Where to begin?! We had such an exciting trip traveling to DC with Meagan and Josh, getting to see Cheronda before she leaves for Vietnam, and spending a little time with Diana (all with sightseeing in between!). It was a busy weekend, but such a wonderful experience thanks to a surprise Chase had planned!
Thursday - March 3rd
Up early for our 9:30am flight! Still sleepy, but excited, we made the trip to IAH to get ready to leave for DC! We met Meagan and Josh at the airport and had a quick bagel for breakfast before going to our gate.
After getting some energy from lunch we headed out on the Metro to go see the White House so that Meag and Josh would know where to go for their tour in the morning. It was cold weather and the wind wasn't helping, but we still walked around downtown and walked up to the Washington Monument.
After getting some energy from lunch we headed out on the Metro to go see the White House so that Meag and Josh would know where to go for their tour in the morning. It was cold weather and the wind wasn't helping, but we still walked around downtown and walked up to the Washington Monument.
We met up with Cheronda at the U-Street station at a restaurant called 1905. Their happy hour made it affordable and Chase especially liked our chosen appetizer: potatoes, bleu cheese, and bacon rolled into balls and deep fried! Yum! The only catch was that the beer lists started a trend we would see throughout the weekend - goodbye Bud Light, hello random/expensive beers! Chase tried one called Pork Slap that did not make his seal of approval like the appetizers did.
Friday, March 4th
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| Pre-Engagement! |
Up early again! Chase and I headed off to start our White House tour! As we get in line we go through several security checkpoints. The first one we breeze through, but the second one Chase starts talking to the guard after I have cleared. Not sure what it's about, but I wave the confirmation paper to make sure there's not a problem with the registration, Chase motions me to move on. As we go through the final security checkpoint, we go through a metal detector and once again I breeze through while Chase is wand-ed down - that's why I didn't wear a belt, so I could avoid that situation!
We continue to the tour after the guards gave Chase a hard time (he does look threatening, doesn't he?) and walk through the tour. It's not very long with little to read, so before we know it, we're at the end. Chase seems concerned that the tour is over so fast, but it's the first of three so there will be plenty of time for 'touring.' As we're about to leave Chase pulls me aside. And just like that, in the entrance hall of the White House Chase asks me to marry him. Umm, could you repeat that??? It took me a few seconds to answer since I was in utter disbelief, but said YES, of course.
What a great way to start the day! Chase would have proposed when we toured the monuments at night, but there was no way he could have made it through two more security stations without me figuring it out - and a proposal at the White House is much more romantic than one by a metal detector. :)
The rest of the day was filled with phone calls and texts from family and friends - we are so blessed to have such great support and love!
After meeting with Meag and Josh, and still in shock, we headed to the Capitol tours. The visitors center that they have built is gorgeous and makes it really easy to get a tour. Lots of pictures later, we were finished and starving. Just in time to make a trip to Union Station to eat at America - we were starving!
Next stop, the Pentagon! This tour was the most surprising tour of the trip since it was much better than we had anticipated. The Pentagon has it's own Best Buy as well as ridiculously thick glass panes that are anti-espionage and anti-surveillance.
We finished in the early afternoon so we decided to have a more 'fun' tour and went to Madam Tussade's wax museum. We got to hang out with the founding fathers, Tiger Woods (pre-scandal), George W., and the Jonas Brothers.
After the tour Meagan and I did some shopping at H&M, I didn't do too much damage, but could have come home broke if it weren't for our already stuffed suitcase.
Meagan and Josh headed back to the hotel for dinner and relaxing time, we had walked a lot! However, Chase and I decided to brave it and walk the monument loop. Unfortunately, the reflection pool was drained and under construction - NO! We still stopped at the WWII memorial and stopped for a photo-op at the Texas station. We continued to see the Lincoln Memorial and sat on the steps and watched the beautiful lights of the city NOT reflect on the mound of dirt that was the reflection pool, but it was beautiful anyway.
Saturday, March 5th
We slept in a little later with plans to go to Mount Vernon, but after eating breakfast and going to pick up a car, we decided the rental drama was too much and went on to Arlington Cemetery instead. For a cemetery, it's very beautiful! It's shocking how many tombstones mark the ground, but the most touching part is watching the changing of the guards and the wreath laying ceremony. The discipline the guards have for such an amazing tradition was one of Chase's favorite things on the trip.
With lunch coming up, we decided to just head to the Museum of American History and eat lunch there. One overpriced lunch bill later, we were on our way to explore this amazing museum! We got to see the original star spangled banner that inspired the song as well as Kermit the Frog, Jackie Kennedy's pearls, lots of old guns that Chase and Josh were WAY more excited about (Meag and I found a bench to rest as they read every card), as well as Dorothy's slippers.
We couldn't leave DC without a quick view of the Constitution! We headed over to the National Archives to get a glimpse of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, too. There was a little bit of a line, but we didn't have to wait long. How amazing to see a document that important and that old!
After a break we went out for another amazing dinner with Cheronda (who was very surprised to see me Thursday and then again ENGAGED on Saturday!) We went to the Dupont Circle area (but avoided the dangerous circle) to an Italian restaurant, Giovanni's.
Sunday, March 6th
Another early morning! It was hard to wake up after all of the good food the night before, but we packed up, checked out of the hotel, and headed out to Columbia Heights to meet Diana for breakfast! It was so great getting home cooked food and hospitality from Diana in her amazing old 1870s house! We were able to catch up and Diana got to be the first family member to see me with a ring on my finger (which is hard for Diana to be the 'first' when she lives far away). After a relaxing breakfast, we were dropped back off at the Metro to head to more Smithsonian museums.
We met Meag and Josh at the Museum of Natural History and got to see old dinosaur bones, lots of mammals (that Chase cataloged in his head which ones he would like to hunt), but most importantly the Hope Diamond! Ready for a new museum and lunch we headed on...
The last stop on our trip was the Air and Space Museum. How they got all of those large panes and space gear into the building, I'll never know, but it was great! We ate at the museum and walked to a few of the exhibits, but Meagan and I mostly sat and waited for our turn to look at the gift shop!
Eventually we headed back to the hotel to get our bags and to leave for the airport. Feet aching but still in shock we were engaged, we were ready to head back to the Lone Star State! It was such an amazing and memorable weekend, now... to plan a wedding!
