This is What Happens When I Visit My Daughter

My older daughter, Lauren, left our home in California for college at the young age of 17, and since then has lived in Dallas, London, and now Washington D.C. We have never gone more than several months without seeing one another whether she makes a trip home or I fly to wherever in the world she is living. This is what happens when I visit my daughter: the time flies by, but we always make the most of every minute together.

These three things always happen when I visit my daughter no matter where she is living:

1. We are always on-the-go.
2. We always include great food, often eating at a local favorite and never a chain restaurant.
3. We always either attend a sporting event, a concert, or a museum (or sometimes all three!)

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I recently flew to the nation’s capital to spend a long weekend with her. Lauren began a new job a year ago, and I hadn’t been to visit her since last summer. She carefully planned the five days/nights I would spend with her.

I thought it would be fun to share our adventures with you and a few reflections on motherhood. Included are quite a few photos of a long weekend I will never forget.

Thursday:

I flew out of LAX to Washington D.C. and arrived in the evening. Lauren picked me up at the airport, and it was a short drive to her apartment. She gave me a tour of her home, we chatted, and she headed to bed. Unfortunately, she had an early shift the next morning. I stayed up later reading a fantastic memoir I had begun on the plane.

Friday:

After a leisurely morning at the apartment drinking an iced coffee and reading the news, I headed out to meet up with my friend, Kim. She lives about 45 minutes away from Lauren and was kind enough to drive down so we could spend some time together. We drove to a nearby mall for a long lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and then spent time walking off our meals and window shopping. It was wonderful to see her!

Kim dropped me back off at the apartment in the afternoon, and I read while waiting for Lauren to return home from work. We chose this restaurant for dinner in Bethesda. We sat out on the patio and each a enjoyed a cocktail while deciding on what to eat. We had an excellent meal!

Saturday:

We left Lauren’s place mid-morning and drove to the National Harbor on the Potomac River. We walked down to the pier by the giant Ferris wheel, wandered in a few shops, and stopped by a gourmet market to pick up a few things for the next day’s picnic. We ate a light lunch at a place on the water with beautiful views.

We drove back to Lauren’s to change into dressier attire. From her home, we walked to the metro and took it to downtown D.C. because we had reservations for something that has become a fun tradition over the years- Afternoon Tea.

This ritual of Afternoon Tea began years ago on a family vacation when the children were young. My husband and I thought it would be fun to treat them to a new experience and because they loved it so much, we began taking them anytime we visited a large city when traveling. We have been to Afternoon Tea in San Francisco, New Orleans, London, Paris, Dallas, and Los Angeles. Lauren thought it would be fun to treat me to tea for Mother’s Day while visiting her, so she took me here. Wow! It was amazing!

After teatime, we strolled down to the White House to snap a photo, then we took the metro back to Lauren’s home and changed our clothes once again.

We walked back to the metro, and rode it to Navy Yard to watch the Nationals play baseball! Once there, we met up with Lauren’s boyfriend, Daniel. We had fantastic seats and so much fun watching the Nat’s beat the Marlins!

Sunday:

We began our day with a lovely morning service at the Washington National Cathedral. After church ended, we wandered through the Bishop’s Garden.

We made reservations for lunch at the iconic Old Ebbitt Grill. This was my third time eating there, and it did not disappoint. The lively atmosphere and tasty food make it a fun place to dine when in D.C.

After lunch, we got some shopping done and went to rest at my daughter’s place for a few hours. Early Sunday evening we drove to Wolf Trap National Park for a picnic and concert in the park with Daniel and a dear friend, Brianne. What a night! The venue itself is stunning, and the show was incredible! We listened to Italian pianist, and composer Ludovico Einaudi play while enjoying rosé and charcuterie. It was an unforgettable evening.

Monday:

My daughter had some training to attend, so I was on my own for part of the day. I spent the morning lounging and then rode the metro into the city to visit some museums. I first walked to the National Gallery of Art and spent several hours there wandering around. Art museums are some of my favorite places to go when visiting a big city, and while I’ve visited this one several times before, I never tire of looking at paintings and sculptures. From there I walked over to the Museum of Natural History. Of course, I had to take a peek at the Hope Diamond (what a stunner!), the mammals, Ocean Hall, and saw two fascinating exhibits: Outbreak and Nature’s Best Photography. Did you know that most of the museums in Washington D.C. are free?

Lauren met me at the Museum of Natural History, and we walked over to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. We meandered through the grounds and sat on a bench for a bit enjoying the shade.

After the Sculpture Garden, we took an Uber over to Logan Circle Historic District. Lauren and I walked around and found a fun outdoor place to pop in for happy hour. We sipped a cocktail and people-watched for a while. We had dinner reservations at a French restaurant, Le Diplomate, so we walked over there and were quickly seated. Daniel joined us for dinner, and we had an enjoyable evening! All three of us began our meal with Kir Royales and a cheese plate. We all had the same entreé as well: steak frites with herb butter. We ended the fun night with dessert and a long walk to the metro.

Tuesday:

I sadly said goodbye and hugged my daughter as she left for work, then I packed my suitcase. After a quiet morning at Lauren’s apartment, I took an Uber to the airport and flew home. My long weekend in Washington D.C. was perfect in every way.

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A Mother’s Reflections:

As I wandered around my daughter’s apartment tidying up and gathering my things, I paused to reflect on the woman my daughter has become. Although I have visited Lauren many times since she graduated from college, this time felt different.  It is a strange thing to visit adult children who have made a life of their own while still remembering them as little people who were under your care. Lauren is settled in her career and her life, and that makes me so happy.

I am so proud of her adaptability to big city living, her positive attitude, her tidy apartment, and her choice to serve others and our country. I always knew she would live an exciting life because she was so adventurous, brave, and tenacious as a child. My husband and I raised her to believe she could conquer the world and to seek after every good thing God set before her, and she has done just that. My heart feels full knowing Lauren is living out her calling and is an amazing young woman.

I look forward to my next visit with Lauren because I can always expect we will enjoy every minute of our time together ❤️