Each year when Mother’s Day rolls around I give a little extra thought to my life as a mother; a precious part of my life for which I am boundlessly thankful for the gift of the incredible young man I call my son.  Actually, I call him, my son the attorney, because I love the sound of it and I love the way he rolls his eyes when I say it.  I never get tired of it.  😉

Me and my boy – Washington, D.C. January 2014

At the end of August in 2002, we deposited our son at the doorstep of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.  We played tourists for 10 days and helped him move in to his dorm before the time came to say good-bye.  As Abi and I flew back across the country, I cried all the way – from Washington, D.C. to Dallas to San Jose, CA.  When we got off of the plane in Dallas, the flight attendant asked if all was well and I said, “Oh yes, we just left our son at college and I’m having a pity party.”  She smiled warmly and said, “My son is only 8 and I’m already worried about that day to come!”

Georgetown University – The Hilltop

Flash forward to May 2014 – in just about a week Abi and I will once again be back in Washington, D.C., one our absolute favorite cities.  And okay, yes, it just happens to be the city in which our son lives, which may have something to do with the fact that it’s one of our favorite cities.

The Washington Monument – open spaces and tree-lined streets

It wasn’t until our last visit in January of this year that I read something about Washington, D.C. that brought about a real “oh yeah – duh”  moment for me.  The city has a population of 600,000+ and there is always something going on; it’s a busy place! I mean after all, it is our nation’s capital.  But what makes it so different from any other large city, and why I don’t feel claustrophobic when I’m there, is because there are no skyscrapers.  When you’re in the heart of downtown, you never feel boxed in and that’s where the “duh” moment came in because I always knew there was something different about the city, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.  It’s such an open city, you can breathe freely.

The White House

But I digress…

So, yes, in just a few short days we’ll find ourselves on an overnight flight (oh how I wish I could sleep on a plane) to Washington, D.C. and I couldn’t be happier at the prospect for several pretty good reasons.

1. We get a 10-day vacation before the onslaught of high tourist season here at the inn.
2. We’re meeting up with life-long friends.
3. There is always something new to see and do in the city
4. And let’s see…. what was the other reason?  What was it?  What was it?
5. Oh, yeah, my son the attorney is getting married!

The bride and groom to be

Happy Mother’s Day to me!  And Happy Mother’s Day to all of the women out there who made a difference in the life of another.  It may be a Hallmark card kind of holiday, but it’s nice just the same to stop for a moment and remember those you love – and those who love you right back.

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