Vacation, Part 1

This year we decided to go BIG for vacation so we loaded up the kids and went to the Nation's Capital. We had a great time, but by the end, we were all thoroughly exhausted!!!
This adventure started at about 5:45 AM with trusting our GPS, Helen for directions for the fastest route. We started out on the major interstates, but soon, she found smaller and more scenic highways for us to take. We were grateful because we all really dislike the boring and monotonous interstate (Sorry, Mr. Eisenhower. It was a good idea, but that's not how we like to see America.).
We arrived around 3:00 PM and got ourselves unpacked so we could explore the hotel and surroundings. The Marriott was nice and it was connected to an underground shopping area and a Metro station. If you ever go to DC, the Metro is awesome. It saved so much driving in and out of the city, fighting traffic, and locating parking spaces. I HIGHLY recommend using it as much as possible. (For those worried moms out there, it's clean and safe.)
** As I am reviewing this blog, I feel I must address the tragic Metro accident of 6/22/09. It is such a terrible tragedy and I am sure in the coming days we will find out more details about what went wrong. My heart and many prayers go out to the families of the deceased and to those who were injured. Though we did not ride the Metro at that particular location, we did take many of the trains (including the red line) and may have actually ridden on one of the trains involved in the accident. I am counting my blessings that God gave us safe trips every time, but I still firmly believe that even an accident such as this one is part of His vast plan. When it is His desire to call us home, He will find us whether we are riding a Metro, driving a car, or resting comfortably in our own beds. We cannot live in fear. I would still ride the Metro if we were in DC today.**

This was our general itinerary for the week:

Sunday - Union Station, walking on the mall, Smithsonian National Gallery of Art, Tourmobile Twilight tour of the monuments and memorials (pricey, but a good way to fit it all in).

Monday - Holocaust Memorial Museum (for Sara and I), International Spy Museum (for Daniel and Owen), Smithsoniam Museum of Natural History.

Tuesday - Smithsonian National Zoo (and that's it because our feet were killing us that day).

Wednesday - Smithsonian Museum of American History and Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

Thursday - Newseum, tour of the Capitol building (don't eat at the restaurant, no wonder lawmakes get grumpy) and the Libray of Congress

Friday - Union Station (again), Folger Shakespeare Library (my favorite part), Smithsonian Hirshorn Art Museum, return to Smithsonian Museum of American History (First Ladies' Exhibit for the girls and America at War exhibit for the boys), walk around the White House, and Arlington National Cemetery.

We saw much, but there was so much we didn't get to see. Another trip is definitely in the cards in a few years.