Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day mom! We love you. You are the best mom, mother in law, and grandma. Thanks for being so amazing. It gives me something to work towards!

I love you!

Jen

Our trip to Washington DC!!!

Wayne had a business trip to Washington DC this last week
so I was lucky enough to go with him and
see all of the magnificent sights
of our American heritage!!!The white house is one of the smaller buildings, believe it of not!!!
I have never seen so many huge buildings that take up entire blocks!!!
President Bush waved to us from the White House!! (believe it or not!!)

Climbing to the top of the Washington Monument
was another awesome experience.
We were in the presence of greatness as we rode to the top
of the monument
with a boy scout troop from North Carolina!!

The Lincoln Memorial was the one monument that
I was the most excited to see!!!
And it was even grander than I imagined!!!
Sitting on his lap was very cool too!!! (believe it or not!!)

The Iwo Jima memorial was the first monument that we saw after
arriving in Washington DC.
It was in walking distance to our hotel.
We walked there just before dark and my first thought was "It's Huge"!!!
Pictures do not do it justice.
The same thought went through my mind all week upon seeing Washington DC.
It is amazing how such a small area of land can hold so much history!!!

There was a few times that I was drawn to tears
because of the magnitude
of where and what I was looking at.
The Iwo Jima monument was the first time,
a couple of days later the Vietnam memorial took my breath away
as I thought about my POW bracelet that I wore all during high school,
and the third time I was standing in the rotunda of the capitol
looking up at the immense hand painted ceiling.
Seeing over 200 years of history in one week is beyond words.

Another monument that was one of Wayne's favorites!!!

Wayne being taught by the master!!
This is also one of my favorite pictures.
Some of our favorite works of art include...
the "Ghost Clock"
which doesn't look like much until you realize the sheet
isn't a sheet at all,
but part of the complete carving of the "clock"!!!
Right!! It is all wood!!!
Even in person it was hard to tell that it was wood!!!

Van Gogh...

Monet...
Around every corner there was another original work
by one of the masters.
It was incredible!!
I could have stayed at the National Gallery of Art all day!!
Oh!! I did!! And part of the next day!!!

And of course, you can't leave Washington DC
without seeing
the Hope diamond!!
This picture doesn't do it's 47.5 carets justice!!!

We loved Washington DC!!
With all of its heritage, culture and beauty!!!
We kept wondering why we never took the kids
when they were younger.
But we can always plan for the future!!!