Tourists, Tanzanite, and T-Rex: Lemons Into Lemonade

Sunday, Cody and I had a long-planned date to DC. We were going to take in the cherry blossoms, hit a museum, wander the mall, watch the kite festival, and just have one-on-one time, which we almost never, ever get anymore. We were psyched. When we woke up, it was about 29 degrees. And raining. So we bundled up and off we went. 

We started the morning with Mass at St. Matthew's, where Cody spent some time writing various notes to various members of the Holy Family and heavenly host. 

 (I love that he specifies "Cody Last." Just in case.)

Then we snacked at Starbucks and took selfies. Cody loves this one and giggled madly: "Mom! I'm showing my food!" Such a boy.

 Then it was off to his favorite thing…the metro!

 Next was the big surprise: I took him to the rock, mineral, and gem exhibit at the Natural History Museum. It was a huge hit. Here he is, explaining to me the layers of the earth.

 When we turned the corner: GRANITE!

 Really, REALLY old granite!

 He was exultant.

 He was wandering from case to case saying, "MOM! This is amazing. Seriously. This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen, EVER!"

 When he saw the little "Please Touch" sign above this granite boulder, his eyes just lit up.

 Here's Cody, taking in the Hope Diamond.

But that wasn't all that interesting, truth be told. Because downstairs? Snake skeletons. Behold: the Gaboon Viper, one of his favorite species. ("It's very docile," he explained.)

 Not to mention the rattlesnake (how creepy/cool is that?!).

 We wandered into the Ocean exhibit next.

 Here he is, in the mouth of a great white shark!

 We went to the dinosaurs next, because the exhibit is closing for renovation…until 2019. You read that right: five years! That's a whole childhood without a T-Rex sighting! But CJP was really ready to move on. By that time the crush of tourists who were in town for the cherry blossom festival had the same good idea we had.

 We were going to walk to a hotdog joint, but after a block, our umbrellas turned inside out, he stepped in a deep puddle, and burst into tears. "This is not fun anymore!" he lamented. We improvised. We ducked into the nearest metro station and took it to somewhere I know well for lunch.

 Pizza! During lunch, I taught him the expression about life, lemon, and lemonade. He loved it. We giggled maniacally about all the poor tourists who came all the way here, taking up all the hotel rooms, only to find there was not a blessed blossom in sight and they were stuck with fossils. For some reason this was hilariously funny to him. Then he said, "Mom? Since it's so disgusting, could we just get on the metro? And just, maybe ride it randomly?" I nearly fell out of my chair. I told him we'd metro to a great surprise, if he could handle one last rain walk from the metro to our destination. He assented, and off we went to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Or as Cody calls it (correctly), "the biggest church in North America." He was blown away. The second sweetest thing is that he spent a good half hour browsing the gift shop, exclaiming over the beauty (and gems and minerals) of every rosary, and trying to come up with ways for us to leave with some statuary. He didn't ask for anything all day, except some pictures of Jesus and Mary to bring home to his sisters. The sweetest moment our visit to one of the many unspeakably beautiful side chapels, dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa. There's a little circular mosaic that explains that John Paul II, who in 26 days will become a great saint of the Church, knelt and prayed to Our Lady, Queen of Poland on his pastoral visit to the United States in October 1979 (the year I was born). He was utterly amazed at the idea his knees were in the same place as his namesake.

He lit a candle, and asked John Paul to pray for his family. And for peace in the world. It was a moment I won't forget. And will call to mind when he's 13, and an unholy terror whom I have to drag to Mass, and who hates me and rails against my every suggestion. And will call to mind tomorrow, probably, when he whines at me when I ask him to brush his teeth, or pick up his clothes, or…

But this is the truth of his dear little heart.

 Then we trekked home. This time, in sleet and snow.

All in all, a wonderful and memorable day for us both.