Once again the days have seemed to fly by. I can hardly believe that our lives will turn upside down and splash us into an entirely different way of life in mere weeks. Legs, Grandma Mir Mir, and I are all reading different books about India and people's travels through India. It's almost comical how one story will frighten me into thinking we've made a huge mistake in our choice to bid India so high, and the next will make me feel so passionately about exploring this new and exotic place.
Ultimately, I am ready for this adventure. I am excited to once again board a plane not knowing what to expect when I step back outside. To this day, I vividly remember stepping off the plane in Kuwait around 4 or 5 in the morning, and seeing the sun peek over the horizon as a blast of humid and musty 90 degree air welcomed me. The smells, the sounds, the feel of the air on my skin; everything about it felt different from anything I'd ever experienced, but beneath it all was a moment of exhilaration. I couldn't wait to see what else was different. What lay to the north? What kind of animals live here? What are the people like? What will the language really sound like, when it's not spoken by an American? Perhaps every story I'd heard about the Middle East just wouldn't do it justice; like someone describing the Mona Lisa. When you see it in person you realize that all of your expectations were completely and utterly wrong. I felt like an explorer with a deep yearning to see things for no other reason than I had never seen them before. I am feeding that same desire by traveling to India, and embracing the culture of the people there. For two years we will do as they do, and see what we learn about ourselves in the process.
We have been working extensively to arrange our trip to India, mostly working on Bambi's trip, and frequently contacting the handful of people whom we already know serving at the consulate. We were very pleased to find out that we've already met our soon-to-be neighbors. In fact, we were neighbors here in DC. They have a little girl who is close in age to Thumper, and we were fortunate enough to have play-date while they were still in the US. Her and Thumper got along swimmingly! They are wonderful people and we are very glad we will be living near them.
Christmas is getting close and boy does Thumper have a LOT of presents under the tree! There are a couple for Legs, Grandma Mir Mir, and I, but Thumper won the 'most presents' contest hands down. We are so happy to have Grandma Mir Mir here for Christmas and New Years, and to see the bond between her and Thumper grow by the day. She truly enjoys caring for children, especially Thumper, and it shows in everything she does. This has been a wonderful holiday season, and we've been very lucky to have so many visitors come to spend a little time with us before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Grandma Mir Mir
This week we are lucky enough to have Grandma Mir Mir here for a visit! Thumper was so excited to see her that he ran through baggage claim to meet her when he saw her. It warms our hearts, and I'm sure Mir Mir's as well, that Thumper recognized her after only seeing her face on a computer screen for the last 10 months. There is some special power that a grandmother possesses, which allows a grandchild to instantly make them their favorite person in the world. Thumper already screams in panic when Legs or I need to take him away from Grandma Mir Mir for any reason. It's both a little sad, that we're not his only favorite people anymore, and also very moving to see the bond he has with his grandma.
I think there has been a bit of culture shock for Mir Mir coming to the big city, leaving behind a small, rural farm town in the Northwest, but she's adjusting quite well. We've got her riding the Metro, and looking almost like a local :-) Mir Mir isn't exactly the tourist type, so we likely won't be rushing from one monument to the next, or spending hours in the Smithsonian Museums. She is, however, a very proud and attentive grandmother, and she has been helping care for Thumper tremendously. This is great because it is allowing me to get so much more done in preparation for our move to India.
On top of completing the seemingly endless slew of tasks to be finished prior to our departure, I will be taking the NERC certification test in January. This is a very difficult and technical test, which roughly 60% of test-takers pass, that will certify me to work as a system operator in the North American electrical grid. Even if I don't begin working as a system operator immediately following the test, I will be able to maintain my certification with annual "refresher" courses, and this could prove very useful to me when I decide to return to work or if I apply to a master's program at our next post.
It seems that time is really flying by now. For months we were here in Arlington thinking about our move to India as if it were years away, and now here we are leaving next month! We are excited, scared, nervous, proud, and also a bit overwhelmed at the moment. We are truly happy with the choices we've made at this particular point in our lives, but it doesn't completely remove the fear of the unknown. No matter how many Foreign Service Officers we talk to, how much internet research we do, or how many things we bring with us from the U.S. we won't know what it is like to live in India until we are in fact living in India. It will present many unexpected challenges, but also, if we are willing to see them, many unexpected rewards. Overall we are most excited to simply see what life has to offer.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
I think there has been a bit of culture shock for Mir Mir coming to the big city, leaving behind a small, rural farm town in the Northwest, but she's adjusting quite well. We've got her riding the Metro, and looking almost like a local :-) Mir Mir isn't exactly the tourist type, so we likely won't be rushing from one monument to the next, or spending hours in the Smithsonian Museums. She is, however, a very proud and attentive grandmother, and she has been helping care for Thumper tremendously. This is great because it is allowing me to get so much more done in preparation for our move to India.
On top of completing the seemingly endless slew of tasks to be finished prior to our departure, I will be taking the NERC certification test in January. This is a very difficult and technical test, which roughly 60% of test-takers pass, that will certify me to work as a system operator in the North American electrical grid. Even if I don't begin working as a system operator immediately following the test, I will be able to maintain my certification with annual "refresher" courses, and this could prove very useful to me when I decide to return to work or if I apply to a master's program at our next post.
It seems that time is really flying by now. For months we were here in Arlington thinking about our move to India as if it were years away, and now here we are leaving next month! We are excited, scared, nervous, proud, and also a bit overwhelmed at the moment. We are truly happy with the choices we've made at this particular point in our lives, but it doesn't completely remove the fear of the unknown. No matter how many Foreign Service Officers we talk to, how much internet research we do, or how many things we bring with us from the U.S. we won't know what it is like to live in India until we are in fact living in India. It will present many unexpected challenges, but also, if we are willing to see them, many unexpected rewards. Overall we are most excited to simply see what life has to offer.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Yay Family!
This year, being so far from friends and family, we were fortunate enough to have one member of the clan here for Thanksgiving. Legs' cousin Golfer, son to Ms. Ravenna, was able to make it down from New York University to stay with us for a few days, and enjoy a great Thanksgiving dinner. Something about the holiday season, it just made it a little more enjoyable having a familiar face to share it with. We've lucked out with several visits from Golfer, who has always been a great house-guest and an amazing cousin/uncle to Thumper!
As many of you know, we were able to Skype with most of our family gatherings spread out across the Northwest. It certainly wasn't as nice as sitting across the table from one another, but we're truly grateful that technology gave us the opportunity to see each of your smiling, pixilated faces on Thanksgiving. It also made me happy to see so many members of our families united for a day to enjoy each other's company.
Unfortunately holidays that we will be able to physically attend will likely be few and far between given the life that we have chosen, but keep hope! Some day, a midst our travels from one post to the next, the stars will align and somehow home-leave will happen to fall on a chunk of days that contain some obscure holiday like Groundhog's Day or Super Bowl Sunday, and we will say, "Oh, you're having a get-together for Groundhog's Day? Sure, we can make it. We'll see you at 5!" For a moment, it will be just as if we lived up the street and popped by like we would on any other special occasion, until home-leave ended and our little family whooshed away on a plane set for Reykjavik, or Ho Chi Minh City, or perhaps Wellington. Not knowing what the future holds for us is part of the excitement.
Later this week Grandma Mir Mir will be arriving for a month-long visit! We're very excited to have her here, and Thumper, although he doesn't quite understand it yet, is in for a treat. Grandma Mir Mir sends Thumper videos, Jibjab cards, and they Skype often, to the point were Thumper recognizes her face on the computer screen or iPad. His "Grandma" is just sort of an elongated "Mama" but there is a clear distinction, which probably only Legs and I can hear, when he sees a picture or video of her. We're so happy that he, and us, will get this time to spend with her before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
As many of you know, we were able to Skype with most of our family gatherings spread out across the Northwest. It certainly wasn't as nice as sitting across the table from one another, but we're truly grateful that technology gave us the opportunity to see each of your smiling, pixilated faces on Thanksgiving. It also made me happy to see so many members of our families united for a day to enjoy each other's company.
Unfortunately holidays that we will be able to physically attend will likely be few and far between given the life that we have chosen, but keep hope! Some day, a midst our travels from one post to the next, the stars will align and somehow home-leave will happen to fall on a chunk of days that contain some obscure holiday like Groundhog's Day or Super Bowl Sunday, and we will say, "Oh, you're having a get-together for Groundhog's Day? Sure, we can make it. We'll see you at 5!" For a moment, it will be just as if we lived up the street and popped by like we would on any other special occasion, until home-leave ended and our little family whooshed away on a plane set for Reykjavik, or Ho Chi Minh City, or perhaps Wellington. Not knowing what the future holds for us is part of the excitement.
Later this week Grandma Mir Mir will be arriving for a month-long visit! We're very excited to have her here, and Thumper, although he doesn't quite understand it yet, is in for a treat. Grandma Mir Mir sends Thumper videos, Jibjab cards, and they Skype often, to the point were Thumper recognizes her face on the computer screen or iPad. His "Grandma" is just sort of an elongated "Mama" but there is a clear distinction, which probably only Legs and I can hear, when he sees a picture or video of her. We're so happy that he, and us, will get this time to spend with her before we leave for India.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
2012 Marine Corps Marathon Race Recap
I started out the morning feeling fresh and strong. I woke up at 5am, went through my morning
ritual, and I was ready to head to the start line around 6:30am. It was amazing to be able to literally walk
to the start and finish line from my apartment.
The atmosphere in Rosslyn was electrifying! Droves of people filled the streets, coming
from all different directions. It was
still dark out as hand cycles whizzed by, music blared, people ran by (warming
up I guess?), and DJ's tugged at the anxious strings of everyone's psyche. I made it to the 3:40-4:00 corral by around
7am and found a spot in the median of the parkway to sit and try to keep my
excitement at bay. I found comfort in
watching everyone deal with their obvious stress. Some people stretched, some paced, some
people jumped up and down. Occasionally
someone would mutter a comment and anyone within earshot would laugh with
extreme over-exaggeration, anything to make them feel like they were out for a
walk on any other morning. I made it a
point to stay off my feet and in my place until 10 minutes before the start.
Miles 1-4
The DJ announced "45 seconds to the start of the 2012
Marine Corps Marathon!" All of the
people in my corral started to surge forward.
We sped up, slowed down, stopped and continued that process until a few
minutes later when I crossed the official start. I felt claustrophobic in the sea of people as
I dodged left and right to pass the WALKERS in the 4-hour corral. We ran through Rosslyn and turned to hit the
first, and largest, hill of the course.
This was even worse than the start as many people literally went from a
~9:00/mi pace to a ~14:00/mi pace. I
spent some time running on the sidewalk and mostly stuck to the outskirts to
avoid getting trapped. By the top of the
hill the racers had begun to spread out a bit.
I was a bit slow on pace and was averaging around 9:15/mi at the 3-mile
marker. I decided to pick it up on the
downhill and clocked a 8:07 mile putting me right were I wanted to be by mile
4.
Miles 5-12
I felt good at the faster pace and wanted to ride the
momentum, but I knew I'd fall apart if I kept going that fast. With the exception of a potty stop at mile 7,
I kept all of my mile splits between
8:39 and 9:03. I was feeling strong and
my legs felt great getting to run free.
The course was absolutely amazing, and the weather, despite the
impending hurricane, was ideal for running.
It was overcast and slightly chilly, in the mid to upper 50's. One thing that I found rather relaxing was
that there were far fewer supporters and stands in this stretch of the race and
the quiet allowed me to enjoy my marathon.
I'd spent so much time training, both mentally and physically, for this
event it was nice to have some time for introspection during my run. It was almost odd to be running with so many
people around me because virtually all of my long runs were by myself on the
Mount Vernon Trail.
Miles 13-20
I hit the half way point at 1:56:51, giving me an average
pace of 8:55/mi. Unfortunately my
stomach wasn't exactly cooperating with my pace. I had to stop for a longer potty break at mile
14. I added about 5 minutes to my time
there, but felt incredibly better afterwards.
After that pit stop I was back on track logging miles in the 8:55-9:15
range. I definitely started to feel the
fatigue setting in around the 19-mile-marker.
I had slowed to a roughly 9:30/mi pace at that point, but still felt
comfortable. It was really around this
time that I started to appreciate all of the spectators. People's cheers and signs seemed to really
lift my spirits. As soon as I felt
myself really starting to fade, I'd read a sign like, "If this were easy
they'd call it your mom!" or "No more Saturday long runs means more
Friday night sex! Yeah baby!" I also decided to make a race shirt in honor
of all the 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment marines who died while deployed
with me from 2002-2006. I signed all 27
of their names on the back of the shirt, and there were several times during
the race that thinking of them really motivated me. I'd be lying if I said that I was running
this marathon for anyone else but me, but wearing that shirt made me feel like
I was back in the Marine Corps where we did everything together and we relied
on one another for support. I truly miss
those guys, and I think about them often.
Miles 20-26.2
As I said, I faded a little, but I was holding strong in the
9:30-9:45/mi pace range. Other than my
potty break at mile 14 I didn't log a single mile over 10 minutes. It was around mile 22 that the miles seemed
to really creep by. I had to focus on
the task at hand and keep telling myself to put one foot in front of the other,
make it to the next mile marker, and that I'm doing exactly what I set out to
do. It was kind of a let down that, at
this point, I realized that I wasn't going to break the 4-hour mark unless I
picked up the pace. I would have to run
~9:00 miles from there on out. I sped up
for awhile, but quickly felt my calves and hamstrings tightening and I got
worried that I would cramp up like so many people around me and destroy my
chances at a decent finish. Ultimately I
held my 9:30-9:45 pace for the rest of the race. I finished strong up the hill to the Marine
Corps War Memorial and crossed the tape at 4:03:55. I was only 4 minutes shy of breaking the
4-hour mark, which was disappointing, but on the plus side I set a new PR by
over 18 minutes!
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| Rolling through the National Mall |
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| UPS and USMC making it happen. Good job! |
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| Feeling strong around either mile 11 or 16...not sure |
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| The Netherlands Carillon near the finish line |
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| Finisher Festival in Rosslyn |
In case you're wondering, that red spot on my shirt is blood from my nipple rubbing on my shirt while running. Maybe I'll wear some Band Aids or something for my next marathon!
Race Results
Overall: 5090 out of 23515 (22%)
Male: 3773 out of 13520 (28%)
Division: 535 out of 1673 (32%)
Happy Travels, Happy Running, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Pancho
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Ravennas
We missed a post last week, but we've just been a little busy following the Marine Corps Marathon, Hurricane Sandy, Halloween, and now Legs' language test tomorrow! It's hard to believe that we leave for India in a little over 2 months. We've spent so much time here in Arlington thinking about the many milestones way off in the distance like Thumper's first birthday, Harvest's visit, the E-Burger's visit, Legs' Warrior Dash, the Ravennas' visit, the Marine Corps Marathon and we've come to realize that those have all happened :-P
Legs and I are slowly gaining our nomadic footing once again, and are becoming increasingly excited to travel the world. I've been reading The Wind and the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, to Thumper and he ever so elegantly describes the deep-felt calling one can instantly have to leave all possessions behind and run out into the unknown in search of exotic adventures, new people and customs, unfamiliar sights and smells, and most of all the intoxicating allure of feeling completely out of your element, and, in that moment, rather than letting that accompanying fear turn you back toward the home you left behind, you relinquish all control and wholeheartedly accept everything around you, and you simply experience life. You feel more alive than ever.
A small spark was ignited in Legs in Paris, and I in Iraq, and it's fueled a fire in us to travel the world that will likely never be extinguished; however, an important note to make is that every so often, in those far off places one catches a remnant of home. Perhaps a familiar smell, a recognizable scene or sound, and home instantly becomes the focus of that same desire for experience. Like birds migrating south for the winter then back north for the summer, Legs, Thumper, Bambi, and I will go off on many worldly adventures, but we will always return home and we will all sit and share stories of how Home has changed from the home we knew, and how the places we've been are different or the same.
Since our last blog post we had the Ravennas come to visit, and we had a blast! We made it to the National Mall several times, we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo, and Legs and I even went on a date! It was amazing! Here are some pics...if you want to see pictures with people in them you'll need to go to our photo share site.
It was so nice to see the Ravennas! They took Thumper every chance they could get, and soaked up their time with him. Mrs. Ravenna insisted on carrying Thumper everywhere, until her back was so sore that she couldn't take it anymore. We had some wonderful dinners and saw some beautiful sights, but best of all was simply sitting in the living room and visiting like old times. We truly enjoyed the company of the Ravennas, and we are so happy that they came to visit. Thank you!
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Legs and I are slowly gaining our nomadic footing once again, and are becoming increasingly excited to travel the world. I've been reading The Wind and the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, to Thumper and he ever so elegantly describes the deep-felt calling one can instantly have to leave all possessions behind and run out into the unknown in search of exotic adventures, new people and customs, unfamiliar sights and smells, and most of all the intoxicating allure of feeling completely out of your element, and, in that moment, rather than letting that accompanying fear turn you back toward the home you left behind, you relinquish all control and wholeheartedly accept everything around you, and you simply experience life. You feel more alive than ever.
A small spark was ignited in Legs in Paris, and I in Iraq, and it's fueled a fire in us to travel the world that will likely never be extinguished; however, an important note to make is that every so often, in those far off places one catches a remnant of home. Perhaps a familiar smell, a recognizable scene or sound, and home instantly becomes the focus of that same desire for experience. Like birds migrating south for the winter then back north for the summer, Legs, Thumper, Bambi, and I will go off on many worldly adventures, but we will always return home and we will all sit and share stories of how Home has changed from the home we knew, and how the places we've been are different or the same.
Since our last blog post we had the Ravennas come to visit, and we had a blast! We made it to the National Mall several times, we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo, and Legs and I even went on a date! It was amazing! Here are some pics...if you want to see pictures with people in them you'll need to go to our photo share site.
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| A wildcat at the Smithsonian National Zoo |
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| The White House, taken from the Washington Monument |
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| The Washington Monument |
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| A Giant Panda munching on some bamboo |
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| The Washington Monument |
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| The Lincoln Memorial and WWII Memorial, taken from the Washington Monument |
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| The Washington Monument |
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| The Price of Freedom at the WWII Memorial |
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| The WWII Memorial |
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| The Washington Monument, taken from the WWII Memorial |
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| The Lincoln Memorial, taken from the WWII Memorial |
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| The Washington Monument and Capitol Building, taken from the Lincoln Memorial |
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Safe and Sound
Family and friends, Hurricane Sandy has passed and we are safe and sound. We lost heat but have power, internet, and cable so we'll just put on some extra sweatshirts for now and watch a movie after we go for a walk and get all the stir-crazy off :) It was a loud and windy night but we didn't have any problems other than a small window leak. Bambi sure didn't like going outside yesterday!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Warrior Dash (belated) and Steroids!
Legs here...
The last weekend of September two colleagues and I (a.k.a. the Diplo (diplomatic) Divas) dawned tiaras and hot pink stretch pants to complete the Charles City, VA Warrior Dash 2012! We drove a couple hours out of DC, waited a couple hours in warrior car traffic, did not have to get our small Hyundai towed from the muddy parking field, and enjoyed a 3.58 mile run complete with 11 grueling obstacles We ran, we swam, we crawled under barbed wire, jumped over fire, scaled ropes, and made it through alive! Pancho and Thumper roamed the grounds taking pictures and playing in the mud--all of Pancho's photos are on our photo share site so don't forget to take a look! I hadn't been training for the Warrior Dash more than my regular gym schedule allowed and really just wanted to make sure I could run that far :-) I got up to a seven mile run...on a treadmill. Treadmills are different than running on the ground and running on dry flat ground is different than running in wet clothes through lots and lots of mud! It was hard but it was SO fun! I finished 584/1348 in the 20-29 year female division and 3405/6661 overall...not too bad for my first race ever!
....and then the steroids (if you're still reading).
Okay so it's not as dramatic as it sounds. Last week I had a wisdom tooth taken out. My second wisdom tooth removal because I'm stubborn, I do one-by-one, and because my parents didn't force me to get them all out when I was under the age of 18. This one was impacted (i.e. coming in sideways and only going to cause trouble) so I figured I should deal with it before we move to India. The extraction took two hours and was not fun. The Dentist had just received an award for his extractions and joked that he should give it back after seeing that tooth. Anyway, I spent Columbus day recovering and taking all the pills they gave me, which included a steroid to prevent massive swelling. I had to take Tuesday off from work and managed to survive the rest of the week okay until Friday evening. I had finished the steroid prescription on Thursday and was starting to look less puffy at long last. And then my body freaked out. By Sunday I was in the ER with all sorts of crazy symptoms and the doctors agreed that it was likely a reaction to the steroid...or a virus. Wikipedia and the medical professionals thought I was having symptoms as though I had long-term steroid use...I completely swelled up everywhere, was retaining all fluids I took in, all of my muscles hurt, I was hungry and couldn't feel when I was full, I was irritable, I was completely out of it, I felt so weak I couldn't move, I couldn't put sentences together very well...it was crazy. They thought it was strange I was on such a high does of the steroids for so long (I guess some dentists just do a one-time shot right after the wisdom tooth comes out...I had pills 4x per day for 4 days) but the dentist doesn't feel it was too strong but agrees I should stay away from it in the future so who knows. Either way, no more dexamethasone for me! I had to take Monday off from work and have been slowly but surely gaining cognizance and re-gaining Telugu skills. Here's to hoping all of us stay well for the next month because I test in Telugu on November 14th and I sure don't want to be in language training any longer than I have to!
Last but not least, we have more family coming on Saturday and cannot wait!!!!!!!!! Pancho and I might even go out on a date night :-) Argo just came out and Ben Affleck thanked Diplomats for their service on the Daily Show last night, how can we go see anything else?!
The last weekend of September two colleagues and I (a.k.a. the Diplo (diplomatic) Divas) dawned tiaras and hot pink stretch pants to complete the Charles City, VA Warrior Dash 2012! We drove a couple hours out of DC, waited a couple hours in warrior car traffic, did not have to get our small Hyundai towed from the muddy parking field, and enjoyed a 3.58 mile run complete with 11 grueling obstacles We ran, we swam, we crawled under barbed wire, jumped over fire, scaled ropes, and made it through alive! Pancho and Thumper roamed the grounds taking pictures and playing in the mud--all of Pancho's photos are on our photo share site so don't forget to take a look! I hadn't been training for the Warrior Dash more than my regular gym schedule allowed and really just wanted to make sure I could run that far :-) I got up to a seven mile run...on a treadmill. Treadmills are different than running on the ground and running on dry flat ground is different than running in wet clothes through lots and lots of mud! It was hard but it was SO fun! I finished 584/1348 in the 20-29 year female division and 3405/6661 overall...not too bad for my first race ever!
....and then the steroids (if you're still reading).
Okay so it's not as dramatic as it sounds. Last week I had a wisdom tooth taken out. My second wisdom tooth removal because I'm stubborn, I do one-by-one, and because my parents didn't force me to get them all out when I was under the age of 18. This one was impacted (i.e. coming in sideways and only going to cause trouble) so I figured I should deal with it before we move to India. The extraction took two hours and was not fun. The Dentist had just received an award for his extractions and joked that he should give it back after seeing that tooth. Anyway, I spent Columbus day recovering and taking all the pills they gave me, which included a steroid to prevent massive swelling. I had to take Tuesday off from work and managed to survive the rest of the week okay until Friday evening. I had finished the steroid prescription on Thursday and was starting to look less puffy at long last. And then my body freaked out. By Sunday I was in the ER with all sorts of crazy symptoms and the doctors agreed that it was likely a reaction to the steroid...or a virus. Wikipedia and the medical professionals thought I was having symptoms as though I had long-term steroid use...I completely swelled up everywhere, was retaining all fluids I took in, all of my muscles hurt, I was hungry and couldn't feel when I was full, I was irritable, I was completely out of it, I felt so weak I couldn't move, I couldn't put sentences together very well...it was crazy. They thought it was strange I was on such a high does of the steroids for so long (I guess some dentists just do a one-time shot right after the wisdom tooth comes out...I had pills 4x per day for 4 days) but the dentist doesn't feel it was too strong but agrees I should stay away from it in the future so who knows. Either way, no more dexamethasone for me! I had to take Monday off from work and have been slowly but surely gaining cognizance and re-gaining Telugu skills. Here's to hoping all of us stay well for the next month because I test in Telugu on November 14th and I sure don't want to be in language training any longer than I have to!
Last but not least, we have more family coming on Saturday and cannot wait!!!!!!!!! Pancho and I might even go out on a date night :-) Argo just came out and Ben Affleck thanked Diplomats for their service on the Daily Show last night, how can we go see anything else?!
Harvest's Visit
Like I said before, if you come to visit us then you get a blog post dedicated to your trip :-) This one is for Harvest.
It was absolutely wonderful to see Harvest again, and it was great to be reminded of how nice it feels to be around family. We know that many people would love for us to come home for a visit one last time before we leave for India, and, believe me, we would certainly love a little vacation time in the Pacific Northwest, but with Legs' work schedule and our upcoming visitors it just won't be possible. Unfortunately we won't see many of you until either our R&R during our post to Hyderabad, or on home leave after our India post is over. We know that there will be many difficult times ahead given the life that Legs and I have chosen, as we will surely miss some momentous occasions. Although we will face many challenges in maintaining our relationships with family and friends during our lives abroad, I am very proud of Legs for serving her country just as I did in the Marine Corps. If my family can play even a small role in promoting peace and democracy in the world it is, in my opinion, well worth all of the hardships we will face. That being said, here is a look at Grandpa Moon's visit...
We started off our adventures with a self-guided tour of the White House. This was Thumper and my second trip to the White House and, yet again, we failed to see or meet anyone of importance :-( Nonetheless, it was still a great opportunity to walk through the halls of a place in which so many monumental figures have walked. They don't allow any cameras at the White House, so we can't share any pictures with you.
The next day, thanks to Harvest's wonderful planning skills, we had the privilege of a guided tour of the Capitol Building by one of Senator Patty Murray's staff assistants. To put it mildly, the Capitol Building was far more appealing to look at than the White House. The art and architecture is phenomenal, and having a guided tour is a wonderful way to learn some interesting little facts.
Our first big photo opportunity was a trip to Gettysburg, PA. The countryside was beautiful, and the trip there was almost as enjoyable as the destination. We stopped for lunch in town at a haunted inn and tavern called The Farnsworth House. We then stopped by the Visitor's Center to plan out our route to see some Civil War battlefield sites. It was incredible to drive by open fields with makeshift barriers built out of rock and dirt and to see cannons littered everywhere. It is surreal to think of the carnage that took place in such a beautiful place. We made our way to the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln gave the infamous Gettysburg Address.
It was absolutely wonderful to see Harvest again, and it was great to be reminded of how nice it feels to be around family. We know that many people would love for us to come home for a visit one last time before we leave for India, and, believe me, we would certainly love a little vacation time in the Pacific Northwest, but with Legs' work schedule and our upcoming visitors it just won't be possible. Unfortunately we won't see many of you until either our R&R during our post to Hyderabad, or on home leave after our India post is over. We know that there will be many difficult times ahead given the life that Legs and I have chosen, as we will surely miss some momentous occasions. Although we will face many challenges in maintaining our relationships with family and friends during our lives abroad, I am very proud of Legs for serving her country just as I did in the Marine Corps. If my family can play even a small role in promoting peace and democracy in the world it is, in my opinion, well worth all of the hardships we will face. That being said, here is a look at Grandpa Moon's visit...
We started off our adventures with a self-guided tour of the White House. This was Thumper and my second trip to the White House and, yet again, we failed to see or meet anyone of importance :-( Nonetheless, it was still a great opportunity to walk through the halls of a place in which so many monumental figures have walked. They don't allow any cameras at the White House, so we can't share any pictures with you.
The next day, thanks to Harvest's wonderful planning skills, we had the privilege of a guided tour of the Capitol Building by one of Senator Patty Murray's staff assistants. To put it mildly, the Capitol Building was far more appealing to look at than the White House. The art and architecture is phenomenal, and having a guided tour is a wonderful way to learn some interesting little facts.
Our first big photo opportunity was a trip to Gettysburg, PA. The countryside was beautiful, and the trip there was almost as enjoyable as the destination. We stopped for lunch in town at a haunted inn and tavern called The Farnsworth House. We then stopped by the Visitor's Center to plan out our route to see some Civil War battlefield sites. It was incredible to drive by open fields with makeshift barriers built out of rock and dirt and to see cannons littered everywhere. It is surreal to think of the carnage that took place in such a beautiful place. We made our way to the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln gave the infamous Gettysburg Address.
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| Canons lined up near the Gettysburg National Cemetery |
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| A beautiful poem at Gettysburg National Cemetery |
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| The Soldiers' National Monument |
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| Small number markers to represent some of the lives lost |
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| A small portion of the headstones at Gettysburg National Cemetery |
Later during Harvest's visit Thumper, Harvest, and I went on a boat tour along the Potomac River. It was short, but provided a great look at some of the Washington DC monuments and bridges along with an interesting narration.
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| Arlington Memorial Bridge |
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| The Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background |
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| The Washington Monument |
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| Arlington Memorial Bridge and the Lincoln Memorial |
It was truly wonderful to have Harvest come visit before our departure for India, and I am very grateful that Thumper was given the opportunity to enjoy some time with him. It is so refreshing to see a familiar face while we are living in an entirely new environment. Harvest has always been so supportive of me in all of my endeavors; I am very lucky to have him in my life, and now to have him in my wife and son's lives as well. You're an amazing person, and I don't know where I would be without your influence and guidance.
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Happy Travels!
Pancho
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Oma and Grandmike
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| USMC War Memorial |
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| Netherlands Carillon |
The Netherlands Carillon was especially cool to visit with Oma since she is from Holland. The bell tower was a gift to the United States in gratitude for aid provided during and after WWII. I never tire of seeing the USMC War Memorial, and I love to see people's amazement at how massive and lifelike the statue is in person. Everything from the wrinkles in the Marines's uniforms to the expressions on their faces; the statue is a wonderful embodiment of Marine Corps grit and esprit de corps.
Our next destination was the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in the National Mall. We saw many beautiful exhibits and here are a couple...
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| One statue from a Chinese Zodiac Calendar sculpture |
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| A random bronze sculpture outside the museum |
The next big adventure was when Thumper and I met Oma at the Lincoln Memorial and walked along the Reflecting Pool to the WWII Memorial and then on to the Washington Monument. The day was absolutely gorgeous and we all had a wonderful time...all of us except Thumper that is. He's reached a rather independent stage in life where sometimes he knows what he wants and if you tell him, "No" he replies with, "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" When we got near the Reflecting Pool I had to put him back in the stroller after a couple close calls with him trying to run straight into the water, and needless to say, that was one of those "not what I want to do" moments. He screamed for the entire length of the reflecting pool, and then around the WWII Memorial. He finally calmed down as we closed in on the Washington Monument, and he was right back to normal for the Metro trip home.
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| The Lincoln Memorial |
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| The Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool taken from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial |
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| The Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool taken from the WWII Memorial |
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| WWII Memorial |
The last wonderful excursion of Oma and Grandmike's trip was a dinner cruise along the Potomac River. It was absolutely amazing out on the water. The food was delicious, the staff on the boat were extremely friendly, and it was beautiful to see Oma and Grandmike spend time with Thumper. To be able to relax with family and allow Thumper to enjoy the luxury of grandparents was marvelous. It was a much appreciated moment that we often miss due to our life in the Foreign Service and living so far from family.
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| Looking back at DC and the Washington Monument from the boat |
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| A beautiful shot of the American Flag hanging from the back of the boat |
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| Nationals Stadium during a night game |
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| Frederick Douglass Bridge at night |
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| A picture of the Capital Building on the walk back to the Metro |
There you have it. All you need to do to get a blog post dedicated to you is come out and visit us. Thank you so much to Oma and Grandmike for coming out to see us. We had a wonderful time, and the experience for Thumper was truly invaluable. There are many more pictures on the Shutterfly site, with actual people in them, so make sure you check them out if you have the password. We are excited and anxiously awaiting our next visitors!
Happy Travels!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Hawaii
Traveling to Hawaii with Thumper for our best friends', Beaver and Nurse, wedding was truly one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences I've had. Seeing both Beaver and Nurse for the first time in months was wonderful, and the closeness between Thumper and I certainly grew after enduring two 14-hour flights together and a vacation trip to the emergency room at 4am.
Surprisingly, the flight to Hawaii, through Dallas/Ft. Worth, went really well. Thumper was still recovering from a cold earlier in the week, but he was his never-failing smiley and social self. Other than his stuffy nose and occasional coughing, you would have never known he was sick. Upon boarding the plane I was greeted by a wave of smiling faces and animated waves back at me as we moved down the aisle. Thumper gave everyone the appropriate amount of face time as he scanned his audience switching from his side-to-side wave to his up-and-down wave, then occasionally blowing a kiss. Although he hardly slept during the 14-hour trip to Maui, he was an absolute joy to be around. More fun even than an in-flight movie, conversation with a stranger, or a refreshing travel nap.
We arrived in Maui around 4pm local time and by the time I retrieved all of the baby items from baggage claim (car seat, pack 'n' play, stroller) and arranged a shuttle to our hotel it was close to 5pm. I have to say that I looked like a true professional with the car seat strategically attached to my rolling carry-on suitcase, the pack 'n' play stacked sideways on top of the suitcase, my baby backpack over my shoulders, pulling my carry-on contraption with one hand while Thumper lounged in his stroller being pushed with the other hand by papa bear. Thumper looked exhausted as he tried to smile and wave at everyone in baggage claim and on the shuttle.
We finally got to the hotel around 6pm and the baby supplies (food and milk) were depleted. We checked in and arranged a ride down to the local mini-mart where we picked up some good stuff for dinner...bananas, yogurt, and milk. I got Thumper back to the hotel room and sighed in relief that we had finally arrived and I knew that we didn't need to go anywhere else that night. I got Thumper fed and ready for bed by around 8pm (2am our time) and he was sounding pretty rough. Being sick, staying up for so long, and traveling so far really took it's toll on Thumper. He had regular coughing fits, he struggled a bit in his breathing, and his voice sounded weak and about three octaves higher than usual. I gave him some children's Advil and finally put him down hoping that he would sleep like a log and we would wake up around 10am-11am the next day fully refreshed and recovered from our long day. My face hit the pillow about 10 minutes later without eating dinner (except what was left of Thumper's bananas and yogurt), without brushing my teeth, without even unpacking some pajamas.
Unfortunately I was awakened about two hours later by Thumper in a coughing fit and he sounded like he was struggling to breath. I did my best to sooth him and he quickly fell back asleep, but woke up again and again coughing and wheezing. I tried sleeping with him on my chest or letting him sleep upright with his head on my shoulder as I walked around the hotel room, but nothing worked for more than an hour or so. Around 1am-2am I decided that I would take him to the hospital in the morning. I just wanted to wait until normal business hours; however, at 4am I couldn't take listening to Thumper suffer anymore and I asked the hotel desk clerk to arrange a taxi to the emergency room.
Maui Jim picked us up and had us at the hospital around 5:30am. I explained Thumper's symptoms to about four different people, all of them staring at me like a deer in the headlights. Finally a doctor came back and quickly diagnosed my little man with croup. He recommended a steroid injection, gave me some papers to look over, and was on his way. Luckily for me, Mama Hillbilly answered her phone when I called to ask her if this guy was crazy. She said that either the oral steroid or injection were perfectly fine and work very well for croup. To make a long story short, Thumper got the injection, I called Enterprise to come and pick me up and rent a car in case I'd need to take Thumper back to the hospital, and we went back to the hotel. We got back around 10am and I put Thumper down for a nap. Luckily he slept better this time, but still only for about two hours.
We took it easy for the rest of the day and Thumper continued to quickly improve. We met Beaver and Nurse and both their families at a sushi restaurant for dinner and I got Thumper in bed at a reasonable hour that night. I was so thankful that he slept through the night! I was awakened by a phone call at 4am; however, I felt obligated to answer it, since it was Mama Hillbilly calling to make sure Thumper was okay. She just hadn't quite realized the time difference :-P I didn't really even care that she was calling so early. I was so relieved the day before when she answered her phone and gave me some much needed advice.
After that incredibly rough first day and a half the trip got exponentially better. Thumper made a full recovery and we were out enjoying beautiful Maui, and enjoying the wonderful company of the wedding party and their family. They took us out to amazing dinners where we shared fish that I'd never even heard of, we swam in the ocean, lounged on gorgeous beaches, and I got to be a part of one of the most beautiful weddings ever. As Legs already posted earlier, they even Skyped her into the wedding. All-in-all the entire trip was an incredible experience in my lifetime, one that I will surely never forget. Hawaii is a beautiful place, but I'm sure the experience I had was largely shaped by the kindness of Beaver and Nurse's families and the happiness I felt radiating from the two of them beginning their lives together. They are wonderful people and I hope that they remain in our lives forever.
Without further adieu, here are some pictures!
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| An overcast, but wonderful view from the water on the beach in Wailea |
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| A picture down the beach in Wailea |
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| The view from our balcony |
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| The view from the amazing hot tub at our hotel at sunset |
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| A beach along the North Shore off Hana Hwy |
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| Another picture off Hana Hwy |
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| We don't put pictures of Thumper on here, but since you can't see our faces I figured it was okay :-P |
Happy Travels!
Pancho
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