Back in the Midwest

To all of my faithful readers, I apologize for the brevity of my last blogs while in DC and the abrupt end to my posts. The last few weeks of my time in DC were jam-packed. I just couldn't find the time to keep up on my blogging.

Per request from a friend, I'm going to wrap up this blog with info from my final days in DC.

The Senator got called into Farm Bill conferences Tuesday afternoon, so I was unable to shadow him for an entire afternoon. This was somewhat saddening, but I had sat in on my fair share of meetings with him before my last week, so I can't complain. My final days were spent running around getting signatures for a letter to the Commissioner of the EPA. I can remember a time when I thought getting signatures was fun, but this wasn't exactly how I had pictured my last week interning. However, I did what needed to get done, and tried to keep a smile on my face in the process.

Thursday afternoon, I assumed my strategic filing position and was able to catch the Senator on his way out of the office. After informing him it was my last day, he shook my hand and wished me the best. He also said he wouldn't be surprised if he saw me again sometime. One of my coworkers joked that he was practically offering me a job, but it wasn't quite that serious. Nonetheless, I was glad to have a farewell from the Senator himself before leaving the office my last day.

It was difficult saying goodbye to those who gave me the most work over the course of my time in DC. However, leaving the office that last day was easier because a handful of my coworkers joined me for drinks at Union Pub. Although everyone had planned on having just one drink, that's not quite how things panned out. When it's pitcher night, nobody makes it out of UP after having just one drink! I was sure glad I didn't need to make it to the office on Friday morning, so I hope everyone didn't hate me when they had to get up for work. The verdict is still out on that one.

Although we didn't have work, all of us who were left at 510 C had to record segments for the CHIP website. We all looked *chipper* I'm sure! After that, a bunch of us went on a hunt for boxes and mailed some of our belongings home in order to make packing a little easier. We all went to Hawk 'n Dove for one last time Friday night and enjoyed a night at home on Saturday. Our farewell time together was fun while it lasted, but it was hard saying goodbye to all of my fellow CHIPmates. Kristine and I cabbed to the airport together, so that helped a little. But I definitely wish I would have had at least another month of the DC experience before coming back to the Midwest.

My flights home went well, and I was happy to see my mom, Jay, Bonnie, Brian and Lexi all at the airport in Omaha. Seeing my friends at school for the first time was also joyous, as well as walking across stage at commencement this weekend. But now that all of that is over, I'm beginning to miss DC more and more, especially after talking to my high school band director at Subway today about his upcoming family vacation to DC in a few weeks. When he joked about me coming along as their tour guide, I only wished he would actually take me with them.

I'll be spending the next few days at the farm, then heading back to DM/Indianola for a long weekend before moving to Omaha indefinitely. I will be working at the real estate law firm again for a while, as well as doing some temp jobs, and will begin my full-time employment search soon.

That's all she wrote for AJ's Updates about DC, but I'll likely form a new blog to keep everyone updated on how life in the *real world* is treating me.