Total Eclipse

Abby and I took the day off yesterday and drove the kids down to the outskirts of Columbia South Carolina directly in the path of totality of the solar eclipse, and I am SO glad we did. I had heard on NPR over and over again that if you're anywhere near the path of totality you definitely needed to try to get there, as the difference between a partial eclipse of 99.9% and 100% is the difference between night and day literally. Totally true! We drove down early in the morning with no traffic problems at all and staked out a quiet spot at a park by 11 am where the kids played and ate a picnic lunch before the eclipse started. As the eclipse progressed the light from the sun got weaker and cast funny shadows/ was a funny color but it was definitely not "dark" until the moment of totality. At that moment it was as if the lights were shut off and the full moon came out with a cool halo around it. And when it passed out of totality again it was like someone turned the lights back on. The kids (and I, I will admit it) were literally jumping up and down and shouting in excitement. A truly once in a lifetime experience!