DC Day 6

Our last day in DC, we decided to drive out and spend it in Mt. Vernon, General Washington's home.  It was a beautiful morning, but overcast and muggy.

While we were inside the house on the tour it started pouring.  We had to walk back to the museums and we got SOAKED.  Most of the rest of the time we spend inside in the museum areas(which were really well done), but King and I wanted to go to President and Martha Washington's graves, so we donned our rain ponchos and ventured out.  It was worth the extra soaking.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip!  We are so grateful we decided to tag along on King's business trip and see the wonderful sites in our Nation's Capital.  It sure makes us extra grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this great country.

DC Day 5

King got up early and headed to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and got us tickets to the main exhibits.  We met him there.  We spent longer than expected viewing the sobering exhibits.  So very heartbreaking.  My favorite part was the room that told stories of people that helped try to free the Jews.  Many brave people lost their lives trying to help.

For lunch, we took the Metro over to Union Station. It was a very hot, humid day, but we still made our way outside to see the statue of Columbus and the reproduction of the Liberty Bell.  

And, not because we had it on our list of "must sees", but because it was right next door and had air conditioning, we decided to check out the National Postal Museum.  It was actually quite interesting, and was in a gorgeous building. It was fun to see all of the different stamps...although, Snow White never found a Donny Osmond stamp, which was very disappointing for her.  

We were all exhausted, so we called it quits, and headed home for an early dinner.  King and the girls went and found a Golden Corral to eat in, and I happily walked to Starbucks across from the hotel for a hot chocolate and a muffin and read quietly in my bed.  

Chronic Migraine Awareness Day

Today is Chronic Migraine Awareness Day! (Almost as fun as National Donut Day, but without the pastries.) It's a day to make people aware that Chronic Migraine is a disease, caused by a condition known as Migraine. Yep, it's the way my brain is wired. Lucky me! 
Millions of people suffer with this disease, which is more than just a headache, but a condition that is, for me, accompanied by daily nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound, sometimes imitating stroke symptoms with difficulty concentrating and speaking and numbness on one side of my body. It's not fun, but it's my life. I have learned to ignore what I can, and cut down on activities when I can't ignore other symptoms. I am better friends with my bed than I ever thought I would be at this age, but I am also better friends with my Savior, Jesus Christ, and I suppose all of this is a tiny price to pay if I get that benefit. 
Thankfully, thanks to some very aggressive doctors, in the past few months, with a cocktail of five preventatives, four vitamin supplements, nerve blocks, and three abortive medications, I have been able to reduce my symptoms a bit, and it's been nice! 
People say it's very hard to describe Migraine, especially Chronic Migraine. And it is.  I think the best way to describe it is basically this:  I feel like I have been miserably sick pregnant every day for about five years.  I have some better days, and some worse days.  But, instead of having a baby at the end of my never-ending pregnancy, what I get almost every day instead is a giant ice pick stuck into the back of my head.  Fun stuff.
So, my advice is, be kind. Someone you know may be suffering from another invisible illness, or maybe Chronic Migraine, and your kind smile or word may be just what they need to make it through a day of pain and illness. Thanks for listening. Carry on! :)
(For more information, you can go to http://chronicmigraineawareness.com/)

DC Day 4

Sunday Grandma had to leave us.  So sad.  We were so glad she came.  We had enough time to go to see Arlington National Cemetery before she left, though.  We had walked so much, so we decided to buy tickets to go on the tram that takes you around the cemetery.  Best $8 each ever spent!  It is huge, and we never would have had time to see what we wanted to had we not had the tram to take us around.  There is such a special feeling there.

My favorite part was the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  They show such respect and dedication.  It was so neat to see.  I felt so blessed to be there.

We then headed to Maryland to take Grandma back to the airport.  Even though it wasn't morning anymore, we did our share of singing, "Good Morning, Baltimore" in our best Tracy Turnblad voices. :) And then we went back to the hotel and rested our poor aching feet while we watched "Life of Pi".  Another great day!

DC Day 3

I started the day a little slowly, but everyone else got up and went to the National Archives and saw the Declaration of Independence and the other displays there.  Awesome.

Then we met up at The National Museum of American History.  So many great things to see here, but I have to say that my favorite thing was the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner.  Amazing.  I also loved the first lady dresses.  It was fun to be with our friends all day.

After an ice cream snack (it was a HOT day) we went to the Freer Gallery of Art.  The four girls really got into this one.  They were imitating the art and paid special attention to any that had four subjects they could model as.  Funny girls.  I love them.

Then, the girls bought matching Chinese friendship bracelets and we split up.  Daddy and Grandma went on a delicious Mexican dinner adventure and we went back to the S's hotel and found a Johnny Rocket's to eat in.  The girls had so much fun and W and I loved talking.  Little Miss M was worn out and fell asleep on the Metro train with her "Cherry Bear".

It was so, so hard to say goodbye to the S family, but we loved spending time with them.  We are so glad they came!!