1. For the first time in a year I'm back in DC! It occured to me today that this is the longest period I've been away from it in the last decade. It is so different than Oklahoma yet somehow I love them both. I think they are sort of representative of the duality in me. Oklahoma, more about friends, family, motherhood and DC more about career, lawyer, school. Its interesting and you know I love that all of that is me and that each blurs into the other place. I love being here and I'll love being home too.
2. Today, I ate dinner alone at Ardeo in DC. It is up near Cleveland park. It was nice to venture out of Foggy Bottom where I usually am when I'm here and into an area where I had plenty of memories. The restaurant was OK. I had roasted corn soup that was to come with shrimp in it as well. However, the first bite of shrimp was so cold in warm soup and I didn't really like that contrast. I think my favorite part was dessert - cider poached quiche with vanilla gelato. I'm not sure I've had quince before, but this was a perfect warm wonderful dessert for a slightly chilly spring evening.
3. Eating dinner alone is weird. I usually bring a book, but tend to people watch. I always feel like I'm being watched as well. At one point a mother, having dinner with a 20-something daughter, asked if I liked my book. I was reading The Piano Teacher and mentioned that it was for my book club. Interestingly, I discovered that she had just read it for her bookclub as well. Small literary world it appears. It also reminded me how many women I know are in such clubs. It is an interesting phenonmenon, but as we approach the one year mark for my little book club one that I'm enjoying.
4. Because I'm an ambitious bookclub girl (or one who knows she's short on time). I actually finished the June book The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on the plane up (even though the one I'm reading in the last section is the May book). This was a fascinating book. I really liked the writing style and the overall story even if it was, at times, a bit more greusome than I prefer. Beyond that, well, you'll have to wait until book club for my further thoughts as I'd hate to spoil the fun for the ladies.
5. This weekend we went to the farm and visited with my cousing Jason, his wife Jennifer and their three kids. Joel, the youngest, is about 4.5, but was a great playmate for B. It was so neat to watch all of them together and get to spend some time chatting with Jennifer. I love our extended family and wish we got to see them more often. They are really cool people!
6. As you may have read on my Mom's blog, B has been having lots of farm adventures. His favorites involve throwing things off the bridge and into the creek as well as any climbing up, around, over and through things on the banks near the bridge. He did extensive exploring with Uncle Able on Able's last visit and more with my Mom this weekend. He also loved our family tradition of running through the tall wheat along the little hidden paths. I secretly think he liked falling down the most, but it was fun to watch and a tiny bit tempting to fall into the wheat again myself. Meanwhile, Lady M took a three hour nap right when there were three other grown-ups around ready to help play with her... it is a conspiracy, I swear.
7. Lady M's appearance seems to be changing to me. Her face looks different. I'm not quite sure how and it is best when her hair is properly contained, but that little baby girl smile is adictive. She loves focused attention, jewelry, anything she can put in her mouth, cantaloupe, and recently lots more bouncy dancing. Such a fun little lady! (Yes, I owe you a full update soon...)
8. I went to my first "bow party" this week with the Edmond SAHM group. My babysitter Courtney was selling bows, hair clips, onesies etc. (She has a website called Funsie Onesie where you can see some ofher work). I loved her things and the prices are very reasonable. B actually seemed to have a great time with the kids and M enjoyed the toys as well. I didn't really feel like I gelled with the Moms though as they all know each other and I'm not so good at the inserting myself into existing friends group situations, but was glad I went to support Courtney. (Prayers for her are appreciated as she's watching both my kids and her own daughter all day Tuesday - Friday this week.)
9. Mother's Day was a tough one for me this year. My present didn't arrive and turned out to be flowers that came Monday as I was getting ready to leave Tuesday which was sad. I had to buy some work clothes as I don't fit into all of mine and was so frustrated by how far I still have to go in weight loss world, as usual. Also, I wanted to make M's Baptism invites, but we've somehow lost the cardstock I bought weeks ago so I couldn't finish them before I left. I don't know, it was just one of those days. We did have a lovely dinner with Brent's parents and some good relaxing time at there house which was one of the bright spots in the day, along with a sweet card that Brent and the kids made for me. B also made me a card and present at school and even wrote his name (I suspect he was helped, but very cool--- Will upload the scan of it when I get back to OK).
10. Going to try and just savor my trip up here. I want to experience the city again and not just sit in Foggy Bottom when the work day is done. I want to talk to my colleagues and friends and reconnect in a way that is hard via email or phone. I want to do a really good job and remind them why I'm worth the extra effort. I want to sleep deeply and relax after some tough weeks. Then, I want to be happily home and ready to tackle those much different challenges that await.
I'll be in touch and hope you all have a wonderful week!
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