Central Virginia felt like a breath of fresh air to us once we got out of the DC area. And learning about Thomas Jefferson made me long to be a smarter, more accomplished person. (How was it possible for one guy to learn six languages, design multiple architectural masterpieces, record the weather multiple times every day, found a university, etc., etc., etc., on top of being an ambassador, Secretary of State, Vice President, and President of the United States? Logically, he must have had a Time-Turner.) Basically our visit to Monticello was just an all-around beautiful, inspiring experience.
On a side note, Brandon and I are two of the most analytical, oftentimes paranoid, people on the planet. Before going on a trip, he will think of every single detail that could possibly go wrong. (He refers to this as being a realist.) And me, I have panic attacks at the mere thought of driving in heavy traffic. Yet ironically enough, I am plagued with an adventurous spirit. (And yes, for a worrier, this certainly is a plague.) Although pretty much every characteristic we jointly possess as a couple destines us to a life as homebodies, I'm hopelessly addicted to dreaming up adventures and dragging poor Brandon along. We obsess and fret and usually have multiple freak-out moments along the way, but hey, we have a lot of fun most of the time! Recently, we were sharing a particularly nostalgic moment, looking back on our lives over the past couple of years. (Getting married straight out of college... honeymooning in Europe... driving clear across the country into a life in a state we'd never been to before... grad school... crazy jobs... train trips... natural disasters... apartment disasters... the list goes on...) In this moment, I experienced an epiphany. For two very unadventurous people, we sure do have a lot of adventures!
And that's kind of what marriage is about, isn't it? Sometimes, life feels like a mess, but together we're a team, and in so many ways, we bring out the best in each other. Two unadventurous individuals just holding on tight for the ride, giving each other the strength and encouragement we each need to live our best lives.