Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.
Maya Angelou
Doug and I are both fortunate to have supportive families who would do anything to see us smile and who love us no matter what. Of course, neither of us have tested that last statement by committing a heinous crime or anything. Both of our families live in the northwestern U.S. so we spent 2022 far from home travelling the eastern U.S. and Canada. Sure we have phones, texts, and emails but there’s nothing like being together, so I was thrilled when my Dad and Stepmom, Sue, agreed to fly east in mid-October.
We spent several days together in Johnstown, NY, my Dad’s childhood hometown. We heard stories about my Dad, my uncle, my aunt, my grandmother and her mother. We saw family homes, schools, places they got into trouble, and places that made them who they are. These links to the past have shaped who I am today. It was so special and simply awesome!
Something else we enjoyed in Johnstown was great food at Union Hall Inn (photo at top of blog), a cute downtown, and 3 Harvest Hosts! Rogers Cideryard and Family Orchard had delicious apple cider that was perfect for autumn; Dreamroad Jerseys was a supplier of Cabot cheese and a had a huge plot of land perfect for dog digging and a quiet night’s sleep; and Stump City Brewing poured delicious beer, had free peanuts, friendly locals, and dogs welcome.
My Dad and Stepmom then flew to Washington DC where they toured Ford’s Theater (where President Lincoln was shot) and they visited Arlington, which is so meaningful to veterans like my Dad.
We made our way to DC in the RV with a quick stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania because I’m a huge fan of “The Office”. Who isn’t?!
We’d been to DC in May with my mom and brother (link here), but there is so much to do there that we were excited to return. Unfortunately, Doug got a breakthrough case of Covid and missed everything but the first day. This also meant that I was N95 masked the entire time and testing to make sure I was negative each morning before meeting up with my parents. I felt bad for Doug, but the three of us had a wonderful time.
Doug and my Dad went to the newly reopened National Air and Space Museum, while my Stepmom and I went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum.
The next day we rode the Hop-On-Hop-Off bust to tour the monuments. I had missed both the Korean War and WWI Memorials when we were in DC in May so I was glad I saw them this time. My Stepmom, like my mom, is a history buff. She also knows a lot about Eleanor Roosevelt so talking with her made we want to read more on the topic. Seeing my Dad at the Vietnam Memorial was sobering and made me grateful. It also made me remember and appreciate all those who serve. That is a very long day of touring, but it is still my favorite thing to do in DC!
We were supposed to take a White House tour the last day in DC, but they cancelled it the evening before with no explanation, so we only saw the visitor center. My plan B at the Museum of Natural History nearby was a bit of a bust as well so we trekked to the far side of the National Mall to visit the National Museum of the American Indian. By day’s end, when the nearest Metro station was closed, I began to wonder what karmic faux pas I’d committed as nothing went quite right that day. At least we had each other.
Typical of DC, the days were jam packed and we all left the city exhausted. In fact, the next morning I tested positive for Covid. Luckily, no other family members contracted it.
Despite being sick, I realized that having my family come all that way to spend time with me really filled my sails! There is nothing like family (blood-related or just the people you love the most) to lift your spirits! They gave me the break, support, and encouragement I needed to continue the journey.
It was great to spend time with my Uncle Bryant and Aunt Shirley. Thanks Dad and Sue for the once-in-a-lifetime memories of NY and DC. It meant the world to me!
