The Definition of Sanity

My husband and I are often called crazy.

We fell in love at first sight.  It’s crazy to fall in love at first sight.

It’s crazy to move in together after four months and get engaged after eight.  We met in June, moved in together in October and were engaged by February.

It’s crazy to have 3 kids, 4 houses, 5 dogs in five years.

We did it.  All of it.  We are crazy.

So when my love said to me, why don’t we take the three kids and go to the “Rally to Restore Sanity” in DC it didn’t seem crazy.  It just felt right.

Today we traveled to our nation’s capital, our family of five.  Equipped with a stroller, granola bars, and an adventurous spirit.  We were dressed in layers and ready for anything.  No idea what to expect and no real game plan, just a Google map, a metro schedule and an extended supply of diapers. 

We didn't know if we would make it to the rally.  We didn't know if how it would all play out. 

This was a once in a lifetime experience for my children because I will NOT be doing this again.  We saw the best of people and at times, we saw the worst.

The best, in the lovely staff writer from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, who not only tolerated my children as they danced and played around, plumes of dust and straw billowing out from each footfall, but also offered to take our family photo and help us capture the magic of the day. 

We were all "rallied out" about half-way through and before the full-on meltdowns began, my husband and I decided to make haste and attempt to return to our car. 

One problem...well....150,000 problems...

It was a LONG road for us from our awesome location just behind the second set of jumbo-trons to the International Trade Center where we had parked.  We had to drive the stroller against the crowd and while most people were wonderful and understanding, we saw a bit of the worst that the rally had to offer.  

We were greeted with scorn by some, "A stroller?  Is that really necessary." And we had our fair share of "judgers" too.  I can't say I blame them, I mean what kind of crazy people take three kids to a rally?

What I do know is that today, standing amidst the throngs of people, showing the little people in my life how to be a part of something really big, seemed totally sane to me.