WASHINGTON DC!!

I'm going to skip blogging about Christmas break for now and I'll come back to it because I don't want to forget about all the crazy stuff that has happened here!

WE ARE IN WASHINGTON DC!!  Can you believe it?!?!?!?!  Well, we are actually in Silver Spring, Maryland, but it is very close.  We were searching for housing for months before coming out here, and hadn't found anything until a few days before Christmas break was over.  We were stressing pretty bad but then Billy called one of the Bishops in this area and he referred her to a woman who is renting out a room in her house.  We called her up and she told us how much (such a good deal!!) and I thought it sounded like a dream come true.  Then she gave us a skype tour (and I got really motion sick...bleh) and after that let's just say I was not as stoked.  But we honestly couldn't pass up the great deal and the great location.  So here we are. 

We left San Diego at 6:30 AM on Thursday.  We rode a shuttle from the airport to the house.  I had a bit of a meltdown that day :) A lot of changes all at once can take a toll!  The cats were loving hanging out in our room (I'm not too fond of cats.)

Making itself comfortable when we first moved in...

 
After getting all unpacked Karen offered to drive us around and show us the town.  She literally showed us everything.  Which was nice.

We actually live in a really cool area!  There is a movie theater and tons of stores and restaurants like 2 blocks away from where we live.  Karen dropped us off by the movie theater and we ate dinner at Chipotle yumm!  Then we walked home.  It is so cold here!  I think the humidity makes it way colder.  There are also lots of different kinds of people here...I have had pretty bad culture shock so far.  But I'm getting used to it I think/hope. 

The next day we got up and Karen let us borrow her car to go to the grocery store!  That was fun.  Going to the grocery store, we almost got hit, a big black lady at the grocery store called Billy "baby" and we almost walked out of the store without paying.  The cashier said "I think you two are cute as buttons but you've gotta pay me!"  Pretty funny day.  Later we rode the metro into DC and saw the sights!  My first time riding the metro!  So exciting!

Graffiti

Beautiful sunset by the capital building (these pics are out of order...sorry)

The "Night at the Museum" Museum! (I think?)

 

The White House from far away!

Washington Monument

Caught two love birds by the Lincoln Memorial...

Lincoln Memorial

 

 Me with some children

Me really close up

Union Station

 

We walked SO much!  Our feet were very tired at the end of the day.  We met up with cousin Greg at Senator Lee's office after sight seeing and he showed us the office and where Billy will be working.  Then we headed back to Silver Spring and got some dinner and then went home!  Fun day.

Then yesterday we took it really slow.  We went for a jog around here which was really fun.  Then we got ready and went to Crystal City to find Crystal towers (where the other single girls in this program are living) so I know how to get there next week.  There was a Costco really close to the apartments so we went over to Costco and bought Billy some socks and got some hotdogs!  Yum!  Then we headed back.  On the metro back a woman was talking to me and I could not understand a word she was saying.  Haha I'm so white.

Today at church we met a bunch of new people and everyone was so friendly!  We got invited over by 2 different couples for dinner!  So nice.

So despite the not ideal living conditions, and the cold, and the culture shock, and having to walk everywhere, we are having a pretty good time.  We are learning about other types of people and how they live, as well as learning how to get around a big city only using public transportation!  Pretty cool stuff.  I'll keep blogging here about all our interesting experiences so stay tuned!