{the} Messiah--aka: Handel's Messiah

Friday night I got lucky :). My roommate Julie asked me to be her "date" to see Handel's Messiah at the National Cathedral. Amazing! This was a triple first for me: first up-close-and-personal with the Cathedral, first ever hearing the Messiah performed live in its entirety, first time hearing the National Cathedral choir--those little kids are phenomenal. The evening was beautiful.

December 1st

I am still jobless and it was a beautiful, sunny day. The trees are stubbornly holding onto the last of their yellow leaves which makes a glorious contrast against the dark, wet bark. To make the most of circumstance, I forced myself outside and onto the metro. Coming up the escalator from dankness into the fresh air at the Smithsonian stop brought back a rush of nostalgia (it can still be nostalgia after just six months, right?). The last time I stopped there (it was also my first DC metro ride ever) was this summer and at the top I waited for a new friend who walked me around the Mall (that's where the monuments are). That day changed my life. I'm looking forward to someday writing about the details of that day, but not today.

Today I felt similar feelings the first time I walked through the monuments: overwhelm, awe, pride, patriotism, gratitude...just to name a few. I decided this day that one of the reasons I love this city with all of its history and charm is because everything is meaningful stated and meaningfully placed. I stared up at Abraham Lincoln, watchful over our Nation's capital, pained at the thought of that meaning degraded and overlooked. Pained again as I watched a tourist throw his cigarette butt on the ground and grind it into the street with his heel. What a poignant representation of everything that is taken for granted.

I think of the prophesied day that the Constitution will hang by a thread. Dread for that day, and yet excitement for what it will hasten.

In All Things Give Thanks...

I almost declined the invitation to join a few of my new roommates and their friends at a cabin in West Virginia for the Thanksgiving weekend. I had visions of cooking a Cornish game hen for myself and spending the holiday alone in my new home, wallowing in self-pity, missing my family, wondering why I had moved so close to the holidays. But, I didn't. I accepted and am so glad that I did. It turned out to be just what I needed.


My new friend Joni made an amazing apple cranberry pie and a pumpkin cheesecake. She also produced some yummy slushy punch and a red jello/pudding/whipped creamy fluff that made our Mormon Thanksgiving complete.

Loving right now

I'm sitting at my kitchen counter and just thinking of a few things that I love about my life right now...

1. My uber-musical roommates. Two are currently at the piano playing Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker together and it's pretty amazing.

2. My new neighborhood. I went for two walks today. One short walk to return some tools I borrowed from Tim's basement (thanks again!) and a longer one with my roommate Niki. It's such an amazing neighborhood. We passed four parks and lots of people raking up leaves. The trees are huge! My sweater smells like autumn--you know that brisk fall air and how it seeps into your clothing and hair if you spend any amount of time outdoors? It's pretty great too.

3. Having roommates that like to cook and bake. We had Sunday dinner together--beef stew with potatoes, carrots, butternut squash, and corn. Oh, and fresh bread. There are two kinds of lemon bars in the oven right now. My roommate Leanna is testing them to see which one she wants to make for her boss's birthday (and they are playing the waltz of the flowers now).

4. This one is probably the most significant. In sacrament meeting today I started writing in a new moleskin which seems appropriate as I begin this new chapter of my life. I recently received some pretty straightforward, divine instruction to be better at keeping a journal and today I realized, in part, why it is so important. So many times I get answers to questions as I write about how I'm feeling. Today I was writing about a nervousness I've been feeling about upcoming significant events that have the potential of changing my life forever. As I wrote, that nervousness dissipated and was replaced by excitement, joy and so much love. Even now as I'm typing this, I feel a little overcome. I am so excited for the future.

I guess this post is appropriate as I start this week of Thanksgiving. I have so much to be grateful for. So much that I don't deserve. The closing hymn in our meeting today was For the Beauty of the Earth. I could barely sing the last verse. For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gently thoughts and mild, Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise.