I’ve been in D.C. since last Friday visiting my sister and her family. My dad and I decided to fly up and visit since we all three have birthdays in the month of October. Furthermore, we haven’t seen her since my mom passed, and it’s been really hard to be away from her. Family needs one another in times like these.
We knew our first birthday month without Mom was going to be sad, so we decided to do something fun and different. The little boys stayed home so I could truly focus on my dad and sister. They love coming up here, but I think they understood why I needed to come alone. Even though they’re little, they somehow seem to understand the impact my mom’s death has had on me emotionally.
Flying up just with my dad also allowed me to spend quality time with my 16-month old niece, Maddie. We even got to sleep in the same room which gave us lots of morning snuggle and play time. I’m in love with her. I now know why my sister has always been so in love with my boys. It’s really, really fun being an aunt.
Now on to some fun and sweet stuff. My sister lives in Old Town Alexandria, a beautiful historic section of the DC area. Located right on the Potomac River, the city holds rich shipping and political history. You can feel the centuries gone by in the cobblestones. Since this trip was totally family-focused, I haven’t jumped on the Metro one time or visited any monuments or museums. My dad gave us girls the sweetest birthday gift. He bought us matching necklaces (a photo is included in the collage below) which we love and have been wearing the entire time. My sister and I also let ourselves be super girly to free our minds and in honor of Mom. We went shopping, visited the salon, enjoyed cocktails at on a gorgeous patio that overlooks the river, and otherwise frolicked about.
We fly out early tomorrow morning, and I’m already feeling sadness about leaving my sweet sis and her family. So, I think the best way to tell you about our trip is to show you. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve noticed I’ve upped my posting frequency over the past four days. There’s been a lot of post-worthy activity going on around here. There were also a number of un-post-worthy moments that involved tears and grief-ridden talks. And those moments were very important too. It’s been a relaxing, fun, healing trip. And I’m so grateful we came. Below are a few more photos from our time here.
Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
So glad you had a good trip! You needed this! Safe travels home.
Gail Williams says
Thinking of you you. Love the necklace…. Such a special gift.