Packing Again

I'm back again. For some reason when I got back from D.C. I lost the motivation to write, I'm not sure why. So let me catch you up on the last couple of months...First coming home from D.C. was hard. I learned so much in D.C. that by the end it felt more like home then Utah did, I never thought that would happen. I can honestly say that I was not excited to be back in Utah and when the plane flew in I was homesick for D.C. The only think that got me off the plane was my sister and brother waiting for me. It was wierd being back in Utah with a new perspective on life. D.C. taught me how to have fun, how to participate in the community, I learned to be a lot less scared of the world and a lot more sure of myself. I still miss just about everything about D.C. and yes, I would love to end up back there at some point. That being said, I have had a wonderful couple of months at home. All my family is home and there's no replacement for quality time with family memebers and building relationships that will last a life time. I was able to nanny for a family and clean houses to make some money and let me tell you there's nothing like hearing my name "nadawie" said by a two year old boy. There is so much to learn from kids and I learned a lot. The summer also included a wonderful trip to Florida which was so nice and warm and fun. So that's a quick 411 on my life for the last couple months.

As you can see from the picture I am now packing for my next adventure in England! I'm studying abroad, taking three classes on history. Right now I am slightly nervous and very excited. Never having been out of the country this will be an adventure of a life time. I promise to keep this blog up as much as I can and post lots of pictures! Now I have to go finish packing...

Popcorn popping

Oh what a glorious weekend it was. The trees were in full bloom and it looks like snow it's gorgeous. Washington really goes all out for the Cherry tree festival with fireworks, lanterns, parades, it's all so beautiful but there are thousands of tourists. Friday we didn't have class so we went to Mount Vernon. It was beautiful, I never realized how big Washington's estate was, I got the sense that he was an amazing and stately man. His giant estate looked out over the Potomac and it covered a lot of acres. I definitely would love to live there. That night we went to Pizza Paradisio and gelato it was great. Saturday involved a trip to the Eastern market and conference of course and then girls night around the Potomac watching the fireworks. Sunday of course was Easter and it couldn't have been more perfect. Conference was wonderful. I have been overwhelmingly happy all day. I organized Easter dinner for the Barlow group and thanks to everyone's efforts it turned out wonderfully. It was the perfect end to a wonderful session of conference. It felt like family sitting around a table and telling all of our favorite memories about the semester. I am so blessed with so many good friends.

The Beauty of Imperfection

Linn Meyers "At Time Being" on the Phillip's Collection Wall

Lunch at California buritto with Brittany, Jen, Me, Breezy, Lance, and Paul

Today Jen and I went to the Georgia O'Keefe exhibit in the Phillip's Collection with the Smithsonian Interns. Can I just say that I am so thankful that I have an internship that will allow me to go see these things? I am so lucky. Anyways, I loved the museum. It was the perfect size with an amazing collection of art. With the end of the semester fast approaching and way too many things on my mind to count it was just the medicine I needed to calm down and relax. I do not remember the last time I was this busy! I have definitely been more stressed but never so busy with so many things to think about and try to balance. Unfortunately this morning I woke up completely paralyzed thinking about literally everything in my life. It's at these times that I am very aware of my imperfections and where I need to improve. That is why I love the painting above. This was a drawing on the wall modelled after Vincent van Gogh. It was so amazing that it caught my eye. Then I saw that it was described as "ordered disorder and perfect imperfection." Cheesy, I know but after reading this I realized that that's how I need to look at life. Life, especially I, will never be perfect but it's those little imperfections that create perfection. It's our challenge to see past the imperfection or look beyond what we see and find our hakuna matata as it were :) (see Lion King 1 1/2) The day only got better from there when I went to lunch with some of my favorite people, one of life's little perfections.

One Month Left...

This picture was taken in a candy store in NY. It was a store of happiness and well, it just makes me smile :)

Can you believe I only have one month left? Strangely, this week I have wanted to be home just as much as I've wanted to be here. All my extended family is in Utah, one of my best friends is leaving on her mission next week, and I am really tired of these long distance relationships with friends and family. There is just something about being in the same room as the ones you care about that doesn't get transmitted over phone or messaging. Work is catching up with me here which is hard because the weather is getting nice. Okay, now that I have that out, I am terribly sad that I only have one month left! It is going to go by way to fast and I know I will be homesick for this place when I get back in Utah. I went running on the mall today after work, it was wonderful. I went to the National Art Gallery on Saturday and I'm becoming a lover of modern art. I heard Senator Bennett and Congressman Matheson over the weekend and we are talking about the Supreme Court this week. I am reading the Federalist Papers and Ben Franklin's Autobiography which are both amazing and I am continuously amazed at the Founder's writing, if only we could be more like Franklin who wouldn't even play chess because it took away too much time from learning. Jealous yet? I am writing this more for myself than anyone because in one month from today I will be although today I'd love to be home.

"I often dream of six impossible things before breakfast"

Today I saw Alice and Wonderland and I loved it. There's a lot of symbolism to that story. At one point Alice says she's going to break out of the "destined" path and make her own path because it's her own dream. How often do we go through life following what others expect of us? We can't live our lives just to please others. Ultimately it is our own decision and sometimes we have to take that leap into what is believed to be the impossible just to see how strong we really are. As the blue catepillar says, Alice is hardly Alice in the beginning but as she follows her own path she becomes that Alice that lives up to her potential. Life is the search and development of our true selves and one day we will discover ourselves and reach the potential that God sees in us. So thank you Alice for teaching me I can choose my own path and believe in the impossible.

If you could live anywhere

Hillary, Heather, Maddie, Michelle, me, Rebekah, Jona, Kelli, Gabel, and Breezy at the water front in Old Town Alexandria

The door to my dream house :)

The awesome St. Patrick's Day parade in Alexandria

Okay, if you could live anywhere for one year, all expenses paid for, where would it be? I don't know a definite answer to that question but Old Town Alexandria is definitely in the running. I love the quaint little houses and walking where George Washington walked. It was so calm at the water front and it was one of my favorite days here. As I was sitting on the dock, watching Jona try to feed the seagulls and looking at the blue sky and water I thought that there is no where that I'd rather be than right there. I would definitely love to live here. I don't know what it is here but I feel like I have had more wonderful and near perfect days here than I ever have before. The feeling like life is great and I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be which doesn't come very often when you are a single young adult. I don't know if it's because I'm here that's making me happy or if it's because I've learned how to choose to enjoy life as it comes but there's something magical here for me.

It's the Little Things

So despite the wonderful week last week and all the sleep I got last night somehow I managed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Go figure. So in attempts to turn the day around I made a list of the ten small things that make me happy :)

1. Popcorn, peanut m&m's, and Sprite
2. Phone calls from friends
3. packages and letters, (esp. when full of chocolate, thanks mom!)
4. the feeling I get when I prove I'm tougher than I thought
5. watching the sunset
6. wearing new clothes and knowing I look good for a minute
7. remembering the times I cried laughing
8. the smell of christmas
9. rocking out to my favorite song
10. Most importantly the knowledge that even when all of this fails I know have someone who will always care and never leave me alone