These are the last days

Should you choose to not view this entire post,
some highlights you'll miss are:
*Being barricade in our home for 72 hours after bomb threats
and gun fire rocked a neighboring home
*An amazing lightening storm and Hurricane winds nocking out power
for many states on the East (power outages lasting 10 DAYS!!!!!)
*Record breaking heat!! (yes, during the power outage)
*Picking up our Grannie @ the airport
(yes, the day after the storm landed)
*Evacuating the house, in search of power, only to find
power was not present @ our destination.
*Surviving Lucys exploding illness, due to Heat sickness
*Packing our home, in preparation to Move/DRIVE
across the country to our new home, DENVER CO.
(more on this to come!!!!)
Um....that will do it for now. :)

Lucy and her bff Abby playing at our favorite park,
Cabin John

Hank enjoying the train ride

Tuesday began 'lock down' for our neighborhood.
A few blocks down was a man, who locked himself in his home, armed, and at one point had a hostage. We were barricaded in our streets for over 72 hours, and escorted by police to go on errands.
We did think it exciting, as the nights were set to the sound of gun fire, and occasional blasts, as they tried to vacate the man. The short of it, he gave in, but only after thousands and thousands of dollars were spent on Arlington, Fairfax and Falls Church Cities sent in police, emergency vehicles, and S.W.A.T teams were evolved. Sounds like a waste of resources, if you ask me.

                  Just 3 days after the excitement of the S.W.A.T situation, our power went out,
                  due to a HUGE storm that rampaged its way through much of the east coast.
                              Jeff and I viewed the storm, near midnight of its first landing, and
                              marveled at the most amazing lighting storm we have ever seen.
                              Colors that I didn't think were possible came through via lightening.
                                                   We knew we were in for a LONG few days!!
                   Dominion Power was predicting power to be restored to 80% of its customers 8 days later.
                   We suffered through the first 48 hours, but when word spread that our friends had power,
                   we packed our most precious refrigerated foods, and made way to their home.

 

Funest night of our lives!!!
We had a dance party, game night, BEST pizza EVER, deserts and candy buckets that would have lasted a life time....
It was one of my favorite memories in all our 2 1/2 years spent here.
Just shows what good friends will do for the soul!!!
(and a massive power outage) 

Come Saturday night, the power was well out,
and we had dear old Grannie Dixie coming to town to help
with our treck across America.
Having suffered enough through the sweltering heat,
(Lucy throwing up all night from Heat Stroke)
we packed the car, and made our way south,
to Charlottesville, Va. Home of Monticello,
and home of University of Virginia.
First things first, we got the LAST hotel room (as power was out
through the entire state) and then we all took a 4 hour nap. 

 

 

We toured like fools, enjoyed splash parks, indoor jump houses,
basked in the air conditioning, and sweated in the RECORD heat that
was also being tracked that week!!!  

 

 

No more then 2 hours after we returned (5 days with out power)
we welcomed the sound of our air conditioner turning on!!
We were so BLESSED, as come to find out, power was not
restored to all for almost 10 days after the storm!!
We celebrated in our underwear, in front of fans,
eating microwave popcorn. 

 

Oh, and happy birthday AMERICA!
My mom and i braved the crowds and heat to dine and relax on the capitols hill for an evening
of people watching, audio entertainment and fireworks!! 

How could we let our grannie come, and not see the National Cathedral.
Amazing A.Mazing Cathedral in the heart of our Nations Capitol!