A not-so-WARM Welcome to Washington

Kristine checking in: I have finally made it to our nation's capital, and with high expectations of avoiding the winter chills of Syracuse, I have been sorely disappointed. First with the spectacular snowfalls of our visit during December, now with freezing winds and a house that somehow never heats up, my first week in Washington has been COLD. But, the sun continues to shine and I am continually reminded that it's better than Syracuse, so I'm content.

To make up for a lack of journaling in the past 8 months, I thought I'd start out with some more detailed description of the new setup for Dave and I for the upcoming year.

We left Syracuse with a Subaru packed tight to accommodate the digital piano and HDTV in the back seat. Dave and I arrived in DC on New Year's Eve, just 45 minutes before the big ball drop and we set up the TV and pulled out some sparkling grape juice to toast the beginning of a new decade. Simple and intimate, the thoughts of the challenges of 2010 made me cry nonetheless. Last year, Dave and I had gone to NYC and seen the beautiful Waterford crystal ball a few days before it went up the tower. We made personal resolutions on scraps of paper that would become celebratory confetti--Dave's labeled 2009 as the year he would marry Kristine and we both celebrated 2009 as "Our Year." 2010 is going to be a bit different. Following a blissful 6 months of marriage, my husband is being shipped off to war and while I am defiantly supportive of his personal service for our country, I am nonetheless struggling to face the prospect of solitude for the next 15 months. What to label 2010?

The following Sunday, we took Dave to his new unit in Aberdeen and he spent the week doing drills and paperwork and repeating much of the process he'd already gone through in December as the unit brought in new members. I was planning to take a 2-week Intersession class through SU but found that the class really didn't fit with my career plans, not to mention the time it required that would prevent me from visiting Dave in Maryland while he was still nearby. So, I am substituting the class for an online hybrid course on International Program Evaluation that I will be completing during my internship.

I got to stay a total of 4 nights at the hotel in Maryland where Dave's unit was staying. I had expected to drive up at night and visit Dave during his free hours but he surprised me with a reservation for my birthday and a couple days following. He had complained that his unit-assigned roommate snored so loud he couldn't sleep and that was his motivation for convincing me to stay at the hotel because I made a better roommate :) It was really nice to get to meet some of the people he will be working alongside during the next year as well as spend time next to my husband. For my birthday, he took me to a nice Italian restaurant in nearby Edgewood Maryland and they brought our slice of cheesecake out with a pink candle in it. It didn't feel much like my birthday. A week earlier, Kathy, Dave, and the Singles Branch had surprised me with a going away/birthday party that TRULY was a surprise. They gave stuff to keep me warm (which I am already clinging to!) and a gorgeous Dinosaur BBQ cookbook all while munching on angel food cake with peppermint ice cream filling! So, when the actual day arrived it just didn't feel as much like a birthday.

I am now officially 25 years old...a quarter of a century!! To answer any doubts, YES I feel old.

I got to go birthday shopping...which was also a necessity because I've managed to put on more than a few pounds with all the good food that Dave and the Clay Fat House give me :) I realized that a lot of the button-up shirts and work-worthy outfits I had brought with me are too tight for comfort...But I went to Dress Barn and Marshalls and found some wonderful new professional tops and a Kenneth Cole bag worth $240 for only $40. When my internship starts, I'll be good to go!

Then it was time to really say goodbye as Dave heads for more training in Arizona before he goes to Iraq. To put it mildly, I am sad to see him go and I've spent a lot of time playing Super Mario Bros. more out of sulking than true interest. But, life goes on and there are lessons for both of us to learn.

I got to meet a wonderful couple in the ward that have a 1 year old girl Hannah. They've invited me to FHE, a shopping trip at the nearby Air Force base commissary, and recently we set up some yoga time with little Hannah stopping in to lay down between us or try to bend over and touch her toes. While I'm sure I would enjoy the company, I'm glad that Dave and I don't have kids to worry about during his deployment.

Finally, I joined a gym yesterday. It's only 3 blocks from where I'll be interning and hopefully the cost of membership will motivate me to get back into shape. I have never belonged to a gym though I loved doing some of the aerobics and kickboxing classes at BYU. Yet, as I got out and worked on the cardio machines yesterday, I'm remembering how much better I feel and how much more energy I have when I regularly work out. So, like so many other New Year's resolutions, mine will include weight loss!

This is probably more than enough reading for today but I wanted to give everyone a taste of life in DC thus far. A belated Happy New Year's to everyone! Sorry for the lack of pictures...they are all on Dave's phone.