Tawny Lindquist, a P.E. teacher at Lakeridge Elementary, travelled more than 2,400 miles with her 7-year-old daughter to watch Sen. Barack Obama become the 44th president of the United States on Jan. 20. The experience was one that neither Lindquist nor her daughter, Harriet Siqueland, will ever forget.

“I think the most magical moment was walking across Memorial Bridge at sunrise. It was just so beautiful, with ice floats coming down the river in the morning sun. It really felt like a pilgrimage; we even had to suffer through the cold. At one point, I was scared of hypothermia,” Lindquist said.

The Lakeridge teacher and her daughter attended the inauguration with a friend from Seattle and her two children. Together, the group braved freezing temperatures for more than six hours until Obama completed his historic address.

“We headed out at 6 a.m. We had to, just to get a spot. The subway was absolutely packed with people. It was worth it. We found a spot right underneath the Washington Memorial.”

The morale among people gathered on the National Mall made up for the freezing temperatures, Lindquist said.

“The event just brought out the best in everyone. We were greeted with smiles all around. Somebody gave us a blanket to warm up and others gave us foot warmers. We met people from all over the country, all gathered there to see history in the making.”

Although too far from the Capitol Building to see Obama, the president’s message was clearly conveyed over a large TV screen. The emotions that Lindquist and her daughter felt, listening to Obama speak, were difficult to convey.

“We tried to talk about why this moment was so important with the kids. I think it really hit them, being in that crowd. My daughter was just giddy the entire time — laughing and singing. It was just amazing. There was so much energy in the crowd. We were sharing a moment in history.”