Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Framing an enclosed porch

I posted this question in 'Walls and Ceilings' a few days ago and haven't heard anything back yet. Perhaps I will have better luck here.

I am planing on building an enclosed porch addition to my house and am working on the framing details for the walls right now. What I am trying to do is have a countertop along the outside wall with continuous windows between the countertop and the ceiling. Working from a book on construction framing, it looks like I need to use two 2x8 with a 3/4" shim between the two for a window header. This sounds like overkill to me, as that would mean nearly a foot of wall space before I could start the window (8" header, two 2x4 top plates). The ceiling is going to be only 6 foot at the outside wall (thus the countertop), so that would only allow a two foot high window that a standing person could not see out of. The wall will be supporting a five foot section of roof with a 1 over 4 slope. I live in Northern Virginia, so we really don't have that large a snow load. Does anybody know what code says about this?

Antonio,
post in architecture and codes....Jack should see the post and reply.... One possible solution is to utilize a 4*6 top plate set on 4*4 posts which might eliminate the need for the 2*8 header. Jack knows better.....

That's what we told you in the architecture and codes forum. Go there for the answer.