It is now the last morning of our sojourn in the USA for now. We fly to Paris this evening. How crazy!!!! I don't think I slept very much last night, dreaming about the Eiffel Tower (it had been demolished, so we couldn't go up to the top, and I was disappointed!)...
So I haven't written due to busy days! Saturday was a flurry of fun as we packaged up some boxes to send to ourselves (...and when it arrives, I'll smash it with a hammer! It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant, I say! Genius, I tell you! *smash*--Emperor's New Groove), and went to the FedEx/Kinko's about 3 times doing things that we could have accomplished there in 1/2 hour. Oh well. We mailed our vacuum! I should have taken a picture! It was super funny! We copied our Christmas letter there, too...and enjoyed the experience of having the copier jam. What a waste! I think the people there mess the copiers up on purpose, because regardless of whether it comes out right or not, you still pay for the copy. Somewhat frustrating.
Sunday we went to church at Oakton for the last time. I was sad. I will miss it there. I tried not to think about it so I wouldn't cry. We went to a friends' house for lunch, then went up to the temple to see the lights. We got up there just in time to see the Joseph Smith movie. So good! I always cry a lot! The lights at the temple were so beautiful! I just wish it would have been a little more temperate as far as the weather was concerned! The wind was gusting around 50 mph, and it was around 30 degrees before wind chill. Sufficeth to say, we did not walk around the grounds. We drove. It was super cold!!
Yesterday we went downtown and Devin checked out at work and picked up our passports with the visas. Then we went to lunch. Then we went to the dentist so I could get my permanent crown put on. Devin had been having some struggles with one of his fillings, and when the dentist looked at it, yes, he'd cracked it somehow! So, they had to put on a new one. Then we had to get home to ship off the car. Now, said the way I just wrote it, it sounds laid-back and mundane. Well, let me go a little more indepth:
Devin had to get in to work to check out...after 9am. Which isn't a bad time, it's just that that is the height of traffic, because that's when everyone else has to be to work, too. So, we all decided to go with him so we could use the HOV lanes. He he he... We didn't leave here until 8:40, but we made really good time and got downtown by 9:20! Impressive! Well, then there's the question of parking. We drove around the building he needed to be a few times. Then, we realized there was some 1-3 hour parking right next to it! So, we parked there, but then realized that everyone else was sitting in their cars. Why? The free parking didn't start until 9:30, and in downtown D.C. that is enforced!!! So, instead of waiting in the car with unhappy kids, we decided to drive around and try to find an open meter. (Yes, Devin decided to find a place where we had to pay to park!!! He's certainly lightened up there! Ha!) We found one right in front of the building. So, while Devin took the kids out of the car, I plopped in the quarters. Well, it's supposed to be a 2 hour meter, so I just started throwing all the money in. Then I realized it wasn't going up in time anymore. I thought it was a fluke, so I put in another quarter to see if it went up, and instead of going up, it flashed FAIL OUT OF ORDER!! BAH!!!!! (I'm sure if the meter were alive it would be laughing evilly as well!) So, I panicked! But we didn't have time to do anything about it. We needed to get in and pick up our passports and check out, because I had a dentist appointment at 11:30! So, we just ran in, hoping that we didn't get ticketed, because then they wouldn't ship our car that day!! AH!!! So, after I go through security with the kids (who are all screaming and crying because they can't go in the same door as dad...*sigh*) and get visitor's badges, we go over and pick up our passports and check out with almost no incidents. (except for Andrew screaming when Devin had to write an email...and Josh and Claire stealing candy from the front desk people...) So, we were in and out in about 45 minutes!! *breathe!!!!* I was so glad, too...we were afraid it would take hours!!! So, after all the checking out finished, we ran back to the entrance and handed in our badges. Then off we went hoping the car was still there...and ticketless and bootless!!!! Thankfully, it was! AND the meter had stopped flashing out of order! We still had 1/2 hour left on it! So, whether it fixed itself, or whether some wonderful person stopped by and fixed it for us (and if that is the case, thank you! whoever you are!!), we didn't have to worry about a ticket from downtown (which would have been truly horrible!!!!). We got in the car and drove back toward Fairfax and decided to find some food before the dentist (sorry, dentist! I got hungry, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to eat for some time after the visit...), so we ended up at Panda Express. Ah, I like that place! We got there just as it opened, and they weren't quite finished making the food yet! It was 10:30 by this time, and by the time they got out our food, it was 11! But, it was freshly made! Yea!! So after some fried rice, chow mein, mushroom chicken and egg rolls, we rushed off to the dentist. I got there just in time for my appointment. We thought it was going to take an hour to an hour and a half! Well, she pulled out my temporary, fixed the permanent to fit, glued it on, and I was done! Whew!! By the time she'd finished (10 minutes later) Devin had just left!!! AH!!! So, I ran outside and caught them as they were driving out! I'm SO glad that I caught them, otherwise I would have been stuck just sitting there in the building for an hour and a half all by myself!!! I told Devin to run in and get his filling checked, and I played with the kids in the hallway. He got his filling replaced, and after another 1/2 hour we were on our way again. The stressful part about this: We were shipping our car out! And the people were supposed to come any time between 12 and 4!!! We had no way of knowing when they'd be there, and it was going to be almost 1 by the time we got back to the hotel!!! YIKES!! I thought I was going to get an ulcer!! If they had come and gone, they would have charged Devin's work for a no-show, and we wouldn't be able to ship our car, because we don't have enough time to reschedule a pick up time!!! I suppose this is why people have cell phones. I don't think we'll be cell phone-less for much longer!!!!! Anyway, we got back to the hotel, and there was no message from them (they were supposed to call an hour before they got there).
So, with no message, I felt able to breathe a little better. We did some laundry, and played a bit, and they finally came for the car around 3pm, as did Robyn and Eric! So the car left without a hitch, and we enjoyed a nice evening with Robyn and Eric and Mierae and Jolie...talking and playing, eating pizza and swimming! It was a nice last day in the US...full of drama, excitement, suspense and thrills! Ha!! I'm certainly glad it's over! And now, we are just going to pack, and hang out at the airport. I'm tired! :)
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