Aunt Meg/Washington, DC

My brave and amazing Aunt Meg passed away on Sept. 11 of this year, after battling leukemia. She left my grieving uncle and 2-year-old cousin, Luke. I was very grateful to be able to attend her funeral in Washington, DC.

My brothers and I flew from Denver to St. Louis, where my parents had been visiting my sister Kristina; my mom flew to DC immediately upon Meg's passing, and my brothers and I helped my dad drive their car from St. Louis to DC.

It was crazy leaving home in the midst of some record flooding; the kids were out of school an entire week, including the whole time I was gone, and were without running water for a day and without potable water for several days. Brian did a terrific job of holding things together during this crazy time.

My brothers, dad and me were able to spent a couple of days at Kristina's house in St. Louis, where we took in a Cardinals game, saw the Arch, and enjoyed some quiet time at home and walking around Kristina's beautiful new neighhorhood- I am so frustrated that I cannot get phone pics to stay upright even after saving them that way!

My dad, brothers and me left around 10 p.m. and drove straight from St. Louis to DC, through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. It was so pretty to see the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Mountains, if only from the car. It's been years since I've done that gorgeous drive-

In DC, my parents, brothers and I spent an evening doing the monuments, which are always so amazing and spectacular. It was a perfect evening, and we also enjoyed seeing the moonlit Potomac- we walked and walked and walked and had a really fantastic time together-

My parents stayed at my uncle Mike's house, which is in an amazing neighborhood; US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts lives across the street and a few doors down. Mike's sweet elderly neighbor lady, who was very close with Meg, offered to let my brothers and me stay at her house, and we all had our own room; it was nice to be rest next door to everyone.

Mike's house; the library was a recent addition and is seriously the most amazing thing ever. Two stories, all cherry wood, huge fireplace, secret moving bookshelf, I could live in it!

Chief Justice Roberts' house-

The funeral was beautiful and heartbreaking and so many things.There were many people from all facets of Mike and Meg's life; I sat directly in front of Justice Clarence Thomas. I can't believe Meg is gone. She was nothing short of remarkable. I enjoyed spending some time with my parents, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandma, despite the sad reason for us to be together.