We’re taking a break from the England posts for a DC update. I’ve been living here about two months now, and I think somewhat to my own surprise, I’ve been enjoying it immensely. This is largely due to the people I’m with every day (virtual hug to my fellow interns!), but even so, I’ve felt many positive effects of doing something completely new and different after living in the same state for the majority of my life. So, here are a few things that I figured most of you might be interested in reading about or would like to be updated on. 

Reminder on What I’m Doing
I’m currently interning with the Family Research Council and am specifically assigned to the media department. What this entails looks different from day to day. So far, I’ve helped check in news crews (yes, like TV reporters!) for a big event we put on, researched statistics, transcribed audio material, and more. The variety has definitely been a good thing for me! But as I briefly mentioned, the best part has been the people I’m with. We all work together and many of us live together, so how fortunate that we all seem to like each other fairly well :) We are all very different and come from many backgrounds and experiences, and it’s been so beneficial for me to have each of them in my life right now. I’ve learned lots from all of them thus far and am very thankful. My new church has also been a Godsend, which is a huge relief. I’ve been reminded how nerve-wracking it is for me to walk into a church where I may not know a soul, so it’s been refreshing to be in a gospel-centered place with kind and welcoming people.
The group! Still were getting used to each other at this point...
And now sometimes we just so happen to match

What I Love About DC 

The History 
It’s well-known that as the nation’s capital, DC is chock-full of history, and that’s been this history nerd’s dream. There’s something pretty refreshing to me about walking the monuments and reflecting on so many significant milestones in our history. Times are scary right now, but God’s faithfulness is evident when I think about all we’ve come through so far.




The People 
The variety of people in this city is fascinating. This is one area where DC contrasts quite starkly with my hometown of Birmingham. DC is a pretty transient city – people move in and out all the time, so the population is constantly shifting and the current residents have likely not been here more than a few years at most. Birmingham residents are often originally from there, grew up there, and will live there for the rest of their lives. Though I love Birmingham’s relaxed pace and family-friendly atmosphere, it’s been exciting to interact with such a diverse crowd in the two months I’ve been here. Among the other interns, there are two from the DC area, one from Florida, one from Chicago, one from Ohio, and one from Philadelphia. I’ve met people from California to Texas and everywhere in between. I’ve even had the chance to have a nice chat with a newspaper reporter from Norway. Talk about cool. 

Fall 
Y’all. Fall is a REAL THING here. Not like four or so days of below-80-degree-weather and briefly red leaves before they turn ugly brown. Oh, no. DC SHOWS UP for fall. It’s a legit AUTUMN and I cannot get over it. It’s been in the sixties for the past two weeks, the trees are brilliant oranges and reds and yellows, and the leaves are falling in glorious, crunchy little piles. Can it stay?



Walks 
My calves should be in killer shape by now, just saying. Walking and public transportation are the more popular modes of transport than cars, and I’ve honestly enjoyed it. I walk to and from work, walk to church, walk to the convenient store, walk to the cute local bookshop, and walk just about everywhere else. It’s definitely been different, but I’m glad for the exercise and have really savored the many opportunities to breathe the fresh air and listen to a good podcast or audiobook. 

What I Don’t Love About DC 

Parking 
Translation: there is none. Anywhere. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But it’s a real pain to try to park anywhere in the city, as a friend and I discovered recently. The signs with the rules can be highly confusing, plus, traffic is terrifying. Newcomers and tourists, beware. 

Grocery shopping 
That said, the times that I really wish I did have a car here are the times that I go to the grocery store. A ten-minute walk to the store isn’t that far, but it certainly feels a LOT farther when you’re walking back and feel like your arms are being pulled from their sockets by the heavy bags. I’m still getting the hang of figuring out when to get what so I don’t have to buy the heavy stuff all at once. It’s tricky, but I’m working on it. 

The Metro 
As vital as the metro is to this city, I admit that I’m not a huge fan of it. The utter crush of humanity on it at certain hours of the day can be a little frightening, and I’d generally just prefer to be above ground where there’s breeze, air conditioning, personal space, and sunlight. 

The Scarcity of Chick-fil-A 
Sigh. I write this having not eaten Chick-fil-A in two months and it’s breaking my heart. They are here, but they’re all too far away from my normal routes to make stopping in regularly possible. Chipotle may be on every other street, but that hardly makes up for the lack of the hallowed fast food called Chick-fil-A. I’m scheming on how to get it soon though, and I already know where my first stop will be when I go home for Christmas. 

That’s all for now! If you have any must-sees from DC that I should hit soon, please let me know! Much love to Birmingham from up here :)
Hello from Washington DC! Since last writing, I now have under my belt: a trip to England, a pile of British souvenirs, a move to Washington DC, a new internship begun, many new friends, and a few books read (though likely fewer than I’d prefer). It’s been a whirlwind last few weeks full of various excitements and difficulties, but I’m grateful for it all. It was truly a dream to travel to England after having wanted to for so long, and though Washington DC is overwhelming in many ways, I’m so glad to be here and to now know the people I’m working with. They have already encouraged and challenged me in such unique ways and I can’t wait to make more memories with them this semester.

For now, here are a few pictures to summarize the last few weeks speedily. More posts are coming, never fear! I promise I wouldn’t pass up the chance to show off my detailed pictures of Westminster Abbey and Jane Austen’s House :) But with so much having happened lately, I wanted to do a speedy catch-up first and then go back through slowly. So, welcome to the whirlwind version of the past few weeks of my life.
Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, England. It played Pemberley in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice. What a dream world!
Oxford's Radcliffe Camera, a library only open to students.
Welcome to Downton, everyone... what a dream come true to walk in the footsteps of Lady Mary herself ;)
Hello London!
Pretty neat that I now see this every day as I walk to and from work
My fellow FRC interns for the semester!
Stay tuned! Detailed England posts are coming soon!

Hello! I mentioned recently that I’d be heading to Boston with my family soon because of a conveniently placed business trip for my dad. He graciously brought my mom and brother and me with him and allowed us to enjoy the city for a few days. It wasn’t long before I knew I’d want to return to Massachusetts one day. Boston, Cambridge, Rockport, Lexington, Concord… there is so much to see and so much history in this state! I loved all that I got to see this time and look forward to one day seeing more. I hope you enjoy the highlights here!

I’ve always liked a good skyline picture, and I was glad for the chance to get this one when we took a ride on the Charles River. This is the Boston skyline; I thought the sailboats were nice accents. The Charles River runs between Boston and Cambridge, and there was always plenty to see on both sides. Both are beautiful cities brimming with life, business, history, and innovation. 

But as may be expected, history nerd that I am, I enjoyed the heavily historical sites most. Lexington, Concord, and the Freedom Trail point sharply to our nation’s beginning, and I was grateful for a glimpse of the events that were so foundational to it. We visited Lexington and Concord early in the trip, and the guide on the bus tour we did gave us a detailed look at the first battle of the American Revolution via superb narration as the bus took us to corresponding places of significance. Later in the week, we stopped at a few places on the Freedom Trail. It felt odd but still made me thankful and somewhat reverential as I thought of battles that unfolded on the very places we stood and of the famous people who had walked in the various buildings we toured. They can seem distant and other-worldly when talked of today, but walking where they walked brought their lives, work, and humanity to the center of my mind, and I was grateful. 

The battle green where the first major battle of the American Revolution took place
The tavern where the militia hid, regrouped, etc. on the night of that first battle
On display inside the tavern. All original items from the 1700s. The vest belonged to John Hancock!

The Old North Bridge in Concord, location of the Battle of Concord, which took place on the first day of the American Revolution. According to tradition, this is where "the shot heard 'round the world" was fired. The famous Minute Man statue stands at the end.
Inscriptions on the memorial statue and the Minute Man Statue at the bridge
Paul Revere's house on the Freedom Trail. Many items original to his family are still preserved inside, including many things he made while in trade as a silversmith.

Our second stop on the Freedom Trail: the Old North Church, where lanterns were hung to signal the approach of the redcoats to Paul Revere. Upon seeing them in the tower, he rode to Lexington to warn the people.
Inside the church. The pipe organ was gorgeous.

Also inside the church. Seeing this was one of those moments that kind of just makes you stand back in awe for me.
But perhaps my favorite stop of the whole trip was a quaint old 1860s house on a quiet street in Concord – the home of Louisa May Alcott, or Orchard House, as it’s formally named. Louisa May Alcott’s classic book, Little Women, was a staple in my girlhood and teen years, so it was a joy to see the place where this author lived and wrote her masterpiece. So many artifacts and treasures have been preserved, including Louisa May Alcott’s writing desk and many of her sisters’ possessions, a wedding dress and piano among them. I loved every bit of it and was so happy for the chance to feel like I was stepping back in time and seeing a tiny piece of this cherished author’s life. 



My souvenir from Orchard House. I've been eyeing this edition for a while, and now I can say I got it at the place it was written. Could hardly pass up that opportunity!
Have you ever been to Boston or other places in Massachusetts? What should I make a point to do the next time I'm there? I'd love to hear!
This past weekend, I had the sweet chance to visit my friends Josh and Heidi in Mobile, Alabama. Though this is still the same state as my hometown of Birmingham, Mobile is the extreme south of Alabama, so the 4-hour drive is a decent distance and I was excited to have the time for it. The last time I’d seen Josh and Heidi was at their wedding in May, so it was a fun reunion as well as a chance to see new places, which is always a bonus for me. For whatever reason, I’d always pictured Mobile as a very small town without much to recommend it, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! Located right on the Mobile Bay, the city has some beautiful views of the water and a thriving downtown life with excellent restaurants. We went to a small hole-in-the-wall type place downtown called The Royal Scam if you need a suggestion – highly recommend! Their shrimp and grits were delicious! And this may sound strange, but the trees around town kept catching my eye. They’re quite big and have lots of wide, branching limbs and thick, hanging leaves. Quite authoritative and ancient looking, I think.

 The other thing I really liked about the area was the neighboring town of Fairhope. It’s situated just across the bay, and we got there by a lovely drive over a big bridge and then through a tunnel that runs under the water! It’s a beautiful little town. Many of the houses are old antebellum style, unique trees and foliage are everywhere, and the constant breeze from the water is wonderful. Heidi and I walked on the pier, which was extremely windy, but enjoyable; there was a perfectly picturesque view of the Mobile skyline! We then walked in a positively charming downtown area. It’s pedestrian friendly and has all sorts of quaint little shops. Small surprise – I had requested we find the cute local bookstore. It didn’t disappoint either. Book lovers, this is your place! It’s called Page & Palette, and the environment is friendly, cozy, and it’s stuffed with books. Kind of reminded me of Shop Around the Corner from You’ve Got Mail. 
Thanks, Mobile and Fairhope. I think it’s safe to say I’ll be back. You’re both quite lovely and you house dear friends of mine…take care of them!
This was bound to happen – a post in honor of Auburn, Alabama, home of my alma mater, Auburn University. I was down there this last weekend for a wedding, and I took the opportunity to get some quality time with downtown’s most iconic locations. It was a stroll down memory lane as I snapped pictures of these places that hold part of my story and the stories of countless other people who passed their college years here.



Ah, Samford Hall. I wonder how many moments in time have been captured in pictures on your charming lawn. How many hammocks have been strung up in your surrounding trees by this time? How many pickup Frisbee games, graduation photo sessions, proposals, “study” groups, picnics, formal entourages, and friendly midnight talks have you witnessed? This place is certainly the most symbolic of Auburn in all its beauty, history, and tradition. I had a bit of a déjà vu as I lingered here, as it was the first time I’d done more than drive past it since graduation last year. It made me reflect with a smile on my college years at Auburn. The downtown area of the city is the center of many a college experience, mine being no exception.

To be honest, I wasn’t sold on Auburn when I arrived there as a nervous little 18-year-old. Far from it, in fact. But I’m glad I went despite my rebellious heart, because Auburn won me over eventually. It has a way of attracting some of the nicest people on earth, and I’m so thankful to now know so many of them who also found their way there. Throw in some Toomer’s lemonade, spring picnics on Samford lawn, and weekend strolls through this picturesque little town, and I was a converted Auburn girl. It’s hard not to smile as you drive or walk through downtown. Lined with buildings both quaint and modern, it has a little bit of something for everyone from the traditionalist to the hipster. And there really is nothing quite like cold lemonade and Blue Bell ice cream from Toomer’s on a warm day. Further from campus is the neighboring Opelika, where you have important things like Target, the movie theater, the mall, and favorite local eats like Niffer’s and Irish Bred Pub.

Thanks for the memories, Auburn. From downtown bike rides, to hammocking till after midnight on Samford, to rolling the trees at Toomer’s Corner, to swing dancing anywhere with enough space, to movies and formals with friends, you brought it. Part of my heart will always belong to this “loveliest village on the plains,” and my watering mouth will always be ready for a Toomer’s lemonade or the famous Niffer’s corn nuggets. Please and thank you.