Been wondering where my supposed weekly updates have gone? I promise, I’m here and doing things!

In fact, since my mom’s visit to DC, I feel like I have been quite the busy bee! I hosted my little sister, traveled home to Ohio for Christmas, hosted one of my best friends (who I shall tell you about below), spent loads of time with my DC buddies, and got a phone interview for my possible second assignment!

In particular to this week, I’ll start with Marie’s visit. We have known each other since our sophomore year of high school and boy, has it been lovely having this girl as a kindred spirit throughout the years. She is God-fearing, talented, capable, intelligent, and photogenic (obvs, right?). All in all, someone I enjoyed spending several days with.

I introduced her to We the Pizza, where we enjoyed two meals and one mini photoshoot! Can’t beat good food and good lighting, am I right?

We spent last Saturday exploring Ford’s Theatre and a few exhibits of the nearby Natural History museum. One exhibit I hadn’t explored on my previous visit to the Natural History museum was the Birds exhibit. One fun fact about Marie is that her parents are both emphatic bird-watching enthusiasts, so she has gained a wealth of bird facts over the years of being raised in their home. It was like getting a tour of the bird kingdom, viewing the stuffed creatures up close with her, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

P.S. My favorite bird is the Mourning Dove.

One night, Marie and I treated ourselves to a posh dinner at Bistro Cacao, a French restaurant on Capitol Hill. The above photo can only partially capture the intimate, cozy ambiance of this place, so it’s one of those “see it for yourself and you’ll understand” kind of things. While there, I tasted escargot for the first time (and liked it!) and filled my belly with their bouillabaisse. If you are a seafood junky like myself, I encourage you to order that one.

Today, after church, I spent the afternoon with girls from church, particularly Elizabeth and Drew (pictured adorably above). We visited Jacob’s Coffeehouse, where I enjoyed a lox and cream cheese bagel sandwich, and enjoyed the warmth of the room and company.

Then, Drew introduced Elizabeth and I to Riverby Books. Can I just say how much I enjoy used book stores? They are the best (many of the supports for my argument also lie in the above “Why You Should Buy a Used Book” picture).

Also, Friday evening, I was given a phone interview for perhaps the next stop of this adventure! Nothing is official until I sign the contract, so I will leave it that! (Don’t worry, I’ll divulge more information once a contract is signed)

It’s been a full few weeks, but I’ve enjoyed it all! Now that my time in DC is being counted in not months but weeks, the time spent with people I have come to know and love is all the more precious and savored. I look forward to the memories left to be made here and to share those memories with you (hopefully, back on a weekly basis).