The Hearing
Senator... have I got someone I want you to meet
Brian finally got a date for his Senate hearing about a week before it was to take place. Immediately he jumped into full prep mode, including several days in DC meeting with Senators and their staffers from both parties. I flew out with him two nights before the hearing so he could finish. We had a quiet dinner that night and tried to go to bed early before the big day, but he kept leaping up to check his notes about potential questions he thought he might get asked. He was thoroughly prepared, though, and neither of us was too nervous the next morning, just excited that the day was here at last!
Tired eyes on the way to the Senate Executive building in an uber.
There was a long line waiting to get into the building, so Brian got on the phone to figure out which entrance we should go to, and then we had to walk around the block. He was approached by a couple reporters but had to tell them he couldn’t talk. Then after a few minutes in the green room, they led the spouses out to our seats, and then the nominees. Then the senators came in and gaveled the hearing open.
After only about an hour, and barely any questions, including none of the most challenging ones he had expected, it was over! Senator Pete Ricketts introduced Brian very graciously, and a few other Republicans gave him some softball questions, but only one Democrat asked anything (she would be referred to later by friends and family as “that mean lady”). Brian did a fantastic job, was prepared and articulate and confident, and made us all proud. Several friends of his came and sat behind us, including a couple of members of Legatus whose rosary beads I could hear clinking the whole time… they said afterwards that they had each prayed 2 rosaries during the hearing! Good thing, because though that had been my intention, I forgot my rosary and kept getting distracted as I tried to pray. I was also distracted knowing I was on camera the whole time too, albeit in the background, so I had to look interested, serious, understanding, supportive, charming, beautiful, and oh yes, not bitchy. That’s a lot of pressure! Anyway, with all the prayers and love of so many people behind us literally and figuratively, the hearing was a huge success.
Afterwards, we celebrated with friends at a luncheon at Ned’s Club, the same swanky DC club we had watched the inauguration at on January 20.
Then we headed straight to the airport and back home to the kids! Very relieved to be on to the next step. But also, suddenly we felt like everything was going very fast and we had so much still to do to get ready to move to Rome. We started making lists of all the little repairs needed on the house, contacting a realtor to lease the house while we are gone, researching Rome schools, getting all our medical and dental appointments for clearance to move over, etc. etc. etc.
Meanwhile, we thought it would be a good idea to have a film crew come to our house for two full days to start making a documentary about our life. Yikes! Fun but crazy.
This was April 15 and 16, so add in Tax Day there for a little extra stress. Also a random protestor showed up on our front sidewalk the second day of filming. You can’t make this stuff up. Our nice neighbor went out and talked to him and texted us that he seemed harmless, just a sad old guy who doesn’t like Trump. Also, it was Holy Week, and I had to give a presentation at Seton’s Passover Luncheon the 16th, and prep all the things for Easter and the big kids all coming home. What a week!
Thankfully Our Lady is always with us helping us. We had a lovely relaxing Triduum weekend with our favorite people.
