oh, life.

back in dc. with one less gallbladder, lots of new memories and missing my family like crazy. here is one of the last pictures taken of me with my gallbladder at 6:45 on monday morning.


this morning i was journaling while looking out over the beautiful mountains and i was thinking about everything i have to be thankful for and also realizing how often i fail to remember and thank God for it all. my goal between now and Christmas is this: to praise and give thanks first and foremost. for everything i complain about, there is a flip side of thanks. i want to learn to meditate on the side of thanks. i want praise to flow from my lips, rather than complaints. i want it to go deeper than what i say as well...i want God to change my heart so that my first reaction is thanks and praise. but as we all know, God works in His own timing, and that may not be before Christmas. so for now, i'll work on what i say and pray for the rest to follow.



as seen on the way home to dc:

on an electronic billboard--scrolling: "The pilgrims will bring the *change to new screen* PAIN!!" (we are still not sure what this means...)

on an electronic hotel sign--scrolling: "ROOMS *change to new screen* Construction welcome." (does this mean they are wanting to redo the rooms, or construction workers are welcome to stay there?)

on a bumper sticker: "a child must die" (we later discovered that the bumper sticker said "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish". which is an interesting quote, however, it was written so that it looked something like this: it is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish", so that the most easliy read part was "a child must die". we actually didn't know the rest of the quote until we googled it when we got home...not for lack of trying though...)


that is little dog ted, anxiously awaiting his thanksgiving feast to cool down enough for us to feed it to him. he's so cute.

i miss my family and the quiet of north carolina

i am thankful that i am home safely with my husband and making memories by sitting on the couch and quoting the star wars that we can hear our neighbors watching through the walls...

see, i'm working on my goal already. i'm so lucky that God is a God of grace.

have a happy monday, everyone!

Picture Project Post, November 12-November 21

Luke said that I needed to blog before we went home since I haven't blogged in a long time. So here I am. I did have some pictures built up. It's been an uneventful, but long week...

But continuous Christmas music is playing in Washington, DC on WASH FM (doesn't that just sound like a soft-rock station?)! And I talked to wonderful Whitney today! And those two things always makes me happy.

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November 12, 2009: It was FotoWeek in Washington, DC, which means several Photography Galleries had their opening all in the same week. Norabelle, Lydia and I went to three different free gallery openings and sipped wine, ate hours d'vours and discussed different elements of photography for three hours (like we knew what we were talking about). There were some pretty amazing pictures. My favorites were Paul Gallegos and Raimundo Rubio. Raimundo Rubio was especially fascinating--he took trash and coated it with salt and took pictures in order to signify the waste of American and the need of other worlds and how if they collide they could create beauty. Or something along those lines. Paul Gallegos just took incredibly beautiful pictures in the moment. He was there and we talked about how he always carries his camera so he can capture different moments of beauty. He took wonderful landscape pictures...the kind where you can stare at them for hours and get lost because it feels like you are there. I would like to take pictures like that...

November 13, 2009: I think I've mentioned that I love rain in November. It rained on Friday, and I put on my corduroys and green sweater and boots, went out and got my HIDA scan and rode the bus back to Fort Totten to watch the rain for the rest of the day. On the way back I had the most delightful bus driver and I enjoyed the back-and-forth chatter between the different riders and the driver. Additionally I saw this beautiful bright yellow tree, which was brilliant in the grey weather. It is the tree that is in this picture, out the front window.

November 14, 2009: The National Low Income Housing Coalition had their bi-annual board meeting on Saturday and Sunday, which lead into the State Partners meeting on Monday and Tuesday. I went for part of the meeting on Saturday to listen to brilliant people from all over the country talk about low income housing in their different areas and how we will achieve the national goal of housing for all. It was really cool.





November 15, 2009: My Sunday School kids sang during the church service on Sunday morning. They did a really good job. Aren't they so cute?


November 16, 2009: As I stated before, the State Partner's meeting was on Monday and Tuesday. The National Low Income Housing Coalition gets its name because it is a Coalition of all the different state organizations that work together to get low income housing. Many of them met on Monday to talk about different ways they were meeting needs in their states and to listen to the policy actions we're taking in Washington, DC. It was really amazing to hear, and there were definitely several times while I was listening that I felt like I belonged in the low-income housing circle.

November 17, 2009: We went to HUD to meet with Shaun Donovan (READ: The Secretary of HUD). He was pretty cool, but had to rush off to a meeting with Eric Holder (Attorney General) and Timothy Geithner (Secretary of the Treasury). Sometimes I sit back and say to myself "Where am I?!". Also in this picture are (left to right) Sheila Crowly in the pink scarf (the President of NLIHC, who hugged Shaun Donovan when he came in), George Moses (he's the head of the NLIHC Board), Sandra Henriquez (Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing), Shaun Donovan (of course), and Mercedes Marquez (Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development). Crazy!

November 18, 2009: I went home to get a surgical consult on Wednesday and decided that I will be having my gall bladder out on Monday (at 6:45 AM!). I also got my hair cut and went to see Julie and Julia with my mom and dad at the $3 theater in Graham. However, this picture of little Teddy made it in to the picture of the day because he's just so darn cute! Since Luke wasn't home with me, Teddy kept me company while I slept.

November 19, 2009: I spent the morning in Chapel Hill at Caribou with two of my beautiful sisters. Katie will not be thrilled that this was my picture of the day, but I think she's adorable. I also had lunch with Anthony before heading home and it was wonderful. I love getting together with people and picking up right where you left off and talking like you haven't missed a day.

November 20, 2009: I thought that I was going to go to work on Friday, but I was too sick. For the past two months the only things that I can count on to not hurt my stomach have been boiled potatoes, rice and avocado. So here is a picture of my rice and avocado. Have I mentioned that this should all be over in about 33 hours...

November 21, 2009: Packing to go to Mebane tomorrow! I also took a 4 hour nap today...so the picture of the bed is also significant.

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That's about it for me for now. I probably won't be around much until after Thanksgiving. So Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy everything that you have to be thankful for!

Picture Project Post, November 4-November 11

So technically, this is the second post today. But it feels like a different day, so we'll let it slide...no more thoughts for now. Today was a frustrating day...but I don't have any thoughts on that for now. Maybe later.

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November 4, 2009: I visited the most pleasant and cheerful classroom for an observation (which is not a common occurrence for me...). This was the classroom that I mentioned earlier, where the children traveled in one big group. Their curtains were simple pieces of cloth with the children's hand and foot prints all over. So cute!



November 5, 2009: There was a baby shower at work on Friday for one of the outreach team's wife. Apparently he is quite the cutie. I made truffles, which was so much fun! But I didn't get any because on of my friends who does not own a car needed to be taken to urgent care. However, I heard from several co-workers that they were good, so this is a recipe i will have to try once food no longer makes me sick.

November 6, 2009: While I did not get to meet the newest member of the Harig-Blaine family, I was not deprived of "cuteness" for the day. I followed this little daycare group to the metro on my way to pick up my friend. I love the little girl in the green jacket!





November 7, 2009: My first attempt at sweet potato fries. These turned out to be a bad idea for my stomach, but they sure were delicious (and super easy to make!).
November 8, 2009: I love my husband. We spent the weekend (and are still spending this week...) cleaning out our apartment. While cleaning out the closet, Luke decided to model my Christmas sweater. I really couldn't resist this picture...we also drive to Fairfax to see Kevin D'Auria, who was in town for a conference. It was good to see him, too, but this even trumped that one picture-wise.

November 9, 2009: Monday night we stayed home from small group. Partly because I wasn't feeling well, partly because we needed to do laundry and dishes. We also finished cleaning our our room. This is the finished project. Complete with the beautiful flowers Luke bought for me that day (he's so sweet).



November 10, 2009: I already posted this picture of our date to IKEA. It was absolutely wonderful. =)


November 11, 2009: I love cold rainy November days (cold, rainy January days are a different story...). After being up for almost all of last night, I stayed inside and worked from home, wrapped up in in a snowman blanket. Luke joined me when he got home from work. I love my snowman blanket. And Luke, too.

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joyful in hope.

i'm up again tonight. after 10 nights of sleep the stretch of what is so normal for most humans is over. back to my normal. i tucked luke into bed and i've come out here...it's quiet in our apartment, but outside is the buzz of people who don't need sleep. this is especially frustrating because i would gladly pass this pain off to them if i could...they are planning on being awake anyway. i would like to be asleep.

i've been continuing my thoughts on joy a lot. sometimes in order to battle frustration. other times God subtly reminds me that joy is not an emotion, it's not happiness and it's not other people, but rather it comes from a deeply rooted faith in Him who knows all things, even if it feels like He doesn't. after all, we are commanded in romans to be joyful in hope, not to hope in joy. unfortunately, i find myself confusing the two often...waiting for the morning when either a. i'll feel better or b. i'll at least have people around to make me feel better. but lately i've been waking up feeling sick as well...which is new for me (generally i've just been feeling sick at night...). i think it's God's subtle (or not so much...) reminder that joy is always, not just in the morning, and we are to be joyful always, because God is ever-present, even if that is hard to remember sometimes.

and God is good (i must always continue to remind myself of this, no matter what). He gave me 10 full nights of sleep in a row, and many, many more before that. He has given me a wonderful husband and a supportive family and beautiful friends. i can't even begin to name the things He has blessed me with. and most of all He has given me the opportunity to have joy in Him, which is the greatest gift of all. i must keep reminding myself of these blessings.

He has also given me moments of pure happiness over the past couple of weeks. and in order to remind myself of them, i want to share them with you:

a birthday card that i found while cleaning out our apartment. it was from my sister christie and it reads "our family is a lot like one of those circus families except for the skill and the travel and the seediness. we're very close is what i'm saying..." that card made me smile. because it's true.

the spiced pumpkin candle that luke sleepily lit tonight right before he went to bed so that i would feel better and "be less lonely."

the woman who made eye contact with me on my way home from work yesterday and got so excited that she turned around a couple seconds later and yelled "i hope you have a wonderful day!"

the little children i observed last friday who loved the presence of each other so much that all 11 of them would travel around the classroom together in a herd.

my co-workers who loved my chocolate truffles and told me so.

the 3 dollar date luke took me on to a nice swedish restaurant (also known as IKEA) and the way we dressed up like it was a fancy Christmas date.*

words of encouragement from all four of my wonderful parents.

yes, God gives me little moments of happiness. He knows what i can handle and what i can't. and while sometimes i think this is unbearable, He gives me moments where i forget that's what i think. and when i forget that He is good, He'll remind me that He is unchanging and give me grace and let me remember that He is good again.

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*here are some pictures from our $3 date!

Picture Project Post, October 26-November 3

So here I am again, for the 4th time in just under a week. And with a picture post, no less. Guess who is completely on top of things? Those of you who aren't as on top of things as me have a lot of catching up to do!

No, really. The reason why I'm here is because I'm considering staying up until 12:01 am in order to put my name into the drawing for tickets to the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. Awesome, I know. I figure as long as I'll be up for awhile, and since the dishes are already done, I might as well sit back and write a blog. And since I'm all caught up with my picture downloading, I might as well make it a picture one. So here it is.

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October 26, 2009: I was walking home just as the sun was about to set and the leaves were a beautiful gold. Everything looked golden. But it definitely looked more golden in real life than it does on this picture. Probably because the windows are dirty...










October 27, 2009: The first appearance of the boots in the fall. I love boots in the fall. And boots stepping on fall leaves. It also happened to be raining. I also love walking in the rain with my boots in the fall. It was a good day. Except for the fact that this was the day I found out that my ultrasound results were inconclusive so I had to have an endoscopy. That made it a sad day. But rainy fall and boots almost made it better.

October 28, 2009: Luke and I took a walk in Ft. Totten Park in the afternoon to take a break from thinking about being sick and scary medical tests. I like this picture because it is fairly typical of our walks. I walk around and take pictures of leaves and Luke (who you can see in the background) throws rocks or seeds or acorns or whatever he can pick up at random targets. You can tell that he's throwing something here (especially if you click on the picture to make it bigger).

October 29, 2009: Today was the dreaded endoscopy day. It actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting (surprise, surprise...). And I got these cool pictures of the inside of my stomach.

October 30, 2009: Meet Harold the Pumpkin. Friday night we got our pumpkin and carved it. We actually had to search for him! When we got to Shoppers they were out. So we had to drive to Aldi for this little guy. I know he doesn't look to smart, but he sure is happy! And that's really what it's all about, right?











October 31, 2009: As previously mentioned, we spend our Halloween apple picking, hay riding, yummy making and movie watching with our friends Jordan and Valerie. It was a good time.

November 1, 2009: A woman in our church went to a refugee camp on a mission trip a couple of weeks ago, and our church is getting together a bunch of musical instruments to send over to them for Christmas. For Sunday School my little kids and the older kids made some rhythm instruments out of plastic eggs and rice and made cards for the children in the camp. I meant to take a picture of the instrument-making, but I got pretty distracted by all the commotion, so instead you get this less cute, but still relevant, photo.

November 2, 2009: I walked out of work at 5:15, turned the corner onto V Street and there was the moon! It was beautiful! While I definitely prefer a night sky where you can see the stars, a full moon over a city street can also be a spectacular site.

November 3, 2009: It was a chilly morning as I walked to work and I thought that it might be almost time to break out the Christmas music. Then I saw people with Christmas Starbucks cups and it made the decision final. I broke our the Pandora acoustic holiday music station today. You have to give me some credit...usually Christmas music starts in late August/early September for me. I've held off for so long! And I haven't even listened to Christmas music with words yet...so, really, it doesn't completely count! After work I splurged on my own joy in a cup--a peppermint skim hot chocolate with whipped cream. I tell myself whipped cream is okay, since I got skim milk...but it doesn't really matter, because hot chocolate is joy in a cup and if it's joy calories don't count. Especially if it's served in a holiday cup.

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Apple picking. What I mean to say is that we were picking apples.*

Tonight we're listening to blue grass music. It's the perfect background music for writing this post.

Yesterday Luke and I went apple picking with our friends, Jordan and Valerie. There are two things that feel like a fresh breath of air to me--friends and being outside. Yesterday I got both. We drove about an hour out into Maryland, which is surprisingly rural and hilly. It was gorgeous. The skies were cloudy, which made the golds of the trees stand out more. And we headed out with some hot cider just in time to drive home in a chilly drizzle. We went back to Jordan and Valerie's apartment to beef stew and made apple salad, apple cake and biscuits with (store bought) apple butter. We watched It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown (our Halloween tradition), The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra (their Halloween tradition) and Shaun of the Dead (because we weren't ready to part ways quite yet). It was really a splendid day.

For me, there is nothing more relaxing and comforting to be known by people. To be able to have an afternoon with friends who know me enough so that I don't have to explain myself over and over again. I think that is one thing that I miss about Chapel Hill and my family. I was thinking about 1 Corinthians 13 today and how the end of it always baffles me. But there is this part that says that we are fully known by God. And that is extremely comforting to me now, for some reason. I was reminded this Halloween that last Halloween we were with our dear friends Liz and Amanda from Chapel Hill. This year we were with our friends Jordan and Valerie from DC. Maybe we are growing to be more a part of this place.

As we were carving our pumpkin on Friday night Luke and I were talking about where we were last year and where we are this year. Last year when we were carving our pumpkin we were struggling to figure out how we were going to pay rent, eat and survive. We were frustrated because we hadn't found a church or any resemblance of a community. I was battling nightmares about human trafficking. We had not idea what God had in store. But that week Luke got his job and we found Washington International Church (where we go to church now). This year we're still trying to figure out where God wants us. We got turned down from an apartment where we wanted to live. Our car has had a rough couple of months. And who really knows what's going on with my body. But Luke made the observation that maybe carving a pumpkin for us should be like our rainbow. A reminder that God is good and He knows what He has in store for us, even if we feel confused, lost and broken and a time to reflect on where God has brought us and the promises that He has kept. Because it is pretty incredible to see what He has brought us though, even though sometimes it's easier for that to get clouded by what we're struggling with now.

Anyway, I didn't mean to get all caught up in wandering thoughts. I really just wanted to share some pictures with you from apple picking yesterday!

Happy November, everyone!

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Heading into the orchard.

Pink Lady apples, which were little...more like Pink Girls.

A big ol' Granny Smith apple.

Yum, lots and lots of apples!

And a pumpkin patch!

And we took a hay ride! I love hay rides...

Over the river...

...And through the woods...

....to Betsy Ross we go? They had all of these historical pumpkin people like Betsy Ross, Paul Revere, George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr.

Golden leaves and green grass make for a perfect hay ride view.

Getting ready for a picture. I can't remember what we were laughing at here...

I promise, we did not coordinate our colors on purpose...

Luke looking at the goats and remembering where he came from.

They were enjoying this popcorn.

Making apple salad!

The essential tool for making apple-y goodness.

It peels and cores it! Plus the apple comes out looking like an apple-slinky. Could it get any better than an apple-slinky? I'll leave you with that thought.
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*PS. The title of this post is written in the style of the movie The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, which is a faux 1950's horror flick. It's wonderful and everyone should watch it.