Washington DC

Today I came to Washington DC.  I will spend tomorrow and Friday at a round table discussion on sexual assault prevention for children with disabilities.  But today I just got to enjoy the city.

My friend Ryan met me at the airport and we went for lunch and walked around and talked.  He was talking about his girlfriend and I was complaining to him how he doesn't get all twittery and gushy about it.  I was having this same complaint with my friend Kevin the other night.  Tad and Kevin were laughing at me, saying "What do you want us to do? Say: 'Oh my god oh my god' I'm SO in love (waving arms around dramatically)
"What?!!" I said. "That's basically what I did!"
Come on.  Don't boys gush ever?  I want to see a man gush! Is that so much to ask?

Anyway, after Ryan left I walked around the capital and took pictures.  I took this one:

But I couldn't walk on the lawn because it was gated off and a sign was up. I thought the sign to be a little dramatic so I took this picture:

Then I went and bought sushi from the grocery next to the hotel.  I soaked in the hot tub and then ate sushi in front of the TV.  It was heavenly. 

Being here, walking around the capital mall, gave me lots of memories.  I got to the big pond by the capital building and realized that the last time I was right in front of it, I was with Harald and Ryan and my other Peace Corps friends.  I stood there for a moment and looked at the spot where our picture was taken.  And thought about Harald.  Here's that photo:

Rebecca, Christina, Harald, Me, Ryan and Steff

I also thought about when I lived in DC for a month after I returned from Estonia, when I was sent home because of the tumor in my ear that ate my eardrum.  I stayed in the hotel that they send ailing Peace Corps volunteers; Tad called it the Malady Inn.  That month, all I did was what I did this afternoon: walk around, shop, go out to eat and watch TV.  It's funny because now that I'm a mom and a wife and a full-time worker of the world...  and I only get a day like today once in a while... I'm happy in a way that I wanted to be back then but wasn't yet.

Ah, nothing like walking around listening to music in Washington and reflecting on stuff.