Playing Catch Up!

So I'm ruining my progress on becoming a better blogger I know. One step forward, two steps back! I just returned to work after a two week staycation. No big plans. No big trip. Just time off from work and a time to unplug. It was awesome. I've decided vacations make me look forward to heaven just a little bit more. From what I gather, there are no "first days back to work after vacation" in heaven!!

I mentioned in the last post that I didn't exactly just relax for the past two weeks. I should have had time to catch you up but part of the joy of vacation was just unplugging. Not even really checking e-mail all that often. Maybe that sounds lame but I LOVED it!!

So now that I'm back into the swing of things, I'll catch you up on the not-so-exciting adventures over the past two weeks.

Right before my staycation started, I was sent to West Virginia for work to attend Sen. Robert Byrd's funeral. I actually enjoyed the research I did right before his funeral, learning all the fascinating things about his long life. The memorial service was outside the state capitol in Charleston and since there was no chartered plane, I had to figure out my own method of transportation. I chose to drive because by the time you deal with delays at the airport, possibilities of lost baggage, etc. I didn't think it was worth it. So I picked up my correspondent and we drove the six hours to WV. As long as I've lived, I've never driven to Charleston via I-64 and OMG, it was so beautiful!! The mountains were so big and green and the scenery was just breath-taking! I know WV is known for their mountains but they really were so beautiful!!

We had to stop a couple of times- once in Lexington, the scene of my bizarre Christmas trip home where I got stuck at the HoJos with a convict's girlfriend and her dog. This stop was extremely uneventful except that I did get a bit teary-eyed when I saw the Wal-Mart where we had spent three LONG hours. :) The next time we stopped, we were literally in the middle of nowhere WV. I pulled in to the gas station and all the eyes from the men sitting around (in overalls and chewing tobacco) immediately stared at me. I guess they could tell I was a "city girl"!! My correspondent had to use the restroom and couldn't find it until she was directed to the "Mama Bears" room. This was a scene that was so far removed from my normal world that it intrigued me. Talk about a slower pace of life!!

The memorial service was the next morning and took place on the steps of the Capitol. It was a beautiful day with nearly perfect weather (from what I recall... it was almost three weeks ago by now!) It was a neat thing for so many people of all walks of life to come and remember the Senator. However, by looking at the program, I knew we were in for a llloooonnngg service considering there were ten politicians slated to speak. And in that list was former President Clinton, who history shows doesn't ever speak from 5-7 minutes. Luckily, we were working out of a nearby building and watching a video feed of the service. Thankfully, most of the politicians kept things fairly tight (Bill didn't but we all expected that) and the service was about 2 hours long. But it was a good two hours. I enjoyed the stories of his life which were remarkable by any standards, regardless of political affiliation. At the end of the service, there was a 21-gun salute and then the recessional was the John Denver hit "Country Roads, Take Me Home". I thought to myself that when else in life would I be at a memorial service with that song being played? So I gathered some of my colleagues and we went out among the crowd for the end of the service. I'll be honest, most of the reason I wanted to be there was to experience the cheesy factor in person. Seriously, a John Denver song as the recessional? I admit I had a bit of a mocking attitude. But what happened next was shocking and unbelievable. As the song started, the entire crowd started singing (most of whom didn't need the words that were provided on the memorial service program.) Then they took his casket up the capitol steps. And as I was taking in this scene, I started to cry! It was actually a beautiful moment. Yes, slightly cheesy but it really was a fitting tribute to this man. I couldn't believe that I had tears until I looked at my colleagues and they did too!! I am likely never to hear this song again and not think of this moment because it really was touching!!

As soon as that song was done, basically my two week staycation began and I couldn't have been happier. Technically I was still working on the six hour drive home but I didn't care!! The next day, I went to my friend Darla's wedding and then immediately came home to my sister and brother-in-law and two nieces who were here to visit. We mainly just played in the pool and hung out. We did spend Independence Day visiting Mount Vernon for a little bit. And we all went up in the Washington Monument on Monday to celebrate America. It was just great spending time with them!!

My sister and brother in law and Cayton left on Tuesday to go visit NYC for a few days. For some reason, they thought Raygan would prevent them from being able to have a good time. Our visit to the Washington Monument confirmed that. At 15 months old, she doesn't quite grasp the concept of waiting in line or walking long distances or just standing still for longer than .3 seconds. So I turned up the notch of being Aunt Beck Beck and kept Raygan for two and a half days while they were in NYC. I'm not sure if it was a sign or what but I broke out in hives just minutes before they left but I indeed survived, if not thrived! :) Ok, that might be an overstatement but Raygan and I did have fun. It was really too hot to actually leave my house for more than five minutes at a time but we managed to have a good time playing inside. She naps like a champ and goes to bed right at 7p so Aunt Beck Beck got to relax and got some decent sleep!! We actually had fun and as soon as they left on Thursday, my house immediately felt extremely empty and quiet.

Then for week #2 of my staycation, my plan was to not have plans for most of the week! I ended up helping out at my church's Vacation Bible School in a no-stress capacity (let's face it- I was there mainly on a social basis!) for three days. Then on Thursday, I went to Roanoke for a few days for a family reunion of sorts. Not my family reunion but the family of one of my best friends from high school. I've been an honorary "O" for a long time- mainly because I Know most of the family tree!! I get invited to a lot of their get-togethers and just have the best time with them. My own family rocks but they don't do reunions so I have to get in on the family fun somewhere. Catherine has a bazillion cousins- all of which are just really cool people. I had so much fun just hanging out with them at Cousins Camp!! It was four days packed full of activities (I participated in two of the days) and it was just plain fun. Good old-fashioned fun. I loved every minute of it!!

Now I'm back to reality. Work. Somehow I guess it's necessary in order to pay my mortgage. I'd say within a couple of days, I'll be completely back in the work mode but until then, I'm already looking forward to my next days off (whenever they will be!!)