The List: #205- Washington DC (Bonus/50)

 The Nation's Capital! 

Was again, at trip that I didn't know that I was going to be taking so quickly. 

So, my roommate Sarah and I were planning on going to DC sometime this year. The thing is we put in a random date to see what the airfare would be like. That dates we picked were 90 DOLLARS ROUND TRIP. So, we book right then and there and made plans to go! Then a few weeks before we left, Sarah's step dad also joined us. 

Now, we only had four days and three nights here, and we hit the ground running. We walked as saw all of the memorials that any of us thought would be cool to see. The Washington Movement, The Vietnam Wall, and the World War II memorial just to name a few.

We hit up a few of the Smithsonian museums, which I won't get into here because this is actually a separate thing on my List that I need to write about.  

We also went to the museum of the Bible, which has got to be one of the coolest exhibits that I have ever seen being able to walk through the bible. 

Now, here is the really cool part that God is so awesome for. 

So, we need to go back to the trip to Italy I took, literally that same time last year. I was supposed to see so many things and places on that trip. The one thing that I wanted to see more than anything else in Rome was Michelangelo's Pieta. Those who don't know the name, it's the statue of Mary holding Jesus after is was crucified.

I saw a very small picture in an Art History text book in high school, and it was the first piece of art that has ever moved me. I like seeing pictures that people have created over the years, and other statues as well, but I have never wanted to see art with my own eyes more than I have wanted to see Pieta. Which is why I have always wanted to go to Rome first when I one day would travel the world. 

It's still heartbreak to know that I got so very very close and didn't get to see it. However, with reflection, and a lot of realizations, about the trip last year, and I am glad that I didn't get to see it. If I got to see it then, all of my memories tied with the first visit would have been marred with all of the awful heart that was soon to show itself in my life. 

Yet, God still shows His ability to restore, and heal at the same time. 

The Bible Museum is so massive that you can spend eight hours a day, for a week, and still need more time to read and see everything. The time frame we had made up have to go up and down flights of stair in an odd order to get see the most bang for our buck. So, after two hours or use going up and down the elevator, we finally got to a point where we can get on one floor and work out way down with the stairs. 

I did not expect to nearly burst out into tears walking turning the corner of the stair from the 6th floor to the 5th floor. 

 

The Bible Museum has a plaster cast of the very statue that I have always dreamed of seeing. The even more crazy thing? That shirt was the very same shirt that I wore to Vatican City in (ironically) a Hail Mary attempt to see it. It was like God was saying that He was still here. Still watching. Still knew that desires that I have, even if I am terrified to ever go back to Italy again at the moment. I know that when I do go, it's going to be a much better trip and somehow well worth the wait. 

God restored my love and desire to see this statue again. The worst moments of my life, the year of internally struggling, in my darkest hours, He restored. This moment captured in that statue was truly the darkest moments in all of history. The Savior of world's life snuffed out, with no hope and no way of knowing what comes next. Then suddenly, He's alive and we know what's coming! 

I had a expectations when I came to DC, but I never thought that restoration, even in some small degree, was what was in store for me. And it's not the only thing the God restored for me from that failed trip! 

These past few months God has been working in some really sweet ways in my life and He did not have to. I am so thankful that I got to go on this trip, and that God put things in my path and gave me the opportunity to see a work of art I have always wanted to see, even if it wasn't the way I wanted to.  

The List: #205- Kentucky (6/50)

 So, this visit was no one that I had planned that far in advance. 

So, my all time favorite Broadway show is Hadestown. When I saw it at the Tennessee Theatre in the last few years, it tore my heart out and I loved ever second of it. I don't think another show has ever made me cry that hard. 

So, a few weeks back I check to see if it was going to be coming near Knoxville anytime soon. 

Well, it came to Boling Green, Kentucky! 

Now, there was a lot that went into this turn around trip. I had leave work early, it's a three and half hour drive one way, I wouldn't get back home till around two or three in the morning. The biggest issue? I had to get on a plane to DC the next morning. 

However, even with all of the craziness above, I was able to do it! I bought my ticket and told all the people that needed to know about my plan. 

Now, I thought that show was great this time around, however, the SKYPAC either didn't have a big enough stage, or it was the very odd one night only performance, the show was missing some really key stage unit that make the show that much more impactful. The turntable stage, if you have seen the show Hamilton you should know what I am talking about, and a part of the stage there is supposed to be a door that people enter and exit out of Hadestown. 

I don't know if I would have love the show as much as I did originally if these two aspects of the show were no part of the production. 

The show was fantastic regardless, and I can't wait to see when the original Broadway show recording hits theaters next month. 

Now, I didn't take many pictures, except for this one weird one that I wanted to show my mom the ceiling of the lobby. 

 Which I know this isn't much proof that I was in Kentucky, but it' enough. 

No Place Like Movies At Home: Send Me No Flowers

 So, we are back.... 

Things have been crazy. There have been lots going on, an I have been working on stuff for blogs, and lots of stuff in day to day life, but have not been able to make it here to update. So, be prepared for several updates. 

So, back to all of the movies that I own. 

So, I was really hoping to get all three of the Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies that I have in one day. Me and some friends of mine had a Doris Day Movie day. However, the DVD player that they had did not work. So, because of this, we streamed free Doris Day movies. One of which I own, and we still watched, was Send Me No Flowers. 

Rock Hudson plays a hypochondriac who thinks he is always near death. Doris Day, his loving wife, puts up with it to an extent. She switches out meds with harmless products that look like the meds. However, when Mr. Hudson is at the Doctor's office, he over hears the Doc saying things along the lines of "He isn't going to make it" and "We will do everything we can to make him comfortable", and the kicker "I wouldn't tell him when really happening, let his live out his last days the best he can". What Mr. Hudson doesn't know is that the Doc is talking about and elderly man who only has a few weeks left to live. However, Mr. Hudson thinks the doc is talking about him. Though all the crazy events that only a rom com can bring, Mrs. Day ends up believing him, and does everything she can to make his final days comfortable. That is until she finds out the truth.

For whatever reason, I always think I don't like this movie very much, until I watch it. I don't know if at some point I wanted a different Doris Day movie and got the names confused. However, I don't recall really ever disliking  a Doris Day film so I have no clue what I am talking about. 

this is one of those films that makes me excited to see the other two movies of theirs I own. It was also great to be able to see this movie with other people. It's always nice to see a movie with other people. 

The List: #205- Massachusetts (5/50)

 Got to spend some of spooky season last year in a really spooky town. State number 5 was Massachusetts!

So, one of the only good things that came out of my Italy trip last year was, I got a little bit of credit for plans tickets. I had just enough to cover a round trip ticket to Boston, Massachusetts. Sarah, out friend Beth, and myself decided to go! 

So, we went to some great sites of the start of American history. Like the Boston Tea Party museum. This is also a big walking town, so we walked like 9-10 miles the first day. So, it was a lot, but we got to see so much of the city. 

They also have a great map of all of the historic sites in Boston, all you have to do is follow the red brick road.... not kidding it's really a red brick road! 

Since we went in October, we decided that we were going to go and see Salem, Mass! 

We got to see the Witch Museum, took a walking tour of the history of the Witch Trials, and other historical moments in Salem. I really loved that we got to see so many sites from the movie Hocus Pocus and found out that there was a history of the TV show Bewitched here as well. 

I really loved exploring a new part of the US and I am excited to one day go back and visit another state. 

The List: #205- Florida (4/50)

 Let's take a trip to the beach! State four is Florida!

So, we did something a little different to Christmas in 2025, we went to the beach! Now, I am really not a beach person, I have gotten better, but I do find the beach a bit boring. However, I had a pretty good time the last few times I have been to the beach. 

So, we went to St George Island, Florida. That last time I was here was in 2010 when one of my older brother's got married. Needless to say it's been a while. 

Now, we didn't get the chance to see both of my older brothers, but I did get to see one of them, my SIL, and my oldest Niece and Nephew. Now, as much as I want to share my family pic I am not going to, but I will show you where I ended up most of the time.

This is Tugger. This is my older brother's dog, this is the last trip he got to make to the beach. He passed away a few weeks ago, so I was glad I got to see him. He has been in their family since my Nephew was less than 10 (he is in his early 20s now), so he has been around for a while. 

He and I got to be couch potatoes together. 

Anyways, we had a love Christmas together, maybe next time we will get all of my siblings there, but we will see. 

The List: #205- Arizona (3/50)

 Well, here come state three!

So, like I said when we were talking about Nevada, the second day that we were in Vegas we went out of state, to Arizona! 

We found a wonderful bus tour that took us to see the Hover Dam and the Grand Canyon. It picked us up from our hotel, and took us to the the Las Vegas sign (not originally on the itinerary but we didn't plan on seeing it at all cause of time. So, it was a nice little God wink for me). 

The Hoover Dam was a quick, and fun first stop. we got to take all of the dam pictures, and make all of the dam jokes.

We got to eat a wonderful breakfast at a local place, and got to drive through Joshua Tree National Park. We then got to the Grand Canyon!

I have to say that it was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever gotten to see! 

The List: #205- Nevada (2/50)

 State two on the tour around the country is Nevada!

So, how in the world did I end up here? 

That would be thanks to my wonderful roommate, Sarah! She suggested, sometime last year, that I should go see The Wizard of Oz at the Sphere in Las Vegas. I told her that I had no one to go with, and she said she would go with me. So, we booked tickets, and off we went to VEGAS BABY!

Ok, I promise I won't say that again. However, I am in THE place that Frank Sinatra helped to build! I got to walk in his footsteps to this sign behind me in the picture here. I got to were the Rat Pack used to perform! It's was such a cool experience! 

This first day we were there, we got off the plane, and walked for eleven miles! Not kidding, everything hurt. The second day we went out of the state (more on that later), and the third day we walked the strip, and then we were in the Sphere to watch the Greatest movie ever made!

The Venetian still had their decor for the movie releasing, and I was so excited to be there! 

Now, I loved seeing the movie, I am still mad that they took away 30 minutes of the movie, but it was a great experience! I am so that that Sarah Suggested we go!