Photostream: Behind the Scenes in March

Posted by Pete Souza on April 13, 2011 at 7:18 PM EDT

Today, we're posting 85 new behind-the-scenes photographs from March on our Flickr photostream. One of my favorite pictures of the month is from our visit one night to Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We almost didn't go because of the inclement weather. But when we got word that the clouds had broken, the President, First Lady, and their two daughters decided to go. While it was clear when we first arrived, some clouds and fog soon rolled in creating this surreal scene. That's the President in the middle, with the First Lady at right, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, at left, and the Obama daughters in the background.

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia, tour the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. March 19, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The First Lady and Dr. Biden Visit Operation Shower at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Posted by Kori Schulman on April 13, 2011 at 6:03 PM EDT

During their visit to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden stopped by a special Operation Shower event for soon-to-be moms whose husbands are serving. The non-profit organization provides unit-wide baby showers for military families to help ease the burden of deployment.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden arrive at an Operation Shower baby shower for expecting military families at Ball Center in Camp Lejeune, N.C., April 13, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) April 13, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

The First Lady and Dr. Biden brought White House onesies and an assortment of gifts collected through an Operation Shower gift drive held at the White House. Mrs. Obama explained that Operation Shower is one example of how communities can come together to support military families, and truly what Joining Forces is all about:

It’s asking every sector of this society to step up and support you all, because you all are serving in your own way.  And the children that will be born will be serving, too.  They’re serving right now this country, because if they’re born healthy and happy, their dads who are deployed are going to be able to focus on their mission and do a better job, because they know their families are safe.
So we want to ask the rest of the nation to look at this.  This is a fun way to give back.  And we did this at the White House.  We brought you guys White House onesies and blankets.  We took up a drive.  We had boxes all over the West Wing and the East Wing.  People wrote checks.  We brought -- I mean, this was fun.  And any business, any community, any school can do this for a military family, for an expectant mom.  All you have to do is find them.  And all you all have to do is ask and reach out.
And we’re going to be making it easier for people around the country to connect.  We’ve got a new website, joiningforces.gov, where people can get online, find out what's going on in their own communities, learn more about Operation Shower and how to get involved, and how to do something like this in their own communities.

Find opportunties to get involved at JoiningForces.gov and visit OperationShower.org to learn more about supporting military families through baby showers.