One of the freedoms I know I will have to give up for awhile is the opportunity to travel with Dev. I have been lucky to be able to just get away and spend the weekend alone with him a couple of times a year for the last several years. Road trips are the best because we have a lot of time to read and talk. I read to Dev while he drives—we have read some great books together, and it is always interesting to talk about them and get each others’ perspective. And we can take our golf clubs and golf wherever we go! A few of our favorites have been to Wolf Creek, Park City, Estes Park, Colorado, and we were even fortunate enough to be able to go to Hawaii. (We still took our golf clubs). We call our friend Dave Dove, who works for our timeshare, and he hooks us up with the best deals and we usually end up with the suite!
Now when I say “we” I guess I need to be a little more accurate. There are three reasons that I end up benefitting from this and not one of them really has anything to do with me! First, the kids are all a little older and can pretty much take care of themselves. Second, my truly amazing sister, Lacey, comes and stays with the kids to make sure they do just that! Of course my mom and sister Camie have helped us out several times as well. And third, the “we” is really just Devron. He does ALL of the planning, even the part of talking me into leaving the kids for the weekend. He is great at it and I am horrible. The worst, in fact. Honey, I love you! You make my life so much more fun and interesting!! I would sit home bored all of the time without you. HAHA!! I wouldn’t be pregnant without you either—you really do make my life more interesting!
He also needs to travel to conferences on occasion for PMI and enjoys the company whenever I can tag along. I use our sky miles if we have to fly, and since he has to have a room and a car already we only end up paying for my food and whatever we do for entertainment. It’s always nice to get away and spend some time alone together. Some trips I have more time with him than others, it depends on the conference and his meeting schedule, but even when I have to be alone all day, I always enjoy myself. I can write, read, study, go sight-seeing, and even to the temple if we are close to one. We have been to Las Vegas a few times where we have seen some fun shows (Phantom being one), Florida, California, and most recently, Washington, DC.
The inside of the Gaylord Hotel, complete with several shops and restaurants, live trees and birds.
And a water fountain with colorful lights set to music.
This was a dream trip for me and perfectly timed. We hadn’t told anyone our news yet as we were still absorbing it and giving ourselves time to adjust and prepare to be bombarded with jokes, questions, and all-around stunned and amazed family and friends, so it was a good time to leave it all behind and think about something else for awhile. Also, Jill and I had been working out in her basement with the elliptical and treadmill while watching documentaries to keep us motivated and help the time go faster. That’s what you call a physical and a mental workout and the incredible multi-tasking capability of mothers. We have to make every minute count! We were spending valuable time together as well -- usually ending our sessions with a meaningful conversation about what we had just watched, challenges with our families, or what in the world should we fix for dinner? We had viewed Thomas Jefferson and just finished Abraham and Mary Lincoln (both by Ken Burns) right before I left so I was excited to not only see their monuments but pay a tribute to them in person.
This was a trip where Dev would be highly involved in meetings and so we left a day early so he could have at least one day to see some sights with me. Because he is such a World War II fan, our first stop was the Air and Space Museum where we spent several hours soaking it all in. We then scheduled two whirlwind bus tours to take in all of the major places and monuments. It was a little bit rushed for time and also very cold, windy and drizzly so my pictures are not the best, especially the ones at night, but now we can say we have been there!
National WWII Memorial with the Washington Monument and American Flag in the background.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
I cannot adequately describe in words the reverence and gratitude I felt as I gazed at these two men and re-read their words which are engraven on the walls of their memorials. It was very moving for me to stand before them and offer a silent prayer of gratitude for their sacrifices and accomplishments which helped to lay the foundation for the abundance of life and freedom that I personally enjoy today.
I cannot forget George Washington, whose estate I visited as I wandered the city alone for the next four days, soaking in the history of the founding of our country and our government, and the wars that have been fought and the lives that have been lost to obtain and preserve it. I am even more convinced now that this is “One Nation Under God” and that these men played a major role in making it and keeping it that way. Such a very small percentage of the people that have ever lived on this earth have been able to dream of, let alone live in the favorable circumstances that I take for granted every day. They haven’t had the freedom of choice, of worship, or of hope for their children and their future.
Of course our country isn’t perfect today, but I have great hope for it and for the futures of my children! I know that they can be and do whatever they set their minds and hearts to do because of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. I may be momentarily losing a little bit of every day freedom, but I realize that it is a great privilege and responsibility to bring another new life into this blessed state of prosperity and hope that we call America, despite it’s current challenges. These men were not perfect, they were human and made mistakes just as we all do, but I believe they did their best to fulfill their God-given purpose on this earth and it inspires me to fulfill mine.
I will be forever grateful for my trip to Washington, DC. I have so many more pictures and thoughts I could share but this post has gone on long enough! There is just one more of another important man that has influenced my life. . . .
I love you, Dev, and I know that we have many more places to see and golf together!
PS. How about Lincoln for a boy name?
