We're back! TRIP PART 1

What a trip!

It started out a little rocky.  

I'll admit - I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before.

I kept waking up thinking......... "I'm not an adventurer.  I'm a stay-at-home mom!  What in the world am I thinking going on this huge trip?!!"  When I admit it to myself I was scared of 2 things -- 1) leaving my babies behind, and 2) the AIRPLANE.

I cried all morning getting ready, and I cried saying goodbye (even though they slept through it).

As soon as I sat on the airplane I just about had a nervous breakdown.  It was not pretty.  

If my husband hadn't been there trying to calm me down I probably would have passed out -- I was totally hyperventilating.  I mean my hands were getting tingly and stiff-like.

Luckily it didn't take long to get the plane in the air, and then I was able to calm down a bit.  

3 1/2 hours later, the landing wasn't much better -  tears and craziness.  

I thought for sure the girl next to me thought I was a crazy person! 

I took a second to wash my face in the bathroom as soon as we got off the plane and she was in there -- she approached me and was the sweetest girl in the world.  She told me she thought I was so brave facing my fears like that.  I gave her a hug and thanked her for making me feel better.  What a sweetheart!  I love that there are kind people in the world.  

Washington D.C. is the most wonderful and beautiful place in the world!  

If it wasn't so far away from Idaho and my family, I would absolutely move there!  

And it was so great to spend time with Dave's sister JEN!  

She has a great condo in Arlington, and she took time off work to show us her beautiful stomping grounds.

The first night we went straight to the Washington D.C. temple -- the temple the Ferrara family was sealed in so many years ago when Dave was about 4 years old.  He remembers having to wear white clothes and wait in a crib (which he hated because he wasn't a baby), and he had a little accident because he had to wait so long.  But he also remembers being with his mom and dad and 2 little sisters all in white.  It was a beautiful experience.  He hasn't been back there since that day so long ago.  

We were able to schedule tours (months in advance) of the White House and the Capital Building.  We went to the Holocaust Museum (heartbreaking - I could have spent a whole day there), the National Archives, Ford's Theater and the Lincoln museum, several Smithsonian museums.... the Air & Space Museum, American History Museum, and the Museum from Night at the Museum 2 (so cool!), and of course the Lincoln and Jefferson Monuments and the Arlington Cemetery with the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  So many inspiring places.  I cried a lot.  I get so emotional about things like that.  I'm sure I've forgotten things.  It was all just so wonderful. 3 days wasn't enough time!  I want to go back!  I loved that even though it was a much bigger city than I'm used to -- it still had a "small town" family feel.  We ended our time there eating breakfast in an outdoor market, and then we hopped on a bullet train heading up to New York City!

yep - I'll admit it was heavenly to put my feet up and pamper myself a bit!

D.C. TEMPLE

WHITE HOUSE

 

FORD'S THEATER

NATIONAL ARCHIVES

CAPITOL BUILDING

AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

 NATIONAL MALL

 SCULPTURE GARDEN

LINCOLN/ JEFFERSON/ WASHINGTON MONUMENTS

ARLINGTON CEMETERY

TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

TO BE CONTINUED...............

good things:
home
my pillows
my own bed