A Day in DC

It was my birthday last Tuesday (a week ago). That meant all my family called me up to talk about how old I was getting, how many grey hairs I had, and that they would miss me that weekend in DC. Since my brother's fiancé visa hadn't come in yet, there was to be no wedding, even though both he and the bride-to-be were in the same city, going to be at the same temple, and on the day they had originally planned for. But they decided to do the whole reception and pictures thing anyway. Because there was no wedding, I had decided I wasn't going to make the trek out there. After all, I just had a baby a month ago! Well, Jill had the baby, but you know what I mean.

Anyway, after realizing there were still going to be pictures and a reception (I thought it was all being done away with an postponed), I was crazy pants sad that I wouldn't be there. After all, I had missed my sister's wedding because I wasn't allowed to leave the US until my green card arrived. I didn't want to miss this one, too!

Jill and I talked about the logistics of me going, and if she would be able to with the kid as well, and how much we could afford it. Well, we decided I should go, but would have to leave both of them behind. It was sad, but it was inevitable. We were planning on buying the ticket, but my mother (bless her soul) said she'd cover the cost. We really do appreciate that. So incredibly blessed, we are.

Wednesday I bought my ticket. I was also terribly close to missing my flight completely by purchasing a ticket two weeks away. That wouldn't have been very good.

Then, on Friday of last week, I set out on my adventure. I left work a couple hours early (hurray!) since I got in a bit early and didn't take lunch (boo!) and made my way to the airport. I kissed my dear sweet wife goodbye and tussled the hair of my nearly 1-month old boy and entered the airport. At 5:30, I was on my way to DC for my brother's almost-kind-of-sort-of wedding! Side note: my flight was supposed to leave at 5:00, but they didn't have ice for the drinks so they waited for that to get stocked up. What fun.

After a four hour non-stop flight, I landed in DC (yay!). It was just before midnight (ug) and I still had to take a cab to the hotel where my parents were staying. So I hailed a taxi, hopped in, and was asleep before 1:00.

Morning came early, since we had to be an hour away by...9:00? I can't remember. But we got up early and left early. We made it to the DC temple on time (although Michael and his finance, Kate, nearly missed the session), and I'm proud to say I only fell asleep once or twice, and even then it wasn't a deep sleep. Go me. Then we took pictures outside of the temple.

I was very happy to be there. Like I said, I had missed my sister's wedding, and there was no way I wanted to miss this one. My whole family would be there (who I don't get to see very often because international), and I WANTED TO BE IN ALL THE PICTURES DAGNABBIT!

And so I was.

After pictures, we had about three hours before the reception started, so my mother and father and I decided to hit up the metro and take a gander at DC proper. This is probably the one time you'll ever hear me say that I actually wanted to go to the mall.

So off we went, with Dad driving the rental car on the freeway towards the metro station. Needless to say, we got lost. We spent far too long actually trying to get to the station that when we actually did find our way there (through some miracle), we wouldn't be able to go without being late. We didn't realize it too half an hour there and back by train. So, dejected, we drove back to the chapel where the reception would be.

The food was delicious, and the slideshow was totes adorable (I feel obligated to say that, even though it's the truth). There were plenty of couple's dances, and I had although I wished Jill was with me before then, that's when I really started missing her. We tried to organize a FaceTime call during one of the dances, but Rex had other ideas. Apparently he wanted to eat right before such dances started, or he was getting his diaper changed, or something to keep his mother away from me. I guess it would have looked fairly odd to have me out on the floor dancing with a phone, so it's probably a good thing. Kate might have changed her mind and I would have ruined all of Michael's hopes and dreams! Yeah, that's probably what would have happened.

Well, the reception ended, we tore down the decorations, and said goodbye to the almost-bride and nearly-groom.

Then we drove to where all the touristy stuff was.

Yet again, we became ridiculously lost (next time I go out that way, I'm driving myself). But eventually we did find a place to park close to the Washington Memorial and walked around in the dark. It was late, but it was DC, and how could we not?

We wandered through the war memorial and up to the Lincoln Logs Memorial. As is the norm, I was wearing a rugby jersey. While climbing the seemingly endless staircase to the monstrous stone man, I heard a quiet chanting that grew louder as I approached:

"Munster! Munster! Munster! Munster!"

I looked around, confused. Who was chanting that, and why? Then I looked down, realized which jersey I was wearing (bet you can't guess which one), and then saw the bloke chanting. I gave him props (no pun intended...oh sorry, rugby joke. I bet you didn't even get it...) and went on into the great and spacious gazebo where Lincoln sat, staring out over the reflection pond and War Memorial.

Inside, the fellow who was doing the chanting approached me and inquired if I was from Munster. His accent gave him away as a foreigner from across the pond. I had to lower my head in shame and say no, I was not from Munster, but I did fancy their team. He was from England and the Wasps were his team. I told him (possibly a little too excitedly) that I had a Wasps jersey, too! And then we talked European rugby, my team (Leicester Tigers), and a bunch of other stuff. Fun guy.

We then proceeded down the steps and we found our way back to the Washington Memorial, and then to our car. Fortunately, we did not get lost going back to the airport.

We did, however, have troubles getting on the metro to get to our hotel which was one stop away from the airport (which is why we stayed there that night). Anyway, after a long (might I stress the word LONG?) day - which was good, and I'm totally glad I could be there - we finally crashed in the hotel (crashed as in sleep. Nobody drove a vehicle inside our room).

Three hours later I was up and on my way back to the airport.

After another long flight with not much sleep happening, I finally landed and was the happiest person ever to be back home with my wife and my little boy.

I loved DC, but next time, I want them to be there with me.

And now it's raining and I'm sitting outside typing this so I'd better wrap it up before my computer short circuits because of the water factor and BZZT BZZZZZZZZ SHHHZZZING