DC Trip Report
May 20th, 2008 by Bethany
We got back yesterday from our trip to DC for my sister’s graduation and boy am I tired! It’s taken me about 2 hours to get through my email, and I have only listened to 4 of my 15 voicemails. Know, for your own future reference, that I’m a notoriously bad voicemail checker. But it was a great trip! I got to see my family and visit places I’d never been, saw one of my sisters graduate, and even spent some time alone with Colin thanks to kid-hungry aunts, uncle, and grandparents.
To the left you see the brainchild of my brother. One of his school teachers showed him a picture of herself that looked like she was pushing the Leaning Tower of Pisa back up straight. It was Nephi’s idea to do a similar thing by taking a picture of my finger either holding the Washington Monument up or squishing it down (I’m not sure which). We were standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to take the picture. We actually got to take a free tour inside the Washington Monument and go up to the top and look out at an amazing view of the city from the top. It’s a really cool place, and the strangest part of the entire tour was when we were going down the elevator there were little windows in the elevator that let us see glimpses of big carved memorial blocks on the walls inside the monument that were from different donators (including states, labor unions, masons, etc) to the building effort, then fogged over for the rest of the trip down. We decided that that part of the tour is perfect fodder for making up a conspiracy theory. 
Anyway, it was really neat inside and I’m glad I went on the tour instead of just seeing it from the outside as I’d planned.
Another worthwhile tour (also free-it’s so cool that there’s all this free stuff to do there) we went on was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see money being printed. Very cool. Did you know that those who engrave the plates our money is printed from have to do a 10-year apprenticeship? I felt a little bad for those who are 5 years into the apprenticeship now, because the tour guide said that they’re working on transitioning to making the master plates with computers instead of having them hand-engraved. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but we saw printers working on huge presses that they say go about 24/7 for 30 years at a time. It was especially fun to go through with Colin, who was able to point out other items of interest because of his printing background. Oh, and there was a funny sign inside next to one of the presses that said something like “How do you think I feel? I just printed more than my entire lifetime salary in a few minutes!”
We also saw the WWII Memorial, the National Archives (where the Delaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Bill of Rights are), the Smithsonian Sculpture Gardens, the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, and the National Botanical Gardens. We drove by the Capitol, I saw the White House from afar, and we saw the Pentagon from the car. My touristy side is quite satisfied with the list of destinations I made it to.
Emily’s graduation was lovely, with perfect weather and a casual atmosphere, complete with grass for the kids to run and play on. Maggie was exhausted and faught sleep the entire time, but even then she wasn’t super-grumpy. Our sweet, friendly Degen managed to find some kids his age in his wanderings around the quad and played some ball.
Colin and I went on a date on Saturday night and had dinner at a place called Hard Times Cafe, where they specialize in various kinds of chili. Colin had a chili burger and I had a Frito-chili pie, both great comfort-food, for less than $20, which is pretty good considering where we were. It was a great break from the norm and from the kids, so thanks to the family for the time off! It was so nice to have free, loving babysitters.
Both kids did great both ways on the airplanes, and thank goodness since I traveled “alone” with them (Colin had to fly seperately so that he could work). Degen was excited about the idea of being on a plane at all, and Maggie just slept the entire time on the way over.
For the most part, the airport and airline staff were great! We had an “expediter” in the Delta check-in line at BWI who messed us up more than once and made my mom (my parents helped me while I checked in) REALLY mad. But the security staff were so nice as we walked through the metal detectors and got our shoes back on. The Delta staff at our Cincinnati layover were the BEST, though, and totally went above and beyond the call of duty. On the first leg of our flight home, there was a medical emergency a couple of rows ahead of us, and we had to make an emergency landing to get someone off the plane and to the hospital (some great EMTs and a nurse on board had to give the man an IV on the plane while we were in the air and everything), so we were late getting to the Cincinnati airport for the connecting flight. Our plane arrived about 15 minutes before my connecting flight was supposed to take off. We had to get on a shuttle going to another concourse, then get across the concourse, check in at the gate, then get on another plane. Aside from the time (which seemed impossible), I was concerned about seating because the flight was full and they’d been unable to assign Degen and I seats together. But when I finally got to the gate the plane was still waiting for me, and the attendant at the gate (Delta hero #1)had actually noticed the problem with me and Degen sitting a few rows apart and made a phone call before I got there to the person sitting next to Degen and asked her to sit in my seat! THAT is great service. So, she checked us in and sent us off to get on the plane. I wish I could remember her name so I could put it here, but I was in a hurry at the time and didn’t notice her name tag. If any of you at Delta are looking for a person to give an award to, give it to the woman who was working Cincinnati Aiport Gate C74 on Monday, May 19th, at 9:50am.
It was one of those tiny planes that you have to go outside and climb up stairs to get on board, and I was so relieved to get in line and on the airplane, until I noticed that other people were in our seats. I asked the flight attendant where we should sit, she looked at my boarding passes, smiled, and said we were on the wrong plane! Ahhhh! I hadn’t noticed that there were several gates together all going to a parking lot of planes and I’d just gotten on the closest one! The kind, very pregnant flight attendant (Delta hero #2) carried Degen to the tarmac while I carried Maggie down the steps and handed us over to a friendly baggage handler (Delta hero #3). He pleasantly joked with Degen and carried him to our plane (which was waiting just for us!) and helped me with our luggage while I got us settled in the front row. The flight attendant there seemed rather displeased with me and the world in general, but at least she didn’t make any rude comments or roll her eyes.
When we finally got to the Little Rock airport, we discovered that neither of my two strollers had made it home on the plane. The lady at the Delta luggage counter (Delta hero #4) was friendly and helped me with the kids and my luggage as she tried to track down the strollers. It turned out they never made it on the plane in Baltimore! But she found them and had them put on a flight right away and then delivered to my house that night. She also gave me a loaner stroller (offered two, but I only needed one for the night), and helped me get everything to the desk of the shuttle service my dad had hired for me. I’d irresponsibly left getting myself a ride home till the day before, then noticed I didn’t have any phone numbers with me. Colin talked to a couple of people for me, but couldn’t find a ride either. Colin had accidentally left all of his keys with me in DC, so he couldn’t even get into our house or car himself and had to stay with very generous friends. So, Mom and Dad volunteered to chip in (again!) and got me and the kids a ride home. It was so nice! Thank you mom and dad!
We finally got home and all took naps, then picked Colin up from work and bought some groceries and diapers. So, we had a great, exciting, adventurous trip. And I recommend avoiding driving in DC and 6am flights with toddlers. Amen.