Five Easter Favorites (a little more than slightly late)

So I've been a little swamped since getting back from Chicago. I finally uploaded my Easter pictures. Here's a recap:

1. The Food—Portillos was great, Gwen's peanut butter brownie thing was fantastic and all the traditional Easter treats were accounted for. Mmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about getting another Italian beef sandwich when I go back this summer.

2. Aunt Chris' Hoppin' Easter Bash—We played sibling rivalry bingo, had a special visit from the Easter Bunny and got to spend time together. My aunt does such a great job putting this all together. Our family is huge, but Aunt Chris makes sure each one of us feels special during the holidays.

3. Beating Tom (at a game, not violently)—Have no fear. I beat Tom. He did manage to win a round or two of Skipo, but I won overall. And I creamed him at Bang. My poor sister got stuck in the middle and refuses to play with us anymore.

4. The Polish Museum of America—Yes, I sacrificed watching the opening game and got a lot of great research done. My mom even came along and helped me go through more than a dozen old books, including one all in French. How cool is it that I got to read Casimir Pulaski's letter to his sister all about having dinner with the Washington's in the original language he wrote it in?

5. Getting Away from Washington—I don't get to spend enough time with my family. Every time I go for a visit, it's hard to leave. Babies are getting so big, cousins are growing up and life is moving on. I love living in Washington, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded of what's really important.

An Unexpected Hero

I love research. No, really. I love it. And last night I got to spend a few hours in the library pouring through books. Kind of old books. That no one has looked at for a lot of years.

Casimir Pulaski. There aren't a lot of books or even articles written about this Polish nobleman. And even though kids in Illinois get a day off school in his honor, probably the only thing they really remember about him is that he bled to death after being shot in the genitals during the American Revolution.

Long before he met Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, he was a war hero in Poland. He started his military career when he was only 18 because one day his father got sick of the Russians and decided he and his three sons would create an army. They had no idea what they were doing. The were rich land owners who didn't know the first thing about military life, and they were far outnumbered by their enemies. In fact, they lost their land, their country, and their family. One brother died in battle, another died in exile and the father died in a Turkish prison. Pulaski ended up in a French prison with no hope for his future. The Russians had falsely convicted him a regicide and confiscated all his land and holdings. If he ever tried to go back to Poland, he would be exactitude.

But Pulaski wasn't done fighting. If his homeland couldn't be free, at least he could fight to give other men the freedom he was denied. So he volunteered to fight for America. He would teach them how to use horses on the battlefield. He would inspire men to do great things. He would also be a reckless young man who didn't believe he had anything left to live for.

Research is like a treasure hunt. You start with a few clues, and before you know it, you're digging around, discovering riches beyond your wildest dreams. None of the things I just wrote about will be in the article I'm working on, but they are all a part of what made Pulaski who he was. Because of his background, he went on to revolutionize how the Americans engaged in battle. Because of his ideas and the training program he created, America gained her independence.