Washington DC: Part 2

 Day 3:

I have to tell ya, the kids loved the Metro system. They loved sitting by each other, sometimes being able to stand up, and playing guessing games while we went from stop to stop. The adults, on the other hand, did not love the Metro. This may have been due to the fact that on Day 5, a guy fell onto the tracks right before a Metro came in to the station and we had to evacuate quickly (He got pulled to safety). Or maybe it had to do with the fact that on Day 6, a man had killed someone on the Metro (not the one we were riding...BUT STILL). Or maybe it had to do with the fact that rush hour is CRAZY and we were all on psycho-mode trying to make sure we didn't lose any of our children.

But the good thing is, we survived! No one lost a kid! So yay for that, right?

On day 3, we headed over to the International Spy Museum. They don't allow pictures inside the building because, you know, SPIES, but we all enjoyed it.
Actually, that's not true. They did allow pictures but not strollers and I left my camera in the stroller. See? I'm already forgetting stuff!

 We packed lunches and ate right outside the museum. Uncle Chris is a pretty awesome photobomber!

 Ninja loved his PBnJ bagels I made for him almost every day. For a kid that is super picky, he seemed to like the packed lunches more than his sister.

Right down the street from the spy museum is the Ford Theater, where Abraham Lincoln was shot so we made a spur of the moment detour over there when we were finished.

 The kids got to touch replicas of Lincoln's fists and then we walked upstairs to hear some facts about how he was killed.

 Across from where we were sitting is the place he was shot and fell onto the stage. Although the entire theater was rebuilt, the picture of George Washington and the couch set up are the exact ones from the night he was killed. Everything else is just a replica of the theater.

 Ninja had to use the bathroom and like a good mom, I told him I'd take him if he smiled for a picture with Lincoln's head. :)

 This girl. SO MUCH PERSONALITY in her little body! I love my niece so much.

 After the Ford Theater, we walked across the street to go through the house where Lincoln actually died. When he was shot, they transported him to a house across the street so he could finish his life away from the crowds of people surrounding the Ford Theater.

 I took a picture of this building right before we headed into the urine-smelling elevator to the Metro (There wasn't a single elevator the whole trip that didn't smell like urine...). I don't actually remember what building this is but it was gorgeous!

 K-Bear was one of my buddies during this Metro ride. Doesn't he looked excited to be with his crazy auntie?!

 And my other buddy, who stayed in the stroller for almost every Metro ride even though he is 5 1/2. I couldn't handle the thought of losing him and he is a pretty curious kiddo so we decided to bring a stroller to help mom feel safer on this trip. :)

On day 4, we headed out with the Taylors to the zoo!

It was the perfect zoo day since it had been raining and the weather was pretty cool.

 The first thing we saw was the black bear and the kids were so excited that they could see it pretty close to them!
I think that was the most amazing thing about this zoo. When we go to our Phoenix zoo, we often have to search for the animals in their habitats but while in Washington DC, the animals were so easy to see in their habitats and we felt so close to them! You'll see more about that in a minute.

 Ninja loved watching the otters play underwater.

 Princess loves elephants. Unfortunately, one of the elephants was under the weather so we couldn't go in the building where you see them up close but we still got to see them as we walked across this bridge.

 This is Princess' version of a flamingo. :)

 My absolute favorite thing about this picture is Ninja's face. We don't ever see the Cheetah at our zoo walking or running. When we came up to this Cheetah, he was laying in the grass and all of a sudden, he jumped up onto that log. Ninja was turning around to squeal his excitement to me.

 We felt so close to this guy! There was actually another cheetah in a habitat next to this one and they were running back and forth with each other.

 The lions were awesome to see as well. They were laying down when we got there but after a minute, they started to walk around and we got to see them really well.

Princess was unsuccessful in pulling the prairie dog out of the hole. ;)

Stay tuned for Part 3! :)

Washington DC: Part 1

 We've been home from DC for almost two weeks now and almost every day, I think about blogging the first portion of our vacation but each time I do, homework or motherhood comes first.

So I'm finally here to at least jot down the first day or two of our amazing vacation and in the future, I'll get more of it up here.

It all started last Christmas when my parents surprised us with a trip to Washington DC. They told us we would be going for the 4th of July and to plan ahead so our whole family could be together.

And it worked! Every single one of us crazy Guthries was able to make it to DC to spend a week together. I should also mention that my second oldest sister lives in Alexandria, VA, which is actually where our hotel was and she is one of the main reasons we got to enjoy this incredible vacation.

Our first flight took off at 7am, which meant we were at the airport at 5am. My kids were pretty tired but did amazing throughout the flights. I, on the other hand, am not a fan of the "take off" and gripped the arms of my seat each time.

 We had a layover in Texas and the grandkids had fun playing games together and laying around the airport waiting for our next flight to DC.

We arrived in DC around dinnertime that Monday and were thrown right into the craziness of the city life as we maneuvered suitcases and strollers onto the Metro to get to our hotel.

Tuesday rolled around and it was time to start off our adventures. We chose to tag along with the Taylors and my parents to the Postal Museum and I'm so glad we did.

 The kids were given a scavenger hunt to keep them busy and they were really into it.

 Ninja asked for a picture with the dead dog---who was apparently a huge part of the postal system as it began and to remember him, they literally stuffed him after he died so they could keep his remains in the museum (Weird...cool...mostly weird).

 The kids got to pretend to drive a semi-truck and play with all the gadgets.

 And they learned about what mailboxes from all around the world look like.

 Here is my boy with the post office "mascot". His name is ZIP.

 Ninja loved all of the planes that were hung from the ceiling.

 And this truck was familiar because it looks just like our postal trucks!

After the museum, we walked across the street and ate lunch before heading off to our Capitol tour.

 We found some really cool sights on our walk to the Capitol building.

 My parents had set up a tour with Jeff Flake's interns and it was fun to meet people who work for our senator and were both from our area.

 Both kids wanted a picture of themselves with that golden eagle above.

 And this is Princess standing in the very center of Washington DC, where the Capitol was built.

One thing I loved about this trip was being with family and easily being able to hand my camera to a family member and asking for a picture of my children and I. That isn't something I can always do and it was nice to see myself in a few of my pictures.

I'll start a new post soon with some more pictures from our trip. It really was an amazing adventure and I am so grateful to my parents for allowing us such a cool opportunity.

Divorce Defines Me

 We are back from Washington DC. Actually, we got back four days ago but I have been swamped with homework to try and catch up. 
I will blog about our trip in a few different posts but there has been a post I can't seem to get out of my mind so I decided to try and write it out while it's fresh. 

Haven't we all heard those "uplifting" quotes that say, "My trials don't define me" or "Don't let your past define your future"? I know I have. And each time I hear a quote like that, I feel something stirring inside of me that says, "This does define me! How could it not?"

I don't know why or when it became negative to allow our past to define our future but maybe I'm looking at it differently.

When I think of something defining me, I think of it molding me into a better person. This includes my good experiences and the really horrible ones. I look at who I am now versus who I was two years ago and guess what? My divorce is part of what defines who I am. It is a part of me and because of those experiences, I am a much different---a much stronger---me.

At the beginning of the week, I was awoken at 1:30am to fire alarms blaring throughout our hotel. I jumped out of bed and quickly realized that this could be a legitimate emergency.

I was scared and alone in a hotel room with my two children and my first reaction was to grab them and run to my parents room down the hall.

This wasn't the first time I have had to experienced incredible fear when thinking about caring for my children alone.

In fact, I was pretty much thrown into that world weeks after my husband moved out when an intoxicated man was banging on my door in the middle of the night and yelling profanities.

But for a few moments, I was so panicked---and then I remembered, I can do this. I can get them out of here and snuggle my scared 7 year old while my 5 year old runs around and laughs and plays {Two VERY different personalities}.

It was one of those moments that I was reminded that divorce does define me. It has changed who I am as a mother and as a woman. I have more empathy and compassion for so many trials, most of which I could never begin to understand.

I don't think it's a negative thing. Maybe you do but I really don't. I don't think this is me not moving on from the past. In fact, I have moved on a lot more than I dreamed I'd be able to. I don't think that talking about the past means that I'm ignoring the present or future.

I think sometimes when we break, we have to reshape ourselves and it's ok to look at the person we once were and see how far we've come.

Divorce will always be a part of my life. It isn't something I can hide nor do I feel ashamed and want to hide it. Divorce has brought some of the highest highs and lowest lows into my life.

And I'm ok with that defining who I am today.