Sculpted Rocks

By S Streett

PENNSYLVANIA-Black skies and tornado warnings greeted the Streett family on this seminal visit to Penn State. We inaugurated the newest and pending members of the family to a few traditions and noted where Captain Mason, Joe Paterno and S lived. Increased kicking from Tuesday indicated partiality to this esteemed university or his/her cheering for unlimited sides at The Tavern.

To summarize the rest of the road trip: Cracker Barrel Restaurants and these photos

S finally got to see Devils Tower and once in VA we watched 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'.

After the Devil's Tower detour we still made it to Mt. Rushmore before dark. The timing turned out to be perfect they stopped charging for admission, we had enough day light to tour the grounds and didn't have to wait long to watch the nightly illumination. 

A morning visit to check out the progress on the Crazy Horse Memorial. Still a long way to go but the size and significance kind of dwarf Mt. Rushmore. I never understood why four random Presidents got carved into a remote mountain range.

The Badlands sculpted by water more recently than I realized. Although I wanted dinosaur fossils (incorrect), the extinct mammals and a quick visit to the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site made this side trip educational.

In VA

I apologize for the delay, it has been a crazy two weeks! S is in charge of the post about the rest of our road trip so I’ll just cover what’s happened since our east coast arrival. (The other post may never come...)

With a slight detour through State College, PA (Penn State...), we made it to S’s family 3 nights before we were allowed to move into our “corporate housing.” We got to see a baseball and softball game for one nephew and niece. It was some nice down time before jumping into the Foreign Service orientation. On the Saturday we moved in after weaving our way to Arlington. (Is it just me or do the highways, streets, roads around DC not make any sense at all?) We went east and then west to loop all the way back around. We made it, but it feels like there should have been a more direct route. I’m thinking I-5 running straight N-S in Washington and Oregon.

Our furnished apartment is on the 18^th floor, looking across the street into presumably someone else’s 18^th floor apartment. I can’t complain about the accommodations. Not too much storage space, but a lot of space in general. We have the baby stuff piled in boxes in the corner waiting for Tuesday to make his/her appearance.

Speaking of Tuesday, I thought I was doing well getting my ducks in a row for giving birth in VA. Our first appointment at the birth center told us we needed to get moving on a few critical steps. Last night I found a birthing class, and now I just need to find a birthing assistant/doula.  (We are definitely late on that front.) I incorrectly assumed that when you want to give birth with midwives, the birthing assistant would be part of the package. Tuesday is kicking away and S can’t keep his hands off the belly. He swears Tuesday plays with him. He even tries to wake the baby up in my belly if it isn’t moving. (Oh, and she implied I’m a little behind on the gaining weight front. S has taken on the task of fattening me up and ensuring I eat 60-80 g of protein each day.)

Back to non-Tuesday related information. I started orientation two weeks ago and have enjoyed most of the sessions. VERY briefly, orientation is introducing us to the Foreign Service profession, writing, protocol, etc. We also learn things like filling out travel vouchers. It gets a little difficult to sit in the chairs for extended periods of time, especially when there are so many people in the room so you don’t have any space to spread out. 

S and I have been going to a TON of happy hours, meet-n-greets and dinners with the various members of our class. There are enough people planning activities that we could probably go each day if we wanted, but I think we are both fairly burned out already. We may get some Chinese food with a couple people living in Ballston with us tonight though. We don’t want be hermits ALL weekend.