My Life's Journey: Are you there spring? It's me, Alison

This semester has absolutely FLOWN by!! I cannot believe there are only 2 more weeks of school and then, except for writing up my research, I AM DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap.

Spring is having a little bit of trouble fully arriving in DC. We have had a few 80+ degree days, but they are mostly followed by days in the 50s with or without snow. Enough, I say!! I am ready for skirts and shorts already!

Spring break was half raining and cold and half beautiful, as seems to be the pattern we are going through. My girl Meagan and I enjoyed a jam-packed staycation while Jesse worked. Luckily, all of my classes had a break and I had NO HOMEWORK!! I literally did not think about school AT ALL during spring break. It was glorious!! So here's the rundown.

Monday: National Archives for Part 2 of the Civil War Exhibit and dinner at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. O.M.G. BEST chilidog I have EVER eaten. MMMM.....and then home to watch the Bachelor finale of course!

Tuesday: anniversary photos down at the tidal basin in the morning and Natural History Museum in the afternoon

Wednesday: Supreme Court lecture in the actual courtroom!! and Capitol tour from my neighbor David who works for a Congressman...he kept getting all upset because we are smart and knew the actual answers to the tricky questions he poses to constituents on tours :-p We went to the Millenium Stage at the Kennedy Center for 2 short films on Gandhi (every night at 6pm there is a free show at the Kennedy Center) We finished the evening with a free dinner at our favorite bar/restaurant Tonic

Thursday: back to the Capitol to visit the House gallery...while we were there some crazy old lady stood up and started yelling, interrupting the debate!!!! Then we got our green on and enjoyed a pint at McFadden's, another GW hotspot. I went home to be with Jesse and Meg continued to party in true St Patty's day spirit :)

Friday: a preview back into the real world, I had some patients to see at the Pentagon, so I went to work :-p but then afterwards I explored some of the exhibits in the hallways and learned some military history

After spring break the semester has gone pretty well. I feel very on top of things, which is nice. And Alfonso and I have been reading the Sunday readings on Thursday as our Lenten devotion. It's nice to discuss them beforehand and it makes the Mass so much more engaging on Sundays.

Last weekend Jesse and I went to the Cherry Blossom Festival. However, in contrast to last year when I went with Mom and wore shorts and sandals, this year it was freezing, raining, and hailing!!

Documentation of our 1st years of marriage in DC!

The first bed of tulips to bloom in the National Tulip Library!

We are doing well. Jesse will finish up his prerequisites for nursing school this summer and I am applying to jobs in the area. I didn't make it to the interview round for the CDC Fellowship I applied for, and am waiting to hear the response from an interview I had in Richmond in February.

Virginia Capitol Buidling, designed by TJ himself!

This is the most lifelike rendition of GW...they did a plaster cast of his face to get

the features correct and I believe it stands 6'1" as he did in real life. It sits in the Capitol Buidling.

Everything else I'm applying for is local. That way I can keep enjoying the city and Jesse can have in-state tuition. All you Californians do not know how good you have it with subsidized education, even with tuition increases!! Last year for Jesse's community college courses we paid $1200!!! When I took 2 courses at Sac City it only cost me $60.

my sweeties

Spring has finally decided to show itself in our neighborhood and we can't wait for it to fully bloom! We are ready to pack our scarves and gloves up and start leaving the house in short pants and sandals!