So Zack and I have been in Maryland for the past 6 days or so. Zack had to go for business. I only travel for pleasure. This post is my random thoughts about our trip.
There are lots of trees in Maryland. You know how people are always talking about how we're destroying nature by cutting down trees and building our big cities and roads and suburbs and whatnot? And I always thought that's a bunch of crap because before
my city existed there was just a bunch of dirt and weeds and now there's lots of trees so in reality we're
helping by planting trees. Well, I totally get it now! In Maryland you have to cut down a forest in order to build a shopping mall. Whereas in Utah you are actually helping nature when you build a
strip mall or a suburb! Yeah for us
Utahans! Boo for Marylanders!
(All nature activists, tree-huggers, people of Maryland and Rocky Anderson don't send me hate mail. I'm just kidding! Kind of...)Speaking of the trees....you are surrounded by forest when you're on the freeway in Maryland. It's really pretty until you realize you can't see anything except trees and what you really want to see is some place that will feed you after 9:30 pm. Seriously, do they hide the restaurants on purpose?
Our rental car was a Pontiac. When the trip was over and we were driving home from the airport (and Zack was talking to his car, telling it how much he loved it) I asked Zack if he wanted a Pontiac like the rental car. His response: "I will never want a
Ponti-
ANYthing."
Our trip was divided into two parts: 'Before Zack had to work' and 'After Zack had to work'. Before Zack had to work we had a hotel in Virginia that was next to a metro station so we could go into D.C. and do some sight-seeing. After Zack had to work we were staying in
Timonium, Maryland and we had Zack's co-worker, Lyle, with us. (Or, since I was the one who technically wasn't supposed to be there, I was hanging out with Zack and his co-worker.) Zack and I wanted to go to the D.C. temple during our stay, but the only time we could go was during the "After Zack had to work" phase which meant Lyle was with us in the evenings and would have to come with us if he didn't want to be stuck at the hotel all night. He's not a member of the church but was nice enough to drive the hour it took to get to the temple and wait outside while we went in a did
sealings before we all had dinner. In the temple we met another family that was there to do
sealings. They were from Idaho Falls. We told them we were from Bountiful (It's just easier that way. Usually we just say Salt Lake.). They said they had three kids waiting in the visitor center while they did
sealings. We said we had Zack's non-member co-worker wandering the grounds while we did
sealings. This lady's response was "Wow! A non-member from Bountiful? There's not a lot of non-members there, right?" (Seriously, lady?) My response to put her mind at ease, "Oh, he's not from Bountiful. He's from Park City." We keep all the heathens up there.
Speaking of the D.C. temple... The temple grounds are basically more of the woods that you see in Maryland. They have little paths going through the woods for people to walk on. It's really pretty. Can you say tall green forest, twilight, and fireflies?
While Zack was at work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, I had to bide my time at the hotel. This consisted of sleeping in, watching T.V., reading books, going to the fitness center, eating peanut butter sandwiches and
ramen noodles, and playing on the computer. Not bad at all.
Two hour layovers in Atlanta aren't bad if you have a Chili's where you can eat lots of good food and you have someone fun to eat it with.
I got to have dinner with Zack and some of the guys he's working with in Maryland on Wednesday night. One of the guys asked us if we had any kids. We told them about our adoption and he proceeded to tell us how great and not great it was to have kids. He has 2 kids- a 4 1/2 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. He asked us if we had family living close by. Um, yes. Try a mother 15 minutes away, a brother 7 minutes away, parents 5 minutes away, a brother soon-to-be 2 blocks away, and a sister up the street. You could say we had family close by. He said he and his wife have no family close by and they haven't had a night alone together for 4 1/2 years. Wow. He needs to join the church, if nothing but for the social network and potential baby-sitters. :) I kid, I kid!
Speaking of being lucky because family is close by..... Our family really helped us out while we were gone. My parents watched our puppies the entire time and pretended like it was so much fun. And Danny saved us a lot of time and money when we realized (in Atlanta) that we'd left the key to Zack's car and our house key on the rental car keyring...which was in Maryland. He drove to our house, "broke in", got our spare key and took it to us when our plane landed at midnight. Thanks, Danny!
Zack's comment after he called Danny and asked him to help us out, "What would we do if we didn't have family close by?" I don't know. We're pretty spoiled.
Our dogs missed us while we were gone, but I think secretly they like to be at my parent's house more than ours. They're moping right now.
(Next post: Pictures!)
The Metro. It smells like London. I know it's just the smell of a subway, but I like it. :)
The Washington Monument (apparently growing out of Zack's head).
Zack shows his patriotism by enjoying a cool lemon ice. 
Abraham Lincoln and all his minions.
The closest shot we could get of the white house. I can totally see the chandelier!
This is the part where I salute the Washington Monument. 
Playing cards while waiting for "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" to start. I know, Doug. I know you said it was bad. But seeing it AT the Smithsonian made it good! 
On the way to the metro station. So very government artsy.
Eating at the 
