Dec. happenings and Virginia & DC trip

December is always a blur. We made 29 plates of cin rolls for Taylors office and neighbors, Juli had her awards assembly, Caleb celebrated his 26th birthday, went to Tyler's Christmas program at his preschool, did the art lesson with the kids making self portraits, went to my cousin Brooke's Elizabethean dinner for their Upland HS choir (The costumes were incredible. It was like we were transported back into the renaissance time. They sang wonderful Christmas music and fed us dinner. The “Queen” and her court came and everyone had to bow and she knighted some men in the audience for a fee. At one point they surrounded the audience and sang the carol of the bells. They lit candles one at time while they were singing and then walked from one end of the hall to the other and then blew them out and that was the end. Pretty dramatic and cool.) , and traveled with 14 people to Virginia and DC. It was a whirlwind trip. My trip was how I shop at Costco. Get in and get out. No dilly dallying. Do as much as you can in as little time possible. Our flight from Chicago was delayed and the weather was so bad that so many flights were cancelled. We ended up having to get a hotel in Chicago and go standby the next day. It was a crazy travel day. Elle was so tired she just cried the last hour of the flight. In the airport at midnight when we were trying to figure out what to do, I was in line at the customer service counter along with about 150 other displaced passengers. I said a prayer something that went like this, “Please Heavenly Father you know our plight. Please send down the powers of Heaven and open a window or door so that we can get home. I know you can do it. Please send someone in our path who can help us. We have babies and 14 people that need to get home. Thank you. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.” All of the agents left about 12:30 in the morning and there was one guy left at the counter trying to help everyone. He saw us and put us on two different flights to LAX instead of Orange Co. going standby, already checked in, with seat assignments. When we got to the airport the next morning there were about 139 people trying to go standby on our flight. Of course only about 7 were able to get on (besides us) Because he put us already checked in, it assured us seats for the flight. A coincidence? I think not. My prayer was immediately and directly answered. So 14 weary travelers arrived back safely to CA . We had a great time. The best was talking to Brett. Our trip was awesome.Here's a quick summary of events. We crammed a lot into a few days. Over all I think this trip made me appreciate the people who have died establishing this country and defending it. What a blessing to live in a time that has all the opportunities it does. George Washington was an inspired man. Going to the places shown in the movie National Treasure 2 was so cool. We were there!

Not in any particular order:

-The US capitol and the underground tunnel to the library of Congress. Amazing architecture, ceilings and floors, paintings and symbolism.

-Mt. Vernon, George Washington’s home and plantation. The view of the Potomac river was awesome.

-Touring the Pentagon was kind of boring but the memorial for 911 was humbling.

-Arlington cemetary. Acres and acres of gravestones. The tomb of the unknown soldiers, the eternal flame at JFK's grave, the reverent feeling for those who have died to protect this free land. The guard at the unknown soldiers tomb walks 21 steps then counts to 21 then walks back 21 symbolic of a 21 gun salute, the highest military honor. Every hour they change guards and we got to see them change. Amazing.

-Touring the treasury gave me new respect for our printed money. Looking down on the bills being printed in a stack equaling 300 million dollars was mind boggling. We bought a page of uncut $2 bills to frame.

-It was freezing! Our CA weather is so mild compared. Thinking about the founding fathers and their hardships gave me such a deep appreciation for their sacrifice. In the snow with horses and carriages. Killing their food and having slaves and growing gardens…Sheesh. It’s so much work just to survive.

-Williamsburg, VA the capitol building of Virginia and the Govenors mansion was where Thomas Jefferson and John Adams and George Washington met and conducted business. The town was restored to what it was like in 1799. We ate in a tavern with authentic food. Some of us liked it and some of us didn’t.

-Performing sealings in the Washington DC temple was a spiritual highlight for me. There was a picture of the founding fathers signing the Declaration of Independence in the temple and a picture of the founding fathers appearing to Wilford Woodruff in the St. George temple asking to have their work done. The sealer said that Pres. Hinckley said that he thinks that 95% of the work we do in the temples gets accepted on the other side. That’s a pretty high percentage. The temple grounds were all lit up with Christmas lights and manger scenes. The kids watched a movie while we were inside the temple. Definitely a highlight.

-We dipped our own candles at the huge Yankee Candle store in Williamsburg. Tyler had so much fun, well everyone did. I think everyone ended up making 2.

-Waking up with everyone Christmas morning. Tyler and Elle are so adorable.

-Playing beach volleyball and swimming in the indoor heated pool at the condo was fun.

We are truly blessed!