OK, left you at arriving at my hotel.
Things were going well, checked in and like an idiot I turn down help with my bags. Yes, I know, you all thought I was pretty bright. Now you know the truth - I can be real dim at times. The two bags and my CPAP are sitting across from the elevator. When the lift arrives, I try grabbing all three before the door closes. No good, BAM! the door begins to close but I am able to jam one of my bags in to stop it from fully closing. Smart until I realize that the door now won't move at all, and, I still have two bags sitting against the wall just out of reach. This is going from bad to worse! At that moment, one of the hotel staff comes to my rescue. He prods the door open, nicely shoves me and the other two bags in. The suit offers to come with me and I of course in all of my brilliance tell him it won't be necessary. Fortunately for me he is a very bright man and says "It won't be a problem mam, it is my pleasure". I am sure he is just worried that I might end up disrupting their entire elevator system for good and he would have to deal with a hotel full of very unhappy guests.
To my room and the key card doesn't work! I try it twice and look up at the suit, all 6'3" of him, as if I had never seen a lock like this before. He patiently and with a delightful smile takes the card, turns it around and 'voila', the damn thing works! My room is gorgeous and has a balcony. No, really, it is REALLY nice. All is good, things are looking bright and I am relaxing. The suit turns out to be the hotel manager and I never see him again. I like to think he had the weekend off but more than likely was hiding in a dark room taking aspirin and praying he didn't have to run into me again! Smart man.
Matt and I had planned to get together for dinner that evening and I wait for his call. While unpacking I decide to put the family jewels in the hotel safe. You know the priceless pearl earrings from the rack in Fred Meyer, things like that.
I find the safe quickly as it's open door in the dimly lit hall grazes my hair. An inch or two taller and I would have needed stitches. Unable to find any directions on how to lock it I finally call the front desk. They kindly send up a specialist (not the suit) who confirms that the directions are indeed missing and performs his magic. I finally feel vindicated, not a total dimwit!!!
Matt calls and gives me the name of the restaurant which is only, according to the hotel, about 4 blocks away. His team will all be there, about 15, and I am really looking forward to meeting everyone. Since it is so close I wear my 'cute' shoes, my favorite Born slides - got to look my best.
The hotel kindly prints out directions to the restaurant for me. My first mistake when I looked at the directions was not going back in and asking them to put 'left' and 'right' instead of 'northeast', 'southwest' etc. It is dark and I have not gotten my bearings. I won't go into a blow by blow but the less than half a mile walk turned into at least 1.5 or 10 miles, something like that! By the time I find the restaurant, I have spoken to Matt and tell him to have a BIG glass of Chardonnay waiting for me. As I sit down at the table with SORE feet I realize that they aren't just sore, I have a LARGE blister on the ball of my right foot and a smaller but still painful one on the ball of my left! TWO glass of the requested wine later, a good dinner and conversation, I tell Matt he needs to get me back to my hotel the shortest possible way. Bless his heart, he and his pal Charlie do Mom proud. Would you believe that really was only 4 blocks??
I settle into my room, feet up, and wait for David and Del to arrive. Should be around midnight so I stretch out a bit and promptly fall into a blissful slumber. They arrive at 12:45am on Saturday the 11th; exactly 3 months since I first spoke to David. So excited to see them both! It may be late but Del seems to think the party is just getting started - oh, sweet youth and energy. The thing I learn about this grandson is that although he 'thinks' things are just getting going, his head hits the pillow and he is out! Thank God cause both David and I are tired.
When I wake in the morning and look across at their bed, it is the first time I see my son sleeping, knowing he will wake soon. A bit weird, strange but at the same time natural. The smile's we exchange as he wakes is just about all my heart can handle. It is so hard to explain the feeling. Something you miss for so many years but time just seems to be erased.
Matt heads to our hotel to join us for breakfast. It is wonderful sitting there with my two son's and grandson, can't quite stop grinning. Matt is off for last minute preparations for tomorrows triathlon. We will meet him in the evening at his hotel for the inspirational dinner.
David, Del and I head out for some sight seeing. Remember my blisters?? Still there so instead of added walking, we drive to the area of the Lincoln Memorial. This is Del's first trip to DC and the memorial is at the top of his list. Standing at the Washington Monument and gazing at the Lincoln Memorial I get a real sense of my country. Couple that with the fact that all of the flags are at half staff since it is 9/11, very moving.
Since my feet are begging for relief, I tell David I will be better off at the hotel for the rest of the afternoon. Then he and Del can do some more touring without being hampered by the gimp. I decide to hobble the two blocks from the hotel to buy a package of Blister Bandages. I know there is no way I am going to be able to apply them myself. What better way for a mother and son to bond than with a little first aid? David is a great sport and taking care of Ma's feet.
We attend the dinner with Matt and teammates. There are several speakers: what a testament of the human spirit. As I gaze at Matt's face I see an intensity, earnestness and humbleness that is palpable. He is so committed to this cause and I am so proud of him.
We wake to lite rain on Sunday morning and grab a cab to the triathlon site. It is awe inspiring watching all of these people - old and young alike, some in great shape, many not. One of the most amazing things I saw was a woman heading to the finish line who was at least 7+ months pregnant. She had swum 9/10 of a mile in the Potomac, biked 10 miles and ran 6. She gives the saying 'no excuses' a whole new meaning. Everyone starts clapping and cheering as she goes by with a huge smile on her face but not as big as her heart or tummy!
David and Del move about 150 years away from the finish line so that they can call me when they spot Matt. David calls, Matt has just come over the bridge and will be approaching the finish line in just a few minutes. I have Matt's camcorder ready. As I see him and yell his name, he looks directly at me with such intensity and holds up his hand and says "this is for your grandson". In his hand is one of Brandon's stocking caps - he had carried it the entire race. I started sobbing uncontrollably. It was one of the most touching, proud moments of my life. I felt my knees get weak and had to bend down to pull myself together. With tears I greet my incredible son and hug him tightly. He begins to let go but I say "not yet, not yet, I am so moved and proud of you". He allows his mother this extra time to simply savor what he has accomplished and why. For his brother Troy and in honor and memory of his nephew Brandon.
Next, on to Richmond!
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