So, we all got a little spoiled last month! I got to go on two little vacations, Daniel joined me for one, and the kids got to spend some fun time with grandma Janet, too!
First, mom, Ryan, and I went to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, to see this little beauty graduate from Ultrasound School (great career choice, Shelby ;) )!!
It was such a treat to see Whitney and Shelby!
It was fun traveling with mom and Ryan....it was all good until some lady unknowingly swapped bags with Ryan. We did a little sleuthing and eventually recovered the bag (*whew*). Ryan scored some new clothing items in the meantime- which was good for everyone: I wouldn't have wanted to see him in an older woman's beach attire and accessories.
The beach was awesome!! So warm :)
The graduation was amazing....well, boring at first, but the keynote speaker was AWESOME- so inspiring!! It was an unexpected treat for sure.
We enjoyed some nights on the town:
Daniel and I also took a tandem work trip to Washington DC, and added in a couple days of fun at the beginning of the trip.
Highlights included:
1. me running the wrong way down an escalator in the subway terminal
2. learning the hard way that "cute" shoes are not the way to go when you walk 10 miles a day (ouchie)
3. meeting a fellow Kansas Citian
4. stumbling upon the set of "Captain America 2". They were filming some scenes in DC, so we watched for a while. *starstruck*
4. being evacuated from our hotel at 2am due to "an emergency in the building" complete with sirens
OK, so i.heart.DC. love it. I feel like every American should go there at least once. I left feeling so patriotic :)
We were walking downtown the first day we got there and found this little jewel of a restaurant:
So what's the big deal, you may ask? Well, we frequented this very same restaurant when we were in Chile, South America in college! I've never seen another one until now! *flashbacks*
This is a stone from Mount Sinai:
We did the "behind the scenes" tour and saw the stained glass up close and the gargoyles and grotesques (mini gargoyles) !
Toured the Library of Congress, which included Thomas Jefferson's original book collection and the contents of Abraham Lincoln's pockets the day we was assassinated. *we love history*
There were amazing stone carvings and paintings everywhere.
We even saw the Magna Carta and Declaration of Indepencence! Incredible. The Magna Carta was written in the 1200's and looks amazing.
Our senator's intern gave us a private tour of the capital, complete with a ride on the underground train system that senators use to travel from the senate building to the Capitol undetected. *official*
We even got to go in the actual room where Kansas was officially adopted as a state. *best.state.ever*
Inside the capital is this carved monument honoring the pioneers for women's suffrage (Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Stanton, Susan B. Anthony). You'll notice there is a blank stone waiting to be carved in the back. This one was meant to be carved when the first woman is elected president-
Looking up at the Capitol Rotunda.....aaaaah-mazing. The painter was in his 70's when he completed it!
One night we headed to Bullfeathers for dinner (thanks for the tip, Hunnicutts!). We got to talking with our waitor, Paul, and realized that he is from Overland Park- small world! He came to DC to intern for our Senator (whose office we visited the very next day). *KC pride*
All the while....the kids were having a blast w/ Grandma Janet:
(they even found a turtle: Buddy Cooper Alexander I)
One of the most meaningful parts of our trip was visiting the memorials, and Arlington National Cemetery. Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was an amazing sight to see.
How humbling it is to walk on one of the most sacred pieces of ground in America. Around 400,000 heroes are buried here.
WWII Memorial:
One of the most basic memorials actually turned out to be the most moving: The Vietnam memorial (or "the wall"). As Dan and I were quietly gazing at the over 58,000 names inscribed on the black marble slabs, a runner (probably in his early 40's) approached the portion of the wall near us and stopped mid-stride. He paused, removed his hat, approached the wall, touched one of the names, and let out a deep sigh. Dan and I were frozen in the moment, witnessing this man's grief and reverence. He turned to us with a tear in his eye, and said, "that was my dad.".....then ran off. We stood there for a few moments and said nothing, just thanked God for the many men, women, and families who gave so much...
Honestly, Memorial Day was extra meaningful for me this year, as I continue to reflect on the unbelievable sacrifices that made it possible for me to enjoy the freedoms that I so often take for granted. *so thankful*
One of the most basic memorials actually turned out to be the most moving: The Vietnam memorial (or "the wall"). As Dan and I were quietly gazing at the over 58,000 names inscribed on the black marble slabs, a runner (probably in his early 40's) approached the portion of the wall near us and stopped mid-stride. He paused, removed his hat, approached the wall, touched one of the names, and let out a deep sigh. Dan and I were frozen in the moment, witnessing this man's grief and reverence. He turned to us with a tear in his eye, and said, "that was my dad.".....then ran off. We stood there for a few moments and said nothing, just thanked God for the many men, women, and families who gave so much...
Honestly, Memorial Day was extra meaningful for me this year, as I continue to reflect on the unbelievable sacrifices that made it possible for me to enjoy the freedoms that I so often take for granted. *so thankful*
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