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.

A wildcat at the Smithsonian National Zoo

The White House, taken from the Washington Monument

The Washington Monument

A Giant Panda munching on some bamboo

The Washington Monument

The Lincoln Memorial and WWII Memorial, taken from the Washington Monument

The Washington Monument

The Price of Freedom at the WWII Memorial

The WWII Memorial

The Washington Monument, taken from the WWII Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial, taken from the WWII Memorial

The Washington Monument and Capitol Building, taken from the Lincoln Memorial

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