Brightwood Lights

First off, my apologies for starting the last two blog posts with the exact same phrase. Poor form. I’ll work on that. Second, a warning: This is a LONG post!! It’s a bit dated now, but I wanted to write and post it more for our own memory than anything else. If it bores you, feel free to skip! Hopefully something more interesting will come along soon.

On to catching up. . .
Saying goodbye in DC was sad! This move has been a possibility for over a year, so in some ways, it was a long, slow farewell. Each season, month, and week of the past year has been marked by the thought, “This might be our last ________ in DC,” which has been nice, because we’ve been able to savor all of it.

In a formal sense, though, our “official” goodbyes really began late this spring. We have played with Chomp, an ultimate frisbee team in DC, every spring and fall since 2004, but we knew wouldn’t be able to play this spring. We had hoped to make it to one last game, but between weather and our schedules, we had to settle for an e-farewell.

In mid-April, I spent my last evening at “The Porch.” I have worked as an adult leader with this youth ministry on Capitol Hill for the past three years. In fact, one of the girls in my small group was even my “tutee” back when I tutored at the Neighborhood Learning Center from 2004-2006. Which means we’ve had a mentor/mentee relationship since she was in 4th grade, and now she’s a rising 10th! grader. Saying goodbye to all of the youth at the Porch- but particularly to my small group- was emotional. I so wish I could be there as they walk through there remaining years of high school– to see them in grow into young ladies, wear prom dresses, pick out colleges, graduate, etc.

Although we said farewell to a few friends from church and other social settings on an individual basis, we didn’t have too many other larger goodbyes until our last week in DC. Caleb’s office hosted a going-away luncheon for him on his last day of work, to which the kids and I were also invited. Several of his former co-workers who have since moved on to new positions were invited, and plenty of people came by to wish him well. Overall, it was a really kind send-off.

Then came “moving weekend.” We picked up our HUGE Budget truck on Saturday, May 1. That truck was a BEAST! I was glad that I didn’t have to drive it!
Many, many thanks to the wonderful friends who helped load our belongings, including Laryn, Corey, Rebecca, Sara, Jana, Mary Ruth, and Brett. An even more special thanks goes to our friend Janel, who watched Andreas & Simona ALL DAY that Saturday. Hers was hands-down the most taxing job of the day. She also hosted our family for dinner that evening. . . and I have no idea how she managed to cook for that 7 people while watching three kids all day!

Sunday, we ate one last breakfast at Pete’s, a diner on the Hill that we’ve visited a few Sunday mornings a year throughout our seven years in DC, even before we were married or had kids. After that, we headed to WCF for our final Sunday service. We had been given a brief time during the service to say goodbye to the congregation, but I was most emotional during other parts of the service. Looking at all of the faces, I couldn’t help but think that this is what the kingdom of heaven will look like: A random bunch of quirky people all trying to do their best to love God and love each other.

Sunday evening, our friends Heather & Kevin and Laryn & Janel hosted a going-away party for us at Heather & Kevin’s house, which was really special. So many friends came by to say goodbye, and aside from our wedding, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more surrounded by people who love our family. A huge thank you to our gracious hosts!

Monday, my dad flew up from Georgia to drive the truck back down. He loves to drive and was eager to take the opportunity to help us out. We were glad not to have to drive in two separate vehicles! We worked all day, loading final belongings and cleaning the house. Caleb and Dad concluded the day with a wild chase for our scared cat, which apparently involved crawling between drywall and the outer wall of the house, pulling the cat out of her hiding space with a hoe, and trapping her in a garbage can to get her into the back of the truck . . in the end, she did make the journey to Georgia, just not in her cat carrier as planned. Our friends Heather & Kevin again hosted us, this time for our last night in DC (Maryland, actually), while Dad drove overnight to avoid traffic with the big truck.

Tuesday, May 4, was the long-anticipated moving day. It was also the day of Simona’s “graduation” from Little Learner’s Playschool, which she attended for two years. It worked out perfectly to be able to attend the last day of class and feel like she had some closure around that. We love all of the kids and families we have met through the school and will miss this group, too.

After graduation and the class party and luncheon, we piled into our packed-up car and hopped onto 395 for the long drive to the Peach State. Watching the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol, the Pentagon, and the Potomac fade in the rear view mirror was sad. So long, Washington, D.C. Thanks for so many great memories and for becoming our home.

I know, I know. Lots of “catching up” to do on where we’ve been and where we are. So part one of this four part series is a recap of the (not-yet-mentioned) highlights of April in DC.

The first is the most important! In late March, we took a trip to Georgia to accomplish as much as one can possibly accomplish in three days: rent an apartment, attend Emory’s MBA orientation weekend, participate in a bridal shower for my sister, drive to Greenville, S.C. to have fun at her bachelorette party, and then get back to Atlanta in time to catch a return flight to DC. During those days, I had several hints that turned to suspicion that turned to confirmation, in early April, that baby #3 is on the way!
We are excited to welcome a new little one to our family but approach this pregnancy differently than the previous two. Having watched dear friends go through the wrenching experience of losing their newborn daughter in the past year has reminded us that we are not guaranteed a healthy pregnancy or a healthy baby. We know that at this point, “odds” are on our side, but we move forward with joy tempered by a heightened awareness that we cannot know what the future holds for us or this baby. We are due the second week of December.

The second highlight was another confirmation:

Good friends of ours from DC will be moving to Atlanta this year, too! A talented and successful friend earned her PhD from Catholic University at the end of 2009 and landed a 9-month post-doc position at Emory! She, her husband, and her daughter will be here from August until the end of May 2011. We are all thrilled that we will have friends whose company is “home” to us and can’t wait for their arrival.

The third April highlight were Grandma’s & Grandpa’s visits to DC. Caleb’s mom came for about 10 days to spend time with us and the kids as we packed, ran errands, and prepared to move. His dad spent one weekend in town, and the kids had a great time playing with Grandma & Grandpa. I didn’t get any pictures of Grandpa, but I have a couple with Grandma:

We would not have been able to move without all of Grandma’s help. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Fourth, Caleb and I celebrated our FIFTH wedding anniversary (and our TENTH anniversary of “couplehood”)! Because Grandpa & Grandma were in town, we spent a night away from the kids, wondering at how quickly the time has flown by and at how much our lives have changed in five short years! This year, all three of my sisters and one of Caleb’s brothers will be married (plus two cousins!), and reflecting on our own experience with marriage fills us for excitement for them. Sadly, I captured not a single picture to commemorate five years.

Andreas provided the fifth highlight: He FINALLY started walking! At sixteen months, little man decided to the time had come to explore the world upright and hands-free. (I think he was waiting for the one-year anniversary of his surgery!) We have been anticipating this since he began “cruising” at 8 months, so it’s been a LONG wait for “independent ambulation,” as it were. Here are a few of him and the trouble his new mobility let him cause:

Finally, the sixth highlight was simply savoring our last springtime in DC. The azaleas at the National Arboretum are stunning in April, and the weather hovers near perfect for much of the month. Simona FINALLY got her long-anticipated ice cream from the ice cream truck, and we soaked in our last days of trips to the playground and being with friends.

COMING SOON: Part 2- Saying Farewell and Adventures in Moving

Last week, we couldn’t resist the urge to enjoy of the beautiful weather and blooming cherry blossoms. Despite the record crowds of tourists swarming around the Tidal Basin, we headed to the Mall twice to take in the sights, sounds, and smells of one last spring in DC.

First came an after-work picnic near the Washington Monument and a (partial) walk around the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms during twilight.

We have seen the cherry blossoms at sunrise almost every year, but we really enjoyed them at sundown, too!

The second adventure was during the workday, so Caleb couldn’t join us. The kids and I took the Metro down to Union Station and enjoyed the sunshine, flowers, and fountains along the Mall.

We rode the carousel near the Smithsonian “castle,” which was fun for Simona but a bit nauseating for me! That thing spins much more quickly than I remember, and balancing Andreas and a camera left me no free hands with which to hold on for dear life! Nevertheless, I did not fall, and she had a GREAT time.

The “half smoke” is the only food item I can name that screams Washington DC, so it seemed only appropriate that we end our touristy morning with a bite of local flavor from a street vendor before hopping on the Metro and heading for home.

We will miss living in our nation’s beautiful capital!

A mom-friend of mine whose husband is a pastor at a local church recently described ministry in DC as “like trying to hug a parade.” She was referencing the transience for which this city is renown. The reason behind the revolving door is manifold: student interns who visit for three to six months, congressional representatives (and their staffs) whose time in office is brief, presidential administrations and their political appointees who rotate positions, college students who attend one of our many universities, government employees who rotate between domestic and international assignments, and so on.

We recognize that this characterization of the District primarily describes our demographic- educated, white collar people who did not grow up in the region- but the fact remains that this trend shapes and affects relationships of everyone who lives here- from the third-generation-native-Washingtonian to the just-arrived-yesterday-college-intern.

Our DC friends & acquaintances who have moved away have landed across the country (and even the globe!), meaning that we now have friends all over the place but that we have also had to say our goodbyes far too frequently over the past nearly-seven-years. Each person who’s moved on has left a mark on our hearts (and often, a void in our social calendar! One of the upsides, though, is that new friends have always stepped into those voids.)

Well, the time has come for us to start marching again. Our parade is moving on. . . to Georgia. Caleb will begin a graduate program at Emory University in Atlanta in May, so VERY soon, we will be the ones saying our goodbyes. It is bittersweet– we are excited for what is ahead, but we have come to love our lives here. This is where we went from dating to engaged to married, where we bought our first home, and where we welcomed our two children into our family. This house and this city are filled with memories and friends, and parting will be difficult.

We hear the music, and we know that God will be there right beside us, wherever this parade may lead.

Snowmageddon. Snowpocalypse. SnOMG. Snowver done.

Just a smattering of the nicknames we have heard for the snowy weather that has pounded DC this winter. I heard on the radio today that if we were located in Upstate New York, we would be in the running for their “Golden Snowball” award, which goes to the NY city with the most snowfall in any given year.

I’m snowver it. This may be fun for those who own cross country skis and/or Netflix subscriptions, but it’s snow fun for those of us with small children with bundles of energy and a constant need for entertainment. Since Caleb has turned the kids’ bedroom into his home office, the three of us have been restricted to amusing ourselves in about 500 square feet. . . for DAYS on end. I’m snow excited for spring, but I think that is still a ways off.

In case you somehow haven’t heard about DC’s many snow storms this winter, I have chronicled a few here:

Our first snow of the year barely even counts anymore! It’s funny now that I was very deliberate about making sure the kids took advantage of the inch or two. Had I known then what I of course snow now, I probably wouldn’t have taken snow many pictures of this!

Second December Snow (The first “Snowpocalypse,” on December 19th)

Our kids really LOVED the snow. . . can you tell?

But at least our Christmas lights looked beautiful in the two feet of snow!

January was not snow bad. . . I think we had a few light snowfalls, but these days, we barely take note of anything less than a foot! We had some snow on the 30th/31st, and another light, fluffy snow on February 3. You can see some of the remnants of the first and beginnings of the second of those two snowfalls in these pictures. At least they were not significant enough to trap us indoors!

Then came snowmaggedon. We got about 25 inches on Saturday, February 6. It was too cold and windy for our kids’ tastes on Saturday, but Sunday was sunny and allowed for some good sledding.

We also were dog-sitting Bo for my sister.

Simona and I made a snowman, and she was VERY proud. (Unfortunately, the snow was a little too fluffy for a really good snowperson, but she didn’t seem to mind one bit!)

One of the reasons I am not snow excited about all the white stuff is that this is my route to our laundry facilities:

These icicles have formed on the back of our house. They are pretty to admire, but they are dangerous! I was on our back steps when a sheet of ice fell and shattered around me; luckily, I was just hit by a few small shards.

Finally, today’s snow has been the most grueling. We are snow tired of sitting around the house, but wind gusts of up to 50 mph and white out conditions have meant yet another day of staying indoors. Simona has been asking if we can please GO somewhere, and even Andreas seems antsy. It’s snow fun for active preschoolers and toddlers to be trapped! A few photos from today:

And now, pop quiz: Can you find our car?!