fairing the city

My season in Washington DC is going to kick start my first experience as a blogger.  I think it's the best way to show you friends the pictures I've taken and tell you how things are going.

So far, God has been good to me! My parents flew over with me and they made a touring trip out of it.   We met up with my friend, Rachel, who I grew up with but is living in DC as an ASL Interpreter.  She went through the ASL Interpreting Program at Western Oregon and graduated in June.  She had done the same special student program at Gallaudet University like I am doing now, but recently moved to DC to get a job as an interpreter.  She showed us around campus, helped us with the Metro system and was our DC/Portland bud for a couple days.  She was (and still is) a lifesaver!  Although we rented a car for the week, we traveled around on the Met and I think I mostly have that thing figured out (praise Jesus!).  Traveling by car would have been a nightmare.  

Before we got to DC, we were in for a treat when we landed in Atlanta to switch planes.  As we walked into the Detroit airport, every TV was on with breaking news that the east coast had just experienced a 5.9 earthquake! Us west coasters, who hear of earthquakes much more often than east coasters, weren't all too surprised or shaken up, but every person we encountered in DC was on the complete other side of the spectrum.  That night, we passed a young guy caring a cardboard sign that said, "Get your 'I survived earthquake 5.9!' t-shirts for $15."  We had a good laugh at that.  

The next day, we turned on the news to find that there were warnings for an upcoming hurricane on the east coast and tips on how to prepare.  Good one God!  From then on, hurricane Irene coverage was all that was on the news.  The night before the hurricane hit, my parents, Rachel and I walked from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial after dinner at Zaytina (It was a innovative Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cuisine.  The food was to die for! and was unlike any restaurant I'd ever been to.) and it was like the calm before the storm.  It was a warm quiet evening with no telling that a storm was about to hit, not to mention the gorgeous monuments that were lit up at night time.

 You can see how far we walked from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, and back, in this picture.  Let's just say our feet needed some major tlc when we all got home. 

(I couldn't resist taking the last picture of stranger couple. So cute! I'm totally going back to the Lincoln memorial at night with boyfriend when he visits.)

  The next day, the rain started around 11 and continued til mid morning today.  We thought we'd go to the Smithsonian to see some of the museums since they were indoors, but the walk from the met to each museum left us soaked and freezing once we got inside the air conditioned museums.  Here's a video, but it doesn't really do the weather justice.  

We didn't know whether my parents flight was going to get cancelled or not, but thankfully the weather cleared.  We were happy to find out that there is a beautiful hotel on the Gallaudet campus that they could have stayed at, and honestly, I think they wanted their flight to get delayed a day or two so they could have had an excuse to stay there.  

We had a great week touring the city and seeing the monuments.  We ate out at some great restaurants in different parts of the city, some being at Dupont Circle, Chinatown, Downtown, and Union Station.  My favorite restaurant we went to was called Uno's Chicago Grill because they had this and gluten free beer!  Here's a picture of the masterpiece.  

Hey GF friends at home, I wish I could send delivery pizza to you from DC because this is the best gf pizza I've ever had!  I'm sorry, American Dream Pizza.  

I also found that I'm an avid french onion soup, without-the-bread, lover.  Praise the Lord!  I don't know how I went so long without ever knowing how it tasted, despite having made it in high school for a french presentation and spilling it all over my carpool car on the way to school in the wee hours of the morning. 

  

We went to the Arlington Memorial and it was gorgeous and peaceful.  The weather was rainy, which my mom and I agreed was the only proper way to visit a memorial like that.  We watched the changing of the guards.  I felt bad for them last night.  Braving rain is one thing, but standing in 60-70 mph winds with buckets of rain during a tropical storm hurricane is a whole different story.  God bless those guards.  

 (I want to believe I'm standing in an old fashioned box seat)

 Does anyone else see the beautiful scene from Pride and Prejudice of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett when you look at this picture?  It's all I could think about!

Gallaudet University is a gorgeous campus and I am so blessed to be able to spend a semester here learning more about the language that God has made a part of my life.  Here's a picture that only shows a little piece of how pretty it is. 

Other pictures from the week:

A tearful goodbye before going through security.  I miss my cowboy man!  Actually, I would like to go on a little rabbit trail for a moment to tell you all how grateful I am for this guy.  I would have been a basket case up until the second I got on the plane, and probably after that too, without him.  He saved my family from experiencing yet, another unpleasant stressful kenz from worrying about packing and whether I'm taking too much or taking things that are unnecessary.  In short, he pretty much packed for me and all I had to do was sit there and know what he was putting in my bags.  We finished packing with plenty of time to sit around (actually, 'plenty of time' is debatable.  I could have used more time) and hold each others hands until we had to go to sleep in anticipation for the early morning departure.  Thank you Jesus for boyfriend.

Insano escalator that went forever and made me dizzy and scared to go up and down. 

 Union Station.  So pretty!

They have pillars on every building I swear! but I'm obsessed with them so it's great. 

Gallaudet University

Here's a joke you can pass to your friends. 

All you need to know is that I'm signing the letter 'B' with my hands. (Sorry if that's inappropriate!)

I'm new at this blogging thing so bear with me as I figure it all out!  I miss you all so much and can't wait to snail mail, skype, talk, text, email, heytell (<-- how ridiculous is that?) with you! 

Oh, I can't forget to show you this gem. 

"WOW"

Poppa Chief struggled with the finger positioning a little and with the dual action of the mouth in coordination with the hands.  Keeps me laughing every time!