My glass is more than half full.

FORTUNATELY

Melissa and I got to take a road trip to Washington DC.UNFORTUNATELY
the mp3 player stopped working and we had to rely on fuzzy country music stations through the middle of Pennsylvania.

FORTUNATELY
we found a Ross right after we got off the freeway to head to the hotel.

UNFORTUNATELY
it was in the opposite direction of the restaurant and movie theater,
so we were power shopping on very empty stomachs.

FORTUNATELY
the restaurant had THE BEST seafood burritos
in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD
(and I am not exaggerating here).UNFORTUNATELY
I had to take my last bite and the meal was over.

FORTUNATELY
we were able to make the 8:50 showing of "17 Again."

UNFORTUNATELY
it was really late when we got back the the hotel,
and we had to be to the temple by 8:00 the next morning.

FORTUNATELY
the temple was beautiful (as always) and
we were able to see our good friend Andrea get married.
UNFORTUNATELY
we had to try to figure out the DC Metro system on our own.

FORTUNATELY
we did, and began walking the streets of DC to see all the sights.


UNFORTUNATELY
we were starving by the time we were done with the west end of the mall,
and there was still so much more to see.

FORTUNATELY
we found a nice little pretzel stand.UNFORTUNATELY
the pretzels were kind of nasty.
I think they had been sitting around a while.

FORTUNATELY
it gave us the energy we needed to keep going.

UNFORTUNATELY
all the museums we wanted to see were already closed (and it was only 6:00!).

FORTUNATELY
we could still walk around the Capitol building,
see where the inauguration took place,
and play with the self-timer a little.UNFORTUNATELY
there were some less-than-friendly security guards
who were not in the mood for touristy chit-chat

FORTUNATELY
we found one who was, who told us that the Senate was
still in session and that if we hurried, we could see it.

UNFORTUNATELY
they ended right as we got to the second security gate.

FORTUNATELY
our new security guard friend told us that we could come back in the morning, take a tour, and see the Senate was vote on a bill at 11. This gave us a plan for the next day, and we headed to Top Chef contestant Spike's restaurant for dinner.



UNFORTUNATELY
Spike wasn't there.

FORTUNATELY
his dad was. And the milkshakes were delish!



UNFORTUNATELY
we stayed downtown too long and missed the last shuttle back to the hotel from the Metro station. So after all the walking we had already done, there was still one mile more to go before we could crash and nurse our aching feet.

FORTUNATELY
with some ice, rest, and prayer, we were able to haul ourselves
back downtown for the rest of our sight-seeing Friday morning.

UNFORTUNATELY
when we arrived at the Capitol it was packed, the tour would be an hour long, and in order to see the Senate we would have to go to the Senate office building across the street, find our senator's office, and get a ticket.
We promptly left the Capitol.

FORTUNATELY
the Smithsonian Museum of American History was open
and we got to see lots of cool things.



UNFORTUNATELY
all good things must come to an end, and it was time to head home,
through stop-and-go traffic, more lousy country stations, and pouring rain.

FORTUNATELY
we made it home safely.

FORTUNATELY
we had a great time together.

FORTUNATELY
Jill will be around to come with us the next time.