The "Snowpocalypse!!"

Kristine: That's what they were calling this storm before it even arrived. The Snowpocalypse. Also affectionately known as Snowmaggedon. I laughed and laughed. DC really doesn't know how to handle snow. They don't clean the streets well. Nobody knows how to drive in it. So they just prefer to wait until it melts and take a day off.

So when the weather forecasts kept giving bigger and bigger estimates of the snowfall to hit us this weekend, I figured it was just more scare tactics so people would be justified in getting out of work. Last weekend we got about 6" from a very constant snow on Saturday that wrecked all the busy people's grocery runs and shut down most public transportation. Back in December, it was about a foot that got the entire region a snow day inside. So, having lived through the "blizzard of '09" when Dave and I came down to finalize the housing arrangements, I knew that the entire DC metropolitan area was sure to come to a screeching halt at any sign of oncoming snow. The huge estimates of 24"-30" was honestly a bit irrelevant. It all meant we would be spending the day inside.

When it started snowing on Friday, I was a little skeptical about the overall panic this storm had caused. The snow was light and fluffy and didn't look all that menacing. But, once the sun went down, it started snowing en force. We accumulated about 2 inches an hour, and woke up to more than a foot deep outside our front door. My roommates were brave in taking turns shoveling, but I sincerely doubted it would be worth the pain as the snow kept coming down.

I finally made a break outside to get these pictures when McArthur needed some help to save one of the heavily burdened trees in the back yard. She had run out twice to shake off the heavy snow and try to liberate the poor pine tree, but to no avail. It was drooped at almost a 90 degree angle and destined to crack in half. So, armed with a big broom for leverage, I leaned into the tree and McArthur got around the back to tie it to the fence. We were both about frozen by the end of the 10 minutes it took to get it aright, but it's a much happier tree now. Plus, I took advantage of the fact that I was already wet to venture out and get a few pictures of the neighborhood.........

I still can't figure out why the storms are ONLY coming on weekends though! Seriously, aren't you supposed to get snow days to get a day off from WORK?? I guess it works out though, I was supposed to speak in church last Sunday and it got canceled. DEFINITELY no church tomorrow either....

Yesterday this was my car. Today it's a driveway ornament.

Right next to the tree (I couldn't get a good picture because the car was in the way) is a metal sculpture McArthur made...it used to be a lot taller and now it kinda looks like it grew a hump.

This is the front of the house...and what used to serve as stairs. As a side note, these stairs had already been shoveled twice.

Looking down the street at what usually serves as a sidewalk. Just a few minutes after I took this, our neighbor got filmed by a local TV station as she attempted to dig herself out. I was THIS CLOSE to getting on TV!

I really like this picture. Almost picturesque. Oh wait, those mounds are cars on the side of the road. And, yeah, this is supposed to be a thoroughfare used for getting places. But not today!!

Admittedly ironic--I left Syracuse this semester to get away from the winter. I've decided that either Syracuse misses me or the weather gods have refused my request. In any case, I'm witnessing an historic series of snowstorms here in the nation's capital. If you want to see more, we made BBC top headlines. And some great local photos from the Washington Post. But, so far, I'm happy to say I'm surviving just fine inside my room.

The Army, AZ and Me

Dave: I guess when I am away, I take it for granted that other people might want to hear from me or see how I am doing. Seeing as it is my wife who wants to see pictures of me the most, I don't mind putting up a few.

I am in Ft Huachuca, AZ attending a battlefield forensics class for the army before I get sent to Iraq again. What is battlefield forensics one might ask, and the anwser is that it is Crime Scene Investigating, but with big explosions and short time periods included. Basically we do all the interesting stuff you see on the CSI crime shows, but while wearing full body armor and with only a half hour to do it in. Its a fun class, and once again the army is giving me a very specialized set of skills that I am trying to find a use for in the civilian world.

I sent this to Kristine and she asked me who this is. Incredulously I responded that this was me, her husband, and couldn't believe she didn't recognize me. Now that I can actually see the picture, I don't really recognize me either. I was on a GPS scavenger hunt, when I found this really cool cactus. It was the only thing around that didn't look like it was dying, but was actually thriving in the midst of adversity.

Luckily I am out west and I have access to a vehicle on sundays, which means I can go to church. When I was mobilized last time I went as often as I could, but the military doesn't respect the Lord's day and that turned out to be not that often. This time I go every sunday and really appreciate it. I find that this deployment, focusing on my faith and my family has made living the army lifestyle much more bareable.

One last shot of the mountains for my Kristine. She misses the Rockies. These aren't quite the same but are the best I can provide.

One week down...

To celebrate MLK day, I was able to go to Mount Vernon and visit the beautifully-restored and carefully maintained home of George Washington. It's not far from our nation's capital that name bears his name and was a great escape the concrete of the city for some fresh Virginia air.
A bust inside the Education center



The front of the mansion. Washington had inherited the estate from his older half-brother. It was then only a four-room farmhouse which he built upon and turned into a twenty-one-room mansion. It was a gorgeous house and the Association that runs the grounds have paid meticulous attention to the way the grounds were kept during Washington's life.


Beautiful colonnades connect the main house to some of the other buildings--there was a separate kitchen, pantry, smokehouse, blacksmith's shop, registrar's office, slaves' quarters, and more.


The blacksmith on sight makes tools the old-fashioned way and gives them to be used in the field.


The view from the back of the house directly overlooking the Potomac River.


Actors playing a close friend and a manservant of Washington's


The back of the house.



We had a good time visiting the farm animals too. Amazing that the farm animals are treated like museum pieces with explanations of how the animals functioned in colonial times.


Complete with a beautiful black sheep.

It was a great outing. Since it was $15 for a day pass and $25 for a yearly pass, I invested in a year pass and plan to go back soon. They have a whole museum examining his life and an education center with lots of hands-on activities about colonial life.

After the Monday outing, I met Ashley and Hank coming down from New York who were incredibly kind to bring me the stand for my piano which is now off the ground and ready to be played. Thanks Nesbitts!! It was wonderful to see you and I will miss you in California!!

Tuesday was the official start of my internship and the new semester here in DC. Long hours and lots of time traveling through busy city traffic on public buses that refuse to hold regular schedules...but a great week learning a TON about microfinance and getting into the groove of a new working environment and a new office.

The weather is definitely improving and I'm excited to see some fruits of my time at the gym. More updates to come as I get settled.

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.

The UN and Us

Kristine: my boss is the Undergraduate Director of International Relations as well as the ONLY academic adviser for the approx. 200 International Relations Majors. In addition to that, she is the faculty adviser for the International Relations Learning Community--a group of freshman expecting to become IR majors that sign up to live on the same floor and take an intro class together. To say the least, she's a busy woman!! The Learning Community (IRLC) gets to take a trip each semester. We were supposed to go to the UN in NYC during the Spring but the schedule got messed up and not enough people signed up so it got canceled. So, with the NEW IRLC, and alongside my handsome newlywed husband, I got to tag along in September instead.

Regardless of your opinion of the organization, I must say that it is an impressive landmark and, if nothing more, a great symbol of efforts to reach across national and political lines to bring a representative of every sovereign country on earth into the same room. I personally cringe at their levels of bureaucracy, the endless stream of rhetoric without action, and the general consensus that they are largely ineffective at preventing or ending wars. BUT, I am glad that somebody is at least trying. What other organization can sincerely say they hold regular meetings with people from every country in the world? And, that in those meetings, nobody gets shot? Just some food for thought.

Here I am outside the entrance with all the fun flags of Member States

These are the kids from the IRLC that Dave and I chaperoned. They were really fun and honestly behaved themselves very professionally so it was great to be part of the trip without as much stress as I had anticipated...

Yep, here's my handsome. I picked that tie.

Inside the General Assembly. 192 countries meet for GA meetings and the seats are always alphabetical. To make it fair so that the "A's" are not always in the front and the "Z's" in the back, they randomly select the first seat every year and then run the alphabetization from there. I think this year it was Rwanda or something with an R. And all countries are alphabetical according to their English name. The tour guide mentioned how, during the Cold War, the U.S. and the USSR had to sit next to each other at every meeting. While the two countries were stonewalling each other's diplomatic channels, many say that the Cold War stayed 'cold' because of the informal and forced communication held in the halls of the UN.

They had a great hallway dedicated to the Millennium Development Goals with very strong messages about each of the 8 goals being addressed. Dave liked the ones from Goal #2: Universal primary education. I liked the ones from Goal #3: Gender Equality including gender parity in literacy and education enrollment.

They also had some amazing gifts from around the world.

It was a fun trip and very informative. Fun too because we got to meet up with one of Dave's Army buddies from his time in Iraq in 2005. As much as I generally do not like New York City, this one day trip was just the ticket to get me out of school and have a field trip! Dave had a good time too and made a great impression on my supervisor. I was REALLY glad that he was able to get work off so I could snuggle next to him on the long bus rides and not have to 'hang out' with the freshman all by myself.

The Utah Reception

Dave: If I could sum up in a word the entire reception hall and decorations that Kristine and her mother painstakingly picked out, it would be classy. Everything looked just right, even down to beta fish swimming around in the centerpieces.

Getting ready in the Bride and Groom's Rooms

Here we are in the line. Honestly I don't think I know as many people as came and gave us their regards at the reception for Kristine. I think we were all a little suprised.

This is how it began. "Be Nice." Kristine said.

Then I ended up getting smeared across the face. I got her back though.

Our first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Clay

And off to NY we go!!

The Beginning of Everything

Dave: It was a warm summer day. Same as any other perhaps. I woke up like I normally did, showered, shaved, and prepared for the day. It was a Wednesday. I was in Utah and hours away from uniting my life with the most wonderful person I've ever met. I had breakfast, put on my suit and headed to the temple. In the temple we dressed in white, and prepared for the ceremony. For just a moment before it began, we sat together in a quiet place. Neither of us talking, and a little nervous, my heart told me it was right. We smiled and held hands. This was the beginning of forever. A brief moment later they came and brought us into the sealing room. The ceremony was short, and pointed. With God's blessing and authority, we created a new family to last the ages. Afterwords we emerged from the temple as Mr. and Mrs. Clay. It was one of the best days of my life.