttle, and the Enola Gay. I can’t wait to see them. We will stay at the Homewood Inn and Suites for tonight and tomorrow night, then off to Maryland and the National History Day competition! 

Joel

Emma

Jakob

Dad

Mountains

The G. A. Henty book that I've finished so far.

Pennsylvania!!

Going into the mountains

The view from the mountain.

The top of one of the mountains.

The view from another mountain.

One of the mountains.

Thanks for reading! Look for tomorrow’s post and pictures of the airplanes at the museum! Thanks!

JM