Only Child

What a strange feeling to have only one child again. It was eerie and wonderful at the same time. I loved spending time with Keener. She is a lot calmer without the other children around (Proof that her tantrums are for attention). We read stories, hugged and kissed and played on the big playground in McLean. It is called Clemyjontri Park and it is a completely handicapped accessible playground. It was really neat to watch her play and enjoy every part of the playground. Amazing how her personality is different without her siblings around. She loved exploring the playground. The only problem with the day was the weather. I of course had to go when it was 100 degrees!!!

While I was enjoying my day with Keener, N♡- went to DC with her friend Mi☆.

She has been with another host family in the Richmond area. Mi☆ is very nice and it was nice to have her stay for a few days. The family she has been with and I have some fundamental disagreements about 17 year olds. One of which is the idea that two 17 year olds can go alone to DC during the day to visit the museums. The father yelled at me for allowing them to go alone. "They might get shot" he screamed at me. (Yes, he did really scream at me). My reply was that the Mall in DC was probably the safest place they could be. There are Secret Service, FBI, Capital Police, Park Police and Museum security to name a few of the protective forces in the area. I think you would have a hard time breaking the law in the DC Mall without getting caught. But just to make me put my foot in my mouth, Divine Intervention stepped in. (See Story Below⇓)

Oh bother!

Here's the story from the Washington Post.
WASHINGTON – A chaotic scene unfolded near the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday after police shot and killed an armed man in what authorities described as a routine rush hour traffic stop that turned deadly. U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kim Schneider said the unidentified 35-year-old man refused to stop at the checkpoint about two blocks north of the Capitol complex. The man drove the wrong way down a street and struck two officers with his car — one on foot and the other on a motorcycle, Schneider said. The two officers received minor injuries. Police opened fire after the man brandished a handgun and refused to put it down, said Schneider, who described the melee as "very fast moving, very fluid." "The officers felt they were being threatened — they were in fear for their lives," Schneider said. She did not know if the man fired at police first. District of Columbia Fire Department spokesman Pete Piringer said the man was being taken to a hospital. It was not clear where he died. The late afternoon scare occurred as lawmakers were wrapping up a third day of hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Police briefly sealed off part of the Capitol as a precaution, but the buildings were reopened about a half hour later. Authorities said the shooting was not related to the Capitol complex. "We hear pop, pop, pop, like a gun," said Carol Lanigan, of Toledo, Ohio, describing how she saw a white car come flying down the street with two police cars behind chasing it. She said she heard about four or five shots. "There were so many gunshots being fired my family got down," said Robert Drumm, a tourist from Oklahomawho was visiting the nation's capital with his family. Drumm said he saw someone being taken away in an ambulance. He said he first noticed trouble when he saw one car speeding and being chased by a police vehicle. Numerous emergency vehicles converged quickly in the area. Another witness, Dale Lanigan of Toledo, Ohio, described a similar scene, although he said two police cars gave chase. As the car went past him, Lanigan said, "the driver had one hand on the wheel and it looked like he was reaching for something."Lanigan said he then heard shots and police ordered him to get away.Associated Press writers Gillian Gaynair and Lara Jakes contributed to this report.