The Ballet!

Wow! That's really the only way to describe it. The ballet was absolutely fantastic :)

I attended the American Ballet Theatre's performance of Romeo and Juliet at the Kennedy Center yesterday afternoon. I was blown away by not only the ability of the dancers to portray so much without using one word, but also the costumes and sets that were used. I now fully understand why going to prestigious theater performances is so expensive. But I'd definitely say I got my money's worth and will likely be attending as many Kennedy Center performances that my budget will allow. I can't believe I've been holding out so long to attend my first show there. Maybe it was for the better when my finances were so tight, but the door is now wide open.

I have so much respect for all of the ballet dancers. They all showed so much passion for what they were doing and were in the best shape anyone could imagine. My mind couldn't help but wonder how many hours of the day they spend either practicing or performing. And then in those few hours of down time they might have, what is it they do? Surely not stay in watching redbox movies and eating ice cream like I did last night. Just some food for thought.

It snowed nearly all day yesterday. But it wasn't like a Midwest blizzard or anything. It was just a lovely (long) snowfall with bearable temperatures and little wind. I was amazed by the beautiful nature of each individual snowflake as it fell upon my coat and stuck in my hair. Often times it's so easy to be annoyed by such things without taking just a moment to reflect upon them. I was reminded of the individuality of snowflakes and awestruck that God could create such beauty in something that so many people never take the time to notice. Though many of you are probably reading this from the Midwest and thinking you've had quite a rough winter, I hope you are able to take a few minutes the next time it snows to enjoy the beauty of a snowflake. Maybe it will help you get through until Spring arrives, or at least through a week or two :)

National Compliment Day

Upon reading the title of this blog, I'm sure you're wondering if "National Compliment Day" actually exists or if it's something I conjured up all on my own. Though I'd like to take credit for such an enlightening day, the origin of this "holiday" dates back to 1998 and was founded by two women from New Hampshire. You can learn all about it on the official website: http://www.complimentday.com/MediaPage.htm.

Ok, so maybe there isn't all that much to learn about it. However, I did my best to give a handful of compliments and incite a few others today...even though I was a few days late in celebrating the holiday. If nothing else, it initiated a few smiles from strangers and a laugh or two at work.

Today I also saw and extraordinary amount of people with red hair. And I'm not talking about the vixen salon red hair, but naturally orange-red. No, I'm not trying to be condescending of the holiday by making fun of those who were born with red hair. All I'm saying is that it is abnormal to see so many gingers (4 women and 1 man) in such a short amount of time (during my 30-min morning commute). Maybe I should have gone out of my way to compliment each of them on embracing their natural beauty. I don't know. All I know is that this observation stuck with me throughout the day.

And as if my observation weren't strange enough on its own, my daily email devotion told a story of a fiery red-headed little girl. Huh? What are the odds of that? And what could it mean? Is God trying to tell me something. If so, I'm afraid it's going to take me a while to figure this one out. In the meantime, I hope you were able to find some enjoyment out of my ironic day.

*Signing off so I can tune in to President Obama's first State of the Union*

A New Year

Although we are already nearly a month into 2010, this is regrettably my first blog of the new year. My Christmas vacation in the Midwest was absolutely fantastic. I got to see nearly everyone I planned to spend time with, and I was even able to welcome my nephew Noah John into the world just before coming back to Washington. As usual, I loved all of the quality time I got to spend with friends and family, making it a bit difficult to come back home to DC.

The first few days back were rough for several reasons. I was exhausted after being on the go 24/7 while on "vacation," the electricity was out in my apartment and I had to stay in a hotel for two nights before being able to sleep in my own bed, and I inconveniently left my cell phone in Nebraska. Nonetheless, I made it through that first week back and spent most of the weekend recovering. But then I was really busy at work preparing for more than a handful of clients who were coming to Washington for a conference. My perfect schedule was ruined more than once, but we made it through last week seemingly unscathed. I even accompanied a group of Texas community development directors to their Senate appointments on Thursday - in my brand new suit! And I also dropped in my old Senate office to say hello to my former co-workers. We are hoping to all get together for a drink sometime this week...fingers crossed.

This weekend I was able to watch several of my kickball teammates in performances. Each were absolutely hysterical, and I can honestly say I laughed off a good number of my beer calories from Friday night. I also got to spend a significant amount of quality time with my friend Jessi and look forward to furthering our friendship in the upcoming months. With my roommate spending more and more time with her boyfriend, and my friend Michelle (who had been crashing with me for the last two months) moving to her own place this weekend, I am realizing that I need to make more of an effort to see other friends in order avoid spending time alone at home. With something to do and so many new people to meet, there simply is no reason for me to feel lonely. So I'm making a conscious effort to get out more.

During January, we've been doing a series at church on spiritual disciplines and my small group has been doing a Bible study on the book of James. The combination of these things, along with a new year's resolution to be in the Word more often, have led me to think and pray about what I'm giving back. About what kind of an impact I'm having in secular Washington. And about what I feel called me to move across the country after graduating college. I've not come anywhere close to answering these questions, but I am thoughtfully considering each of them. As I reflect on these subjects, I hope you will keep me in your prayers. And know that I am praying that each of you will take a few moments to reflect on how you're giving back.

"Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works." ~James 2:26

Christmas is Here!!!

Last time I checked in was just after our first snow in DC. It was an exciting day, as we usually don't get snow in the area until late January or even February. As many of you likely saw on the news, we recently got hit with a historical blizzard. In Bethesda, we received the most snow in the entire state of Maryland with 24 inches in less than 24 hours. Yep, you read that correctly. TWO FEET of snow. Many people who live around here and are imports from other areas of the country haven't ever seen that much snow in one winter, let alone from one storm. Needless to say, the entire DC Metro area nearly shut down for several days to recover.

As there isn't much grass or unused space around here, there still seems to be snow everywhere even after a few days of melting. It will truly be a White Christmas in DC! That will excite many of those around here who've always called this area "home," but a large number of people (including myself) are keeping their fingers crossed that they make it back "home" for Christmas - white or otherwise.

A number of friends and family members have been telling me for days about some untimely winter weather conditions for when I'm expected to return this evening. I didn't think much of it then because the weather is so unpredictable, but I took the news to heart when a friend currently residing in Tulsa warned me of the snow. When people in states other than where you currently are and other than where you are traveling begin to send warnings your way, I'd say there is good reason to be concerned!

My flight is just a few hours away now and is currently scheduled to depart on time, so keep your fingers crossed. I'll be back in the Midwest through January 3, 2010. I hope to see many of you during my holiday vacation...maybe even including my nephew :)

Christmas is Coming

With such nice weather in DC for most of the year, it's hard to tell when winter begins around here. Sure we've had our fair handful of chilly days, but the sunshine and warmer temperatures always seem to make their way back. Yesterday was the first real sign that it was definitely winter...our first snow!

Now for all of you who were born/currently live in the Midwest, the first snow is usually a sign of many more days of snow to follow...and ice and freezing temperatures. Well here in DC that is not the case. Snow is quite rare here, especially before January. We probably only got about half an inch, but it was absolutely beautiful. Huge snowflakes and mild enough temperatures to make it enjoyable. Things are starting to feel a lot more like Christmas is around the corner!

Along with yesterday's snow to prepare me for Christmas, I also got the opportunity to attend the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree last week. I personally really enjoyed the experience but was a bit distraught by those around me complaining that they couldn't see well enough or that their ears hurt because of the cold. It didn't take me long to realize that I needed to forget about everyone else around me in order to get the most of the situation.

Performers included Sheryl Crow, Jordin Sparks, Celtic Woman and a few others, Secretary Salazar and President Obama both spoke, the entire Obama family pressed the button to light the national tree, and Michelle read The Night Before Christmas to a handful of adorable children. It was a fun event all around.

I'm beginning to thing about how to make the most of my time while in IA/NE over Christmas and New Year's Eve, so please let me know if you'd like to claim any specific time with me. Also, I'd appreciate hearing if anyone is still reading this blog when I write. I'm thinking about making a New Year's resolution to keep it update more often to keep more people informed of what's going on out here. That way when I call to chat with you, I will be able to do more listening. And yes, I do know how!

Thanksgiving 2009

After my plans for celebrating Thanksgiving with my friend Anne fell through just four days before the holiday, I feared that I would be preparing a feast for one. However, things worked themselves out and I ended up hosting a gathering in my apartment. Three of the girls in my small group came over to watch the Macy's parade and enjoy a potluck meal. We cheated on a few items (pre-made mashed potatoes, stuffing from a box, and gravy from a jar), but still enjoyed a full spread.

We decided to see a matinee showing of The Blind Side. It was a terrific movie based on a true story and was an extremely fitting movie for the holiday. I highly recommend it.

As usual, it was hard being away from family for the holiday, but I enjoyed spending time with my church family (well, part of it at least). The four of us also attended/crashed a gathering last night to kick off the Christmas season. It was a "classic" party where we dressed to the nines and watched a classic Christmas movie (Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum). I absolutely love getting dressed up and meeting new people, so this event screamed AJ. It was a lot fun, and I hope to see some of those new faces again. Spending time with people from church is a refreshing change from hanging out with kickball acquaintances.

This week I have tickets to see the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. I won "the lottery" in order to get tickets to this event, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that nothing comes up at work while I'm holding the office myself...otherwise, I won't be able to attend. We may not be able to see the stage with performers, but I'm excited for the opportunity to witness this occasion.

I've started counting down the days to my trip back to the Midwest for Christmas. I'm hoping to see all of you then!

xoxo,

~amyjo

Approaching Holiday Season

I am proud to say that I have, in fact, purchased a few Christmas gifts already. With Christmas Day still well over one month away, this is quite an accomplishment for me. I like to live one step at a time, so I'm still on a timeline to be gearing up for Thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving, I fear, will be a tough holiday. Last year I spent Thanksgiving with the people who had become part of my DC family. Included in that group was my current roommate Cat, "former roommate" Jenny, and Jenny's mom Laurie. We borrowed a friend's home for the day and made a traditional Thanksgiving feast for 40, though there were only 6 of us around the table. It was a truly memorable occasion. I am so thankful for the beautiful pictures we have from that day.

As many of you may already know, my dear friend Jenny went home to the Lord after a long battle with cancer. She was a wonderful person who will be missed by many during this holiday season. Cooking was always something Jenny found joy in and we had so much fun last November. It was great recalling that memory with a handful of people at Jenny's funeral services. Apparently she had already shared that story with those dear to her. I'm honored to know that she cherished that day as much I do.

Cat will be traveling to Colorado to celebrate Thanksgiving with her immediate family. Father Abraham (as I like to call him) paid for half of her flight home so she was able to fly back on some of the most expensive flight days of the year. I did a quick search today to see what a ticket to Omaha would be...the cheapest was $610 with 1 stop each way, while a non-stop ticket was $1,500. Yep. That's right! One thousand five hundred dollars for the long-weekend, round-trip fare. I could hardly believe it myself. I'm sure you can understand why I won't be making a cameo appearance in the Midwest for some turkey and mashed potatoes.

I'm still uncertain as to where I will be spending the holiday, but I am hopeful that my plans will work themselves out before the big day arrives.

Promotions

I apologize in advance for the obscure connection I've made and will share with you below. Yesterday after receiving sad news about a dear friend and wanting to journal about it here, I realized that I had not yet blogged about the review at work I had almost two weeks ago.

Subject 1: The Good

My review at work was a delayed one-year review. My boss was full of positive feedback and said she felt like I've learned and grown a lot while working for her. I was a bit taken back by what she was saying as I've been feeling busy, yet overwhelmingly unchallenged at work as of late. Luckily for me, my boss agreed that my time has come for more substantial responsibilities in the office. She said we would work together on coming up with a few issues that would be just mine and that she would begin delegating more of her responsibilities (but just a little at a time!) to my co-worker and me.

Because she felt I've done well with everything that's been given to me and is expecting bigger and better things to come, I also received a substantial pay increase. Hooray for a raise!!! But in all seriousness, I am equally excited about more challenging work and a bigger paycheck. Although my official title remains the same, I consider this to be a promotion. For that, I am very thankful.

Subject 2: The Bad

Yesterday's sad news is about my friend Jenny who has been battling her second fight against cancer since the beginning of this year. Although she's had surgery and endured countless variations of chemotherapy, the disease has gotten the best of an amazing girl. Her dad called us last night to let us know that Jenny had been admitted to the hospital after having trouble breathing. Testing results revealed that her right lung is no longer functioning and it would only be a matter of time before she would be unable to continue breathing on her own. Jenny's made it very clear that she does not want to placed on any means of life support, so she's currently on hospice care until our Father calls her to heaven.

My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to Jenny, her family, and all of the people who hold her dear in their hearts. We all know that's she fought the good fight and will understand when it's her time to be released from this world of constant battle. Jenny deserves her promotion to a better life, and we will celebrate all of the blessings she's provided in our lives.

Although you may struggle with the connection I've made between these two subjects, please understand that it makes sense to me. This week's message at my church was to remember to keep the big picture in mind - to not let Satan draw your attention away from God's purpose for you. Jenny has fulfilled her purpose and is being called home, but I'm still seeking where to join God's work. Until his plan is revealed for me, I will continue to focus on my blessings. And I challenge each one of you to stay focused on the big picture and remember to count your blessings.

New Laptop

I am proudly writing you this post from my brand new MacBook Pro. Yes, I've been talking about getting a new laptop for quite some time now, but I finally did it! I was finally able to overcome the *expensive* hurdle by rationalizing the expense with money saved by not going to Vegas with my kickball team over the long weekend. So as some of you were taking a leisurely federal holiday off and others were hard at work, I spent several hours of my Columbus Day in the Apple store securing my newest possession. She's beautiful! (See: http://www.apple.com/macbookpro) I spent a little time adjusting settings and so forth, but then I decided to watch the most recent episode of Gossip Girl :)

Most of you know me well enough to know that I've never been the most tech savvy child. Although I am extremely excited about my Mac, I have a lot of learning to do. More to come on how that's going at a later date. For now, I'm simply enjoying the glossy shine of my new computer!

Work has been quite hectic for the past month or so. We had a number of clients in Washington throughout the month of September and my bosses have been/will be traveling portions of 3 weeks this month. Scheduling (for clients and bosses) is one of my responsibilities, so I've been busy making sure all of the logistics are in order. Although I haven't had much influence or even been fully clued in to the business matters being discussed, I do see my role as an important piece to the puzzle. Hopefully all of my meticulous planning will pay off whenever my boss and I have a chance to sit down for my one-year review, which is approximately 2 months overdue now.

I don't recall all of my extra-curriculars since I last blogged, so sorry if you haven't had the chance to speak with me over the past month. I will let you all know that I experienced my first indoor wine festival last weekend. Considering I can count the number of wine festivals I've attended on one hand, it seems snobbish to say that I hated it, but I really didn't love it. Outdoor festivals are a million times better. You're welcome for the insider knowledge ;) Moral of that story: Most of the wines I liked at this weekend's event were ones that I had already sampled at previous tastings. I walked out with two bottles of red wine and a business card of a man who plans to tell me about his favorite wine festival. Maybe that event will be worth it!

My co-worker Ralph stayed home last Friday because he was feeling ill. He received his seasonal flu shot several weeks ago before traveling season began, so he self-diagnosed the cause as H1N1. It's very likely that he carried it back with him from Texas. We all panicked a bit in the office last week, but none of us are showing signs of the virus. Fingers crossed that my boss Barbara is not infected while in Texas this week and that none of you contract the virus this flu season.

Blog Recap: MacBook Pro = 2 thumbs up

H1N1 = 2 thumbs down

Season Change

The start of a new month was also the start of a new season. Cooler temperatures and sunny skies in DC have made for some lovely Fall September days. I've been doing my best to enjoy the outdoors. Yesterday I laid by the pool for a few hours, and on Friday evening I went to an outdoor movie. Hopefully the weather stays like this for a while, because I'm thoroughly loving it!

I attempted my Taming of the Shrew outing, but it turns out everyone and their mother also knew about the free performance. The tickets had all been given out by the time I made it to the theatre. Bummer. Maybe I'll need to justify spending some money to get a little culture in my life...

My friend Michelle is coming back tonight after a two-month summer hiatus. She was digging up bones in Poland and spent some time with her father in Germany. I'm sure she'll have some good stories to tell us judging from the pictures she's already posted. Another friend of mine traveled to Costa Rica last week. He had some pretty amazing photos to share as well. I can't wait until I have enough money to get to travel to places like these. Some day...

My boss returned from her extended vacation and came back to work on Thursday. As it turns out, I overlooked one of my projects to complete while she was out of the office. That didn't go over so well. It's one of those things that has been ongoing for a few months now, and I just keep getting stuck. I'm not sure how many times I've thrown my hands up and cried mercy, but I'm hoping to complete the task well in order to redeem myself with my boss. I should be having my one year review with her in the near future, and I don't want this to jeopardize anything. I'm sure that I'm probably making this out to be more than it really is, but I definitely don't like not pulling my weight. With Congress back this week from summer recess, I'm sure things will be back to busy Washington in no time at all. But then again, that's why I love it here :)

Quality Recess

As August is coming to a close very quickly, I just wanted to say that this summer recess treated me very well. Some of my co-workers were giving me a hard time today about never coming into work on Fridays in August. They are happy that I'm "gracing them" with my presence tomorrow. Meanwhile, my boss is still out on vacation through the first few days of September...

My trip back to the Midwest was absolutely fabulous. I don't think I took more than maybe 10 seconds to relax just so I could fit everyone/everything into a few short days, but that's just how I roll these days. I still wasn't able to meet up with a few important people, so I'm already making promises for when I'm back at Christmastime. My tickets are already booked! Start getting excited now :)

Last weekend at Smith Mountain Lake was an enjoyable way to celebrate my 24th birthday. The 5 hour drive each way wasn't ideal, but I survived. My friends and I went to a wine tasting event at the marina. We were by far the youngest crew there, but we all had a good time. Maybe we'll be hitting up a few more of Virginia's wineries in the future.

I concluded my week long birthday celebrations with my kickball team last night. Some of the guys like to joke that woman have an expiration date at 25 years-old, and they warned me that I was dangerously close now. I don't feel any older than I did at the beginning of the month, but I guess that's how it always is. We won our first game and everyone loved my birthday brownies, so it was a successful evening.

Even though August is coming to a close, it appears as though my "fun" schedule won't be coming to an end. Here's what I have in store for September...

*Opera in the Outfield (http://tiny.cc/yKz77)

*Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew (http://www.shakespearetheatre.org)

*Walking with the Dinosaurs (www.dinosaurlive.com)

*Weekend fall retreat through church

*Kickball on Wednesdays

Wardrobe at Work

While walking into my roommate's bedroom last week to show off my mid-week Macy's shopping spree purchases, Cat immediately said, "That looks like an AJ dress!" before I even got to showing her the dress I wore to work yesterday.

Background info: I like to wear things that are unique. Not everyone would wear or could pull off some of the things that I choose, but that's the point. My pre-DC work wardrobe was a bit drab, and I've been trying to liven it up.

So I came to work yesterday wearing my "AJ dress" and got mixed reactions. Carolyn thought the dress was really fun but admitted she could never pull it off. My boss Barbara , however, asked me if I had made the dress. When I replied no, she asked if I had painted the fabric of the dress to make it "look like that." I didn't know whether to be flattered or offended. (Sidenote: Carolyn & Barbara are both in their 60s.)

Fast forward to today...I decided to wear my flower headband that I purchased for Gold Cup. It's good-sized and purple, so it definitely makes a statement. Again, Carolyn said she was a fan and Barbara threw out another crazy comment. She said, "What is that in your hair? You look like you could be a Vegas showgirl." Flattered or offended? I'm going with offended this time, especially after two comments of this nature two days in a row.

The upside: I guess I succeeded in spicing up my wardrobe!

Summer Update

It's been quite some time since you all last heard from me, so I thought I'd do a quick summer recap...

I spent the Fourth of July in Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg learning the history of how our nation came about. Very fitting for the holiday! The original Jamestown settlement was very historic and I loved all the fun facts. Weird I know, but that's just me! And our fireworks show in Williamsburg had FOUR finales, which made for an awesome end to the day. Then I spent the night in a hotel in Richmond with my church small group girls. It was our first official overnight extravaganza together. Everything went smoothly minus the faulty air conditioner in our room that kept Michele awake and the rain the next morning that prevented us from having any fun in Richmond. Over the weekend journey, I learned that I get car fatigue after only about 2 hours in a car. I've become a creature of public transit. It's my life now.

For most of the remainder of July, I hung out around home (with the exception of a serious kickball tournament, a sprained thumb from playing catch with a football, and several Cubs/Nats games) while many of my friends went on numerous vacations. It was a little disheartening at times, especially when I spent several Friday nights alone in my apartment. Alone time is good for everyone, but I can only handle it in small portions. So I am happy to report that August was/is/will be quite a busy time for me.

I attended a housewarming party for friends the first Saturday of the month, and also met another one of my roommate's college friends. Still haven't met one that I didn't like!

Last weekend I went on my first coastal beach vacation. It was our second small group getaway, but this was on a much grander scale. We stayed in one of the girls' grandfather's beach house that was literally a five minute walk from the ocean. The weather was perfect the entire time we were there (including hot enough to make us want to drive home yesterday). I happily have no intense sunburn to report :) My favorite part of the weekend was watching the sunrise over the ocean and seeing a whole slew of dolphins. It was well worth waking up in the 5 o'clock hour!

This coming weekend I will be traveling to Omaha/the farm/Des Moines to celebrate birthdays (my niece Lexi's, mine, and my mom's) and see friends. As always, I can hardly wait to spend time with loved ones that are a thousand miles away from DC. And, I can't wait to use my new carry-on bag...it's extremely adorable :)

And next weekend, a few of my friends and I rented a lake house in Virginia somewhere (4 hours away, I'm told) to celebrate my birthday and get away from the city. We may do some boating, hiking in waterfalls, and/or visiting wineries. All sound intriguing to me, so I'm hoping for a great birthday weekend.

Finally, kickball will be starting up again at the end of the month. I'm excited to get back together with the whole team again, as it's been hard to round everyone up during the summer. And I am still deciding on whether or not I'll be going to Vegas over Columbus Day weekend for the big tournament we qualified for last season. Although I've never been, and I feel like this would be a fun group to go with, I'm a little nervous about the money situation. If only it weren't so expensive to fly...

Metro Matters

As many of you are already aware, there was a tragic Metro accident last Monday. Nine people lose their lives and many were taken to hospitals and treated for injuries. The accident occurred around 5pm on the red line. Yes, I do take the red line to and from work each day, but the accident site was on the other end of the line. As the week went on and more and more details regarding the accident were reported in the news, I felt compelled to read the articles and review the pictures. Each time after doing so, I asked myself, "Why are you doing this?" It was disheartening and quite unsettling to know that this could have happened anywhere on the Metro and at any time. Scary to think, but I really do live or die by the public transportation system in the DC Metro area. I am thankful to say that I'm still currently living by it, but my prayers are with those who lost their lives and those whom they left behind.

The unfortunate accident caused major delays on the red line all week. Such delays make everyone using the Metro irritable. Time is such a precious commodity, and many commuters lack the patience to behave politely throughout the less than positive circumstances. Just like the others, I had to forcefully get on the Metro each morning and evening, as I would have been left standing on the platform for hours if I politely allowed the pushy ones to get the best of me. I didn't appreciate the amount of touching and sweating (the train cars were all at least 80 degrees or warmer) in the beyond full capacity trains, but I reminded myself often that things could be worse. Others forgot that simple thought and chose to be rude all week long. It was quite trying on my patience, and it put me in a less than desirable mood for starting the work day. Thankfully I made it through the week relatively unscathed and am thinking optimistically for the week ahead.

My roommate has been gone on a college reunion adventure since last Wednesday evening, and I'm more than ready to have her back home. I've had sufficient enough alone time and cleaning time, and I would really appreciate sharing my weekend tales with someone. Living alone definitely isn't for me!

I'm excited about the Fourth, even though I do not yet have plans. It's such a great holiday! Let's just hope the rain stays away in DC this year :)

All alone

It's hard not to miss my dad today, as I've been home alone and entertaining myself by reading on Facebook how my friends and family are celebrating Father's Day. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that so many people get to spend the day honoring their loved ones and having fun. I hope my family is doing the same.

Eleven years. That's a lot of life my dad wasn't able to share with me. I'm sure he's been keeping his on me from heaven, but I wish he were here to experience what my life is like as an adult. I doubt he would share in my thrills of the city and the political realm I'm surrounded by, but I know he would be happy to see that this is what makes me happy.

One of the bosses in my office recently experienced the death of her second mother. This was a woman who gave her her first job and believed that she would one day become a very successful lobbyist. This boss had a conversation with the woman's actual daughter while at work this week and she totally broke down. I was unsure of how to react or respond, but I just offered her a hug and let her say whatever she needed to. Death of loved ones is always tough. It's helpful to rely on those around you to keep you going, but unfortunately I don't have anyone to offer me that hug now. I'm looking forward to church later, because this being alone stuff is not good today.

I've also been thinking a lot about my friend Jenny this past week. We learned that her tumors are growing and her doctors are telling her that we have to look at her cancer as a treatable disease rather than a curable one. We briefly heard this statement before she changed her chemo drugs, but dismissed the thoughts because we still had alternative treatment plans. Those plans are running low and those words are not as ignorable any more. Jenny may seek a second opinion from a doctor in NYC, but she's already seen some of the best doctors in the country. We continue to keep her in our prayers and hope for a miraculous recovery, but the reality of the situation is extremely trying. My roommate shared many more experiences with Jenny while in college together and living in Bethesda together for a few months, so she's taking this even harder than me. It's difficult providing any sort of comfort when I struggle with handling the reality of it all myself. If only we could make it disappear. Please keep Jenny in your thoughts and prayers for me, as she needs them now more than ever.

Sorry for such a serious blog on what is meant to be a joyous day with family. Appreciate all of your blessings, as you never know what lies ahead tomorrow.

Missed May

May simply flew by, much like every other month of 2009. I can't believe June will be here next week, but I am very excited for summer. Nicer weather always brings many more opportunities to have fun and stay busy. All the rain this month left me desiring more, and I definitely had a few low points.  Most troublesome being, my wallet was stolen last week and I've been struggling to replace everything inside. I haven't had adequate access to my money, nor have I been able to enjoy going out with friends for lack of adequate ID. I also missed out on a big family gathering in Iowa on Mother's Day weekend, which brought on some very strong feelings of missing my family. That's definitely the hardest part about "living the dream" in DC. A brief visit from Aunt Marla and Uncle Mike helped out some. Thankfully, I am also in the position to take a few days off from work and will be flying back for a long weekend to attend a friend's wedding and spend time with family. I will also finally be able to replace my driver's license. I can't wait for next Friday!

My roommate Cat continues to have an abundance of visitors. I love meeting all of her friends and seem to get along with most of them very well. However, I have definitely realized that I don't like unstructured visits. So often, we spend so much time talking about things we can do and thinking about making a plan that we waste a lot of time that we could have been actually doing things/going places. If, and when, my friends are able to come visit, I will be sure to have at least a few things planned in order to avoid wasting such precious time with weekend guests.

Along with these visitors, we have been reminded of exactly how small this city can be. Rachel (Cat's friend) actually interned with someone I met at Union Pub and someone else who went to college with several people on my kickball team. Okay, that doesn't sound extremely exciting, but it makes more sense if you had any idea of the people involved. I continue to be amazed by how everyone is connected through just a few people. 

Work continues to be a bit challenging with my boss, but things have definitely improved. A friend of mine started grad school this past week and my co-worker Elizabeth is taking the GRE next weekend. This sparked my thinking in what is next for me, but I haven't gotten past just posing the question. I didn't think my "dream job" right out of college would turn into just a job so quickly. The Recovery Act (aka stimulus bill) has been our best friend and our biggest nightmare all at the same time. If I didn't need to keep such close tabs on that bundle of funding, I'm not positive what I would be doing each day at my job. Better to be busy, but it's definitely trying on our attitudes.

Last night I went to my first outdoor movie this year. Unfortunately, Screen on the Green lost its sponsor and will likely not be happening, but there are plenty of other outdoor movie locations. Elizabeth and I went to Rosslyn last night. We enjoyed some delicious burgers at Ray's while it rained, purchased two beach chairs at CVS on our way to the movie (so we weren't forced to sit on the wet ground), and laughed our way through The Blues Brothers. We'll definitely be going back to the I Love the 80s movie series several more Friday nights, because we had a lot of fun. But next time, we'll dress warmer!

I hope May treated all of you well. I look forward to seeing some of you very soon and hope to speak to the rest of you in due time as well. Please feel free to call anytime!

  

Kickball Season!

That's right, kickball is back! The season got off to a rough start after we were rained out the first week, but our first game was last night. Tough loss 6-5, but I had a great time. Our team doubled in size since last season. So we have a lot of new faces = a lot of new friends! It should be a good season :)

Work hasn't been the most enjoyable place for me the past week and half. My boss returned from her Easter vacation in Cali a different person than when she left. I thought her brain just wasn't turned on the end of last week, but this week has continued to be rough. We are having some communication troubles. I'm definitely not used to this being an issue with anyone, so it doesn't go over too well when I spend 8+ hours with her struggling to make it through the day. I couldn't be more excited that tomorrow is the end of the work week. Let's just hope we get back on track next Monday.

I have a busy weekend ahead. My roommate is turning 23 on Sunday, but we are celebrating the occasion tomorrow evening. We have another friend's surprise birthday party on Saturday night. By Sunday, I'm sure all I'll want to do is veg on the couch until church. I'm excited, as this is the first weekend in a really long time that Cat hasn't had to work at least one night, so we'll have lots of quality time together.

My Easter date guy turned out to be a bust, but I didn't lose much sleep over that. It's crazy how many of the girls in my small group have had new guys come into the picture, because nearly all of us were single the first time we met. This definitely wasn't the right fit for me, but I'm happy that my girls are enjoying their new relationships. It's always exciting to share our news each Monday night. Hopefully as the weather continues to be nice, we will all get the chance to hang out in more social situations together. I can't wait for Screen on the Green and other outdoor movies!

I hope all of you are well, and I'll be back with another update soon :)

Easter #2 in DC

Surprise! I'm back.

Many things have occurred over the past month that I have yet again failed to keep you all informed of. My apologies. Here are a few highlights...

*My co-worker and I watched the motorcade travel down our street. We stood apart from the crowds on the corners and waved at Barack like adoring fans at a concert. Unlike my motorcade story from Inauguration weekend, eye contact was made and he even shot us a big grin. After a moment of shock, Elizabeth and I both screamed (adoring fan style) on the steps. This led to the amusement of secret service agents in the vehicles behind Barack's car. We didn't really care! Then we went back inside for a routine day of work in the office down the street from the White House.

*I led my small group a few weeks ago. Only about half of us were there, so it was a little less intimidating. It went well and I continue to enjoy getting together with the girls both on Monday nights and outside of our normal small group meetings. It's good to have a few more good girl friends out here who I know I can lean on if need be. Several of us enjoyed some Cherry Blossom festivities together...mainly the parade and a few live performances on the stage near the Tidal Basin.

*I went to a Cherry Blossom reception on the Hill. Met a few interesting people, including a guy. We hung out several times last week and attended Easter mass at the Basilica together. There were SO many people...I'd say several hundred were standing in the aisles and near the exits. We got extremely lucky and found seats in the second pew from the front, one section over from Newt Gingrich who was proudly sitting front row center. Nathan was a lot more excited about seeing the former Speaker of the House than I was, and he even made me go over and take his picture with Newt. I shook Newt's hand and wished him a Happy Easter, and then we were on our way. Only in DC!

*I made "Easter dinner" for my roommate and I when she got home from Orlando. We decided to go see the movie Hannah Montana after eating. It was definitely a guilty pleasure movie experience, but we laughed about it while there and are still laughing about it whenever we tell our friends that we saw this tween/teen sensation flick. Several of them are secretly jealous they didn't get to come with us. This makes Easter number two for me in DC! Crazy to think that I've been here over a year now, but I continue to enjoy everything this city has to offer. Although I would have loved to spend the holiday with family, my Easter was still a success.

*I met up with a friend from college who's been interning in DC this semester. We went to Union Pub and randomly met two people that attended Iowa State. We exchanged information and are now Facebook friends. Maybe we'll run into each other again, as I am continually reminded exactly how small of a place this city is.

*Yesterday, Elizabeth and I strolled down to Lafayette Park (directly across from the White House & Treasury Building) to check out the DC Tea Party. There were a lot of crazies present, despite the cold and rainy conditions. We couldn't get close enough to hear what was being said over the rain, so we came back to the office and watched the live coverage on CNN. Highlights included a woman referring to the IRS as the Internal Redistribution Service over and over again and a conservative talk radio personality wearing an "America" rain jacket.

*Yesterday was also supposed to be the first day of the new kickball season. The heavy rains prevented us from playing on the Mall, but I did get a chance to meet some of my new teammates last night. They all seem like nice guys, but we'll see where that leads us in the weeks to come. I'll try my best to keep you posted.

xoxo,
~amyjo

My March Madness Continues

I didn't think it was possible, but this week was even more stressful than last. However, it did include some fun times...

1) I went to a Caps game on Tuesday. Although they are amidst a slump, it was a good reason to leave work on time and hang out with friends.

2) I can finally see the end of filling out appropriation forms, and I look forward to telling you when they are all complete.

3) I found out that I will get the opportunity to meet some clients while they are in town for a conference beginning next weekend.

This afternoon, I'm attending a St. Patrick's Day parade. A little early I'd say, but it should be a good time. And tonight I'm helping kickball friends celebrate their 30th birthdays. Crazy to think that I have friends that are turning 30, but I'm sure crazier things have happened!

Snowfall in March

I woke up this morning to a beautiful sight out my 10th floor window of large snowflakes falling the from sky. To most of my readers, this would come as no surprise. However, several factors make this an odd occurrence.

1) My co-workers commented earlier this week that we've had such a hard winter. (The irony...I can count the number of times it's snowed on two hands.)

2) It was so warm on Friday that we built a bonfire and roasted marshmallows for smores at midnight.

3) I've been in DC long enough that I felt no shame using my umbrella while walking to church in the snow...normal behavior for average people walking the streets.

My week was ridiculously busy. The only day I left work before 6:30 or 7 was in order to attend Ash Wednesday mass. When I left the office at 7:15pm on Friday, I couldn't have been more excited to breathe fresh air. The good news about all of this is that last week was by far one of our busiest to date. The not so good news...we continue to have more deadlines to meet and more clients in town for the next several weeks. Again, I say to you, I enjoy contributing to the success of our work for the cities we represent. But when I finish something less than to the best of my ability, things are just too busy.

For Lent, I've decided to attend mass on a regular basis. On Wednesday, I went to mass at my old Catholic church on The Hill. Father Burn (my favorite priest at St. Peter's) was presiding, but I left wanting more after hearing the same sermon I heard last year for Ash Wednesday. After attending Our Lady of Lourdes down the street this morning, I was also left wanting more. It doesn't make sense to me that nobody speaks or sings to worship loud enough for their neighbor to hear. I need more than that. I need to feel that those around me are passionate enough for the Lord to put some effort into praising Him. I'm keeping all those of faith who don't outwardly show their inner fire for Christ in my prayers, and I'm hoping to grow closer to the Lord this Lenten season.

May all of you have a blessed Lent!