transitions

I had a few requests for more pictures of my life in dc, so here you go! The first one is our view of the capitol building from about two streets over. Seriously. The next two are of our house and the street we live on! We are living on Capitol Hill which is a very residential, cute area with trees and sidewalks and row houses. I walk to the metro for work and we are really close to Eastern Market which is an open-air market on weekends and has lots of fun restaurants and cafes. Since I had never seen the area or our place before moving day, this is way better than I imagined and is perfect for us. I know this isn't a long post, but hope that gives a little more of an idea of where I am and what I'm up to!

lovin' america

I made it! A little bit delayed on the update, but I now live in dc in a sweet little house with two fabulous roommates and a challenging but wonderful job. Am I blessed or what? It almost seems too easy and perfect. Amazing to think that four weeks ago I had no place to live and was stressed beyond belief. No need to be restless and anxious, because in the end, it really does work out.

I am literally living the dream in the nation's capitol. I still look at the monuments and incredibly important buildings around me and think I can't believe I am lucky enough to live here and call this my home. Pretty amazing.

Side note, my job is awesome. On Thursday I worked a press conference for a client who happens to have Michael Phelps as a spokesperson, so I got to have lunch with him and hang out for almost an hour. Basically, he's pretty great and seriously one of the nicest people I've met. Down to earth and normal, which is hard to believe, but so true! I'm now a big fan and might even have a tiny (ok HUGE) crush ;).

While I really am having the time of my life in dc, I really do miss home and family and friends sometimes, so make sure to keep in touch and keep my updated on what's going on with you. and you have a place to stay anytime you're in the neighborhood or want to plan a super fun trip!

my greatest adventure yet

Well, it's happening. I am moving to DC in a little over two weeks! I'm still having a little bit of trouble letting it sink in that this is it. this is my real life. I got a job at Ketchum PR which I am incredibly excited/nervous/anxious about. This summer, interning at Weber in Atlanta, I have met some of my most favorite people in the world and will not be happy to leave. Not even a little. My Ketchum coworkers are going to have a LOT to live up to. Even though this is an internship and not a "real" job, everyone here has been welcoming, patient and helpful. Not to mention they are really fun and young and hilarious. Today, my boss decided she will set me up with her cousin. He is 42. This is bad.

I still really might cry next week when I leave (hopefully without a stalker 42-year-old). I realize this is just a job, but the people here are friends now and I'm sad to leave. I'm also sad to leave my family and friends, but know this is something I am meant to do and really need to go out and see someplace new. I will end up back in Atlanta, I have no doubt, but for a while I'll be attempting to make it work in DC.

After an entire year of worrying and dreaming and thinking, I have finally made a real decision and am sticking with it. Crazy. I don't know if I ever thought I'd live in DC, but here I go anyway. Crazy. I'm homeless and have no real plan other than a job right now. Crazy. I have never jumped like this, without knowing every little detail of my life and planning every step, but this is a true test of my character and my motivation. Here goes! I really do need your thoughts and prayers that everything will work out. And also you must come visit. I repeat: you must come visit.

That is all.

game time

Life happened to me in the last few weeks. I always said that once I got back from our family trip to South Africa, I'd get serious about finding a job and figuring out my life decisions. Well, guess what: I'm back. Scared out of my mind but feeling like it is definitely time to live by faith even when I'm fearful. Maybe especially when I am.

Our trip was literally the most amazing family adventure we have ever had. I laughed more and appreciated the people around me more than ever before. My family is amazing. Simple as that.

While over there, I got a call for a phone interview and ended up doing it from Kruger National Park- aka. in the bush with the monkeys. It went pretty well and I flew out to DC this week for an interview. Even though all of this is quick and overwhelming and serious, I feel this is right. I'll make final decisions about moving soon, but right now it's looking like I may be leaving Atlanta to start somewhere new! With or without an offer from this company, I need to get serious about where to put my jobsearch effort, because I was not made to be an intern forever (though I loooove the company I work for now. stupid economic downturn.).

So for everyone wondering what all these vague explanations mean: I am thinking about a move but nothing is final. Any suggestions, comments, concerns? Someone just tell me what to do. No, seriously, do it.

mayhem

In case you live in a hole, Sex and the City opened yesterday and I am fairly certain all females between the ages of 17-50(and all gay men) were in attendance- at least at Phipps AMC they were. The line went around the atrium and I don't know if I've ever seen aggression from a bunch of girls like that. Chaos. It even required a security guard on a Segway, duh. But all in all that may have been the most animated and excited audience I've ever been in for a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed my $11 viewing...yikes.

The job at Weber Shandwick (ok, internship) is going very well and I have learned so much in my short three weeks already. They tend to take older interns whom they expect a lot from and I am honored to have been given the responsibility- can't wait to see what happens out of this opportunity. I do have typical (fun?) intern duties too, though. Yesterday Caroline, my sidekick, and I got the duty of carrying a 10 foot tall sign down the service elevator, to the loading dock and stuffing it into the dumpster which did not go as planned and I was half-expecting a memo to go out over the company e-mail list asking what idiots left the poster sticking out the dumpster. oops ;) hey, the elevator guy told us too, right?!

just plain blessed.

I am a college graduate. I am a college graduate. I am a college graduate.

And by definition, that makes me reflective, confused, anxious and excited- all within a five minute span of time. No but really, I am so blessed to be where I am, with the opportunity to choose my next step and make it what it will be. My parents are quietly letting me find my own way but at the same time being there to catch me if I fall, giving me a chance to leap and take risks to find a future that fits. I just spent about an hour looking through old(and some more recent) pictures of my life in the last four years and over and over all I could think was: I have been given more life and happiness and growth than I deserve in a lifetime, nevermind before I hit age 22. I can only dream of giving to my children what my parents have already given me. This probably is of no interest to anyone else besides myself but I guess what I am saying is that it is so incredibly important to take time out and be grateful for everything and everyone in our lives that got us to today. I know full well that I definitely would not have studied abroad, or been in AOII, or gotten involved in HERO without someone (parents or otherwise) telling me I could and should and to take chances and to be uncomfortable. I have to remind myself of that now as I am heading into an even more unknown time and place and I just need someone to tell me everything is going to be ok. And I have that: In my friends. In my family. In my colleagues. Quite simply, I am blessed.

And no, I have no more life updates but as soon as I have any, it will go here. Mark my word!

winding down

Seriously, where does the time go? That may be the most cliché statement ever typed on this blog, but really I just need a few more weeks here in athens to get my thoughts together, pack up my stuff and say goodbye to the people i truly care about. i really have had the opportunity to make the most of these last few weeks since i don't have a ridiculous amount of work or anything, so life is pretty great. last week we had our AOII senior banquet which was incredibly bittersweet but really wrapped up the last four years pretty nicely. i got burned, cried a little and loved a lot! we all danced and laughed all night and i got some sweet letters from people who mean a lot to me :) there's nothing like a solid goodbye to make you feel loved and appreciated. on the other side, i think i might be ready for life post-athens. i have felt so anxious lately, just waiting for the next part to start while at the same time not wanting to leave anything/anyone behind or anything left undone. it is such a weird position to be in to feel like you may still have some things left to do but you are tired of wondering what's next. slowly a lot of my friends are making decisions and plans and i secretly wish someone would make my decisions for me and just put me where i am supposed to be. i know that's impossible because this is the part where i "follow my heart" but that doesn't mean i have anything figured out. for all of you(or none of you) wondering, i will be in atlanta this summer doing an internship and living in good ole east cobb until august. after that, life starts- wherever that may be. I've gone through so many different cities as prospects for a job and think i may have it figured out. DC is looking pretty great right now and i am hoping that some doors will open and everything can fall into place. until then, i am having faith in Him that the plans He has, i will follow. Don't worry, i am sure to have some crazy realizations this summer and will be updating when things change or i figure anything out. until then, keep all of us graduating in your thoughts and prayers. this is the big time.