Spring Break: Washington DC

For part two of our spring break trip, we headed back north to the DC area. Our kids are too young for it, really, but we couldn't resist the chance to hang out in our old stomping grounds and see our friends. As it turned out, the friend-seeing didn't go as I had hoped - we were packing too much in, and it was all a bit much for kids as young as ours. I'm really sorry we didn't see a lot of people I would have loved to with different timing. 

Our first stop was the branch of the Air and Space Museum near Dulles. You may not be able to tell, but Henry is wearing his airplane shirt.

Watching the planes land at Dulles. The museum has a tower between the runways. Quite cool.

The space shuttle is new since the last time Steve and I were there. It was quite amazing, but also a little sad to see all the NASA history and realize that our kids won't grow up watching shuttle launches.

Can you believe how tiny we are compared to the shuttle?

We stayed in "Bethesda", so to speak. It was not in any part of Bethesda we recognized, but it was near the Metro. We went to a nearby Whole Foods for some groceries, and I was amazed. I had never been to a suburban Whole Foods. It was unbelievable. I have heard stories of foreign tourists going to American grocery stores and being shocked by the size and variety of foods. That was me. I still can't get over it. I'm not the only one - Grace got a San Pellegrino that she referred to as one of her favorite parts of the trip to a friend's mother today.

Anyway, we headed to the zoo on Thursday morning. Along with half the country (we would meet the other half the next day on the Mall). I love DC. It has it's quirks, but this time of year it's so pretty. And it's always such fun to see such a cross-section of Americans in their sports and university garb from all over the country as we all take in the same sites from different perspectives and experiences.

We walked up to the National Cathedral and had to stop for lunch at Cactus Cantina. I don't have the photo from my phone, but Lars, we had a drink or two for you!

We then headed to Foggy Bottom to meet the newest member of our friend-family - James! He was born about 5 hours earlier to Jess and Geoff. Congratulations! Steve waited with the kids because they weren't allowed on the floor while I ducked in to snuggle that sweet little perfect baby. Oh, how precious newborns are! Welcome to the world, James! You scored in the parent-dept.

Jess is a natural. That is one lucky boy.

Next we popped over to the Kennedy Center to catch the evening free concert and wander around the terrace. I love it up there. No shots of the Potomac, but the view every direction is so cool.

Friday, after a morning swim (the kids so enjoyed the hotel pool and when you're up before dawn every day there's plenty of time!), we headed to the Mall, starting with the Lincoln Memorial. I read the Gettysburg Address on the wall and was struck by Lincoln's words, once again. If you haven't read it lately, take a moment. Grace asked lots of good questions. It's all so hard to explain to an almost-five year old.

Steve and I have a photo in this spot from the summer of 2000 when he visited me while I interned in DC. In that photo - a year before graduating college, three years before getting married, we look very young - unwrinkled, thin, etc. We wanted to get a current shot.

These two pretty well capture the change.

We headed up the Mall. Grace knows all about George Washington because of the statues around Boston, and she's heard a bit about the American Revolution. She was disappointed not to go up in the monument, but it has been closed every time we have been there, including the entire year we lived there.

She was really excited to see "Obama's house", although she would have preferred to see Obama himself. She is quite fascinated by him and remembers watching the 2012 debates with him and "the other guy who was wrong."

Foreshadowing?

We spent the afternoon with hordes of school groups touring the American History Museum, the Natural History Museum and the other Air and Space Museum. Grace loved the first lady's gowns exhibit (especially because of the prominent display of Michelle Obama's dress), the history of transportation exhibit (she was really bummed that she couldn't climb into any of the vehicles), the Hope Diamond, and flying a plane.

Henry really enjoyed Henry the elephant. He got very nervous being in the pilot's seat.

After getting drenched in the rain, DC-style, we made our way up to downtown Bethesda for dinner and subjected the children to more "we used to go here..." talk. They were fascinated. 

The next morning we went swimming and hit the road for the short 8 hour trip home. Smooth sailing, but the Jersey Turnpike really has the worst dining options at it's travel plazas. As we got further north, the trees became bare again. I had hoped they would all leaf-out while we were gone. It's still chilly here and does not feel like spring. It was hard to come home - partly because our trip was too fun and too short, and partly because we're in such a funny place right now that home doesn't really feel like home. We have just over a year left in Boston, and the question of what's next (i.e. what's long-term) is becoming more and more prominent, and with it the reminder that our life here is temporary. But that's another post.