Richmond & Furniture

First off, I wanted to mention that we got a few pieces of IKEA furniture for the apartment. They are both for our living room-- our third and last bookshelf, a coffee table, and a sofa table (that my mom bought us for Christmas). Our place has come a long way. We moved in with no furniture at all and although we still have a far way to go, I'm loving our apartment thus far.

On another note, we had the privilege of being invited to attend one of my good friends from high school's engagement party in Richmond two weekends ago. Judy and I have been friends since meeting in sixth grade and Andrew and I have had the chance to hang out with her and her fiance Andrew from time to time when we're both in the same city. It was also a great chance for us to take a little time to ourselves and do something fun in another city. We ended up going down to Richmond Friday night and hung out with my friend Wes. The next day we went and ate brunch and explored Richmond. We went on a tour of the VA State Capitol, visited a famous church (St. Paul's Episcopal if I remember correctly), and did a few other things. It wasn't that I haven't been to Richmond... I grew up in Virginia Beach and went to Richmond plenty of times.. but I never got to take the time to actually do something related to the history of the capitol. Overall we had a great weekend and were grateful for the chance to be able to spend it with amazing friends. We wish Andrew and Judy all the best with the remainder of their wedding preparations and can't wait to attend their fall wedding!

House Chamber

VA State Capitol

Pews

Church

Old Town Hall.. doesn't this photo look photoshopped?

Breathtaking

Governors Mansion

Richmond is full of old factories

Bag of chips frozen in a lake

Coldest day of the year thus far

The house where the engagement party was

Very elegant

Orientation re-cap

So last night I attended orientation for my new Masters program. I just have to say that I am now so much more excited than before... it really is such a perfect fit for me! I met a lot of people there who have similar interests as me, and so far it seems that the professors are great! The head of the whole program is a guy whose focus is on genocide prevention and peacebuilding... my passion. I am super excited to start classes next Wednesday and to take in all this program has to offer me. I really do feel like this is what I'm meant to be doing. Lately I've been reflecting a lot about the past few years of my life... George Mason was my safe-school when I was applying for colleges in 2005. In 2005 I had wanted to pursue pre-med at college, and was looking into schools that had great science courses... but then I took AP Government my senior year (2004-2005) and we focused on the presidential election (Bush v Kerry) and I became so intrigued with studying government and politics. I had always been interested in that subject (really since Civics class in 8th grade) but never thought there were careers for me in it. My understanding back then, being from Virginia Beach and all, was that the only kind of career I could have that would involve me in this subject was to run for office. I did not understand the life I now live.. who knew there were so many different options for people to work with the government? Who knew there were all these contractors, private organizations, non-profits, international organizations, etc that I could work for! I had options... and I only came to realize that AFTER I moved to Northern VA. But to backtrack, after being accepted and visiting George Mason, I realized that I really did have a passion for studying government and politics, and decided Mason was the best fit for me (even though I only had applied there to guarantee myself acceptance to at least one school).

After coming up to Northern Virginia in 2005, my life has just been go-go-go. My first college course was Introduction to International Relations, taught by Professor Brigety. We had rougly 100 students in our class, and it was SOOO hard. We had a quiz every class, had about 2-3 chapters (roughly 60-80 pages a night) PLUS about 2-3 theory packets (15-20 pages each) and you had to know every capitol on a continent and 1 surrounding border for each. For a freshman in college, this was a wake up call. Then came our mid-term... we had about 200 questions, all fill in the blank. Most of it was a definition or a term and then you had to give either the term (for the definition) or the definition (for the term). I studied all semester, but then stayed up 48 hours and studied non-stop before the mid-term... and it paid off. I got a 92, the 3rd highest grade in the class. I was so happy that I did well in that class... even though people were failing left and right. I say all this because my teacher was hard but INCREDIBLE. He was so intelligent and had a way of getting us engaged and involved in what we were learning. It was in this class that my love for Rwanda started to blossom. We looked at a lot of conflicts, specifically Rwanda and Somalia and looked at the role the US played in both and why. Because of the intervention in the Somalia conflict, and failure of it, the US had little to no interest in getting involved in the genocide in Rwanda... and because there were no US interests there... Where would I be right now if I had decided not to come to Mason and take that class and teacher? I would not be so in love with Rwanda or have taken a trip there, that is for sure... and I know that.

After that I did an internship on the Hill, which then led me to do one at the WH, which then led me to do one at a transportation consulting firm in Fairfax (where I had incredible co-workers and bosses), which then led me to go to Rwanda for an internship... which then led me to do my Masters in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. I really do believe that this was the plan that God envisioned for me. We always talk in church about how the Holy Ghost will help guide you in the right direction, and that it is only if you do your own preparation first that it will all work out. I have put in my time and energy into getting these opportunities, but I recognize the fact that I could not have done them on my own. Because I come from such a troubled past I could resort to living a care-free life where I blame my past for my present problems. But I deserve better, and I know that. I am so so grateful for the decisions that were made back in 2005 that led me to where I am now. It really would have been a different story had I gone out west to BYU for school, or had I not been on a wait list for JMU... or had I decided to pursue a pre-med degree. I am grateful that I followed my heart and listened to the Spirit. THIS is where I should be and I'm following my passion. Yes, there are days when I think I will never get to where I ultimately want to be, but I believe in myself and that will take me far (I believe). Maybe that is naiive, but I really do believe that NO MATTER WHAT your circumstances, you can overcome them and make something better of yourself. You have to believe in yourself and have confidence in your abilities... I know this from experience.

Grad School Orientation

I'm excited. Tonight is my grad school orientation.

MLK

So since it is MLK day, and I'm a hugeeee MLK junkie, I figured I'd share one of my favorite quotes from his Letter from Birmingham Jail. Here it is!

"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct-action campaign that was 'well timed' in the view of those who have not suffered unduly from the disease of segregation. For years now I have heard the word 'Wait!' It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This 'Wait' has almost always meant 'Never.' We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that 'justice too long delayed is justice denied.'"

Time flies!

Tomorrow Andrew and I will have been married for 5 months to the day... and 2 days ago we realized that we had been engaged for 1 year and 5 months.... and next month on the 28th it will be 2 years since me and Andrew met.... time has been flying!

Anticipation

Andrew started school yesterday... it is his last semester before he earns his Associates in Administration of Justice.

And in just 15 days I will be taking my first graduate class.. the first of many. I am really excited and nervous. I already looked up my books.. 10 books. I guess that's really not that bad for two graduate classes. I know it will be okay but I'm still unsure of what to expect. I know that I will be fine. I live for this stuff.

I started learning French. I had a $15.00 free groupon from signing up and I used it to get 1 free month of French at livemocha.com. I'm still on the first lesson, but I am surprised at how easy it is to learn because I already have 6 years of the Spanish language under my belt. I might not be the best speaker, but I can easily recognize similar words and patterns between the two languages. Learning Spanish first has made this process a lot easier for me. I know that learning French will benefit me not only with my new French family I inherited when I married Andrew but also if I want to work with Rwanda or central Africa for my career. I am also trying to find somewhere that can teach me Kinyarwanda. I know about 60 words (I counted after I left Rwanda). There is no formal language course or textbook for this language, which makes it difficult. One more reason I wish I had stayed longer... if anyone knows about anything, please let me know.

When I get these two languages under my belt and a Masters in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, I will be ready to start a lifetime career in International Development. I am confident in that.


Anyways, that's all for now. Nothing really big going on with us. Just a lot of time spent with friends and family... and preparing for the next chapter in our lives.

2010 Recap & New Years

As I have said many many times in my blog, 2010 was a fabulous year for me. There were a lot of low points and the economy could have been better, but overall I think 2010 was my favorite year thus far...and here is why.

1. I graduated from George Mason University with a BA in Government & International Politics, a minor in Public Policy & Management.
2. I took my first out of country trip (it was my home for 4 months, not technically a trip), and first trip to Africa. I visited 3 countries while I was there: Rwanda, Uganda, & Burundi
3. I went on my first safari. I did this while in Rwanda at Akagera National Park. I saw buffalo, antelope, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys, cranes, and many other mysterious creatures.
4. I went whitewater rafting for the first time... on THE NILE! What an experience!
5. I trekked through the Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda and spent 1 hour with gorillas in the wild, including a 700 lb. silverback gorilla and 20 + other gorillas. 
6. I took my first bucket shower (cold water might I add), and proceeded to do so for the whole 4 months I was in Rwanda. Never knew such simple luxuries such as a shower or warm water would mean so much to me. 
7. "Adopted" two kids in Rwanda, a boy and a girl. The girl is Clementine and the boy is Sam. I pay my co-worker Julius, who runs an organization called Help Life Rwanda, who uses the money to pay their school fees and also pay for their expenses while at school. It's pricey, but I am blessed to be making a difference in their lives. I love them.
8. I went with my siblings to a family reunion in Hurricane, Utah, and while out there visited my dad, half-sister, and half-brother in Las Vegas. We hiked in Snow Canyon and Zions, went rock climbing, and spent time at my grandparents house in Hurricane and aunt/uncles log cabin near Zions.
9. I planned a wedding... enough said. That is probably the most time-consuming task of 2010 and I should be proud for the work I put in!
10. I got endowed on August 7th as did Andrew. Because he did not serve a mission, we had the privilege of sharing this experience for the first time together.
11. I got sealed in the Washington DC temple on August 14th to the love of my life Andrew.
12. Andrew and I had a killer wedding reception with friends and family. The venue (Bristow Manor), the service, the decorum, DJ, everything was just so perfect. Every single one of my friends that I invited attended. I was blessed to have such a wonderful wedding day.
13. I took my 2nd out of country trip, but this time to Montego Bay, Jamaica for our honeymoon. We stayed at a high-end and new resort called Secrets Wild Orchid. We had a wonderful time relaxing on the beach, especially after all that wedding planning.
14. We moved to Alexandria, Virginia. We got an apartment together, bought all new furniture, and pay rent as a couple.
15. I got a job.. finally! Even though I am getting paid hourly, I'll take what I can get in this economy.
16. I got into graduate school! This was the biggest relief to me because I had only applied to one program and one school. I was going to wait to apply to more schools for the fall term. Fortunately I was accepted to George Mason and I will be pursuing a Masters of Science in Conflict Analysis & Resolution.
17. I got my first church calling. Andrew and I were called to be on the activities committee in our ward.
18. We were released from our first calling because the activities committee was dissolved. We are now serving our second calling on the New Member Fellowship Committee.

I think that's enough firsts for us for awhile . I kept telling everyone that the only thing missing from this year was a baby! But don't worry, that won't be for a long time. Actually, I just thought about that and technically I do have "kids" because I "adopted" two in Rwanda (pay their school fees)

For New Years Eve we hung out with a bunch of couples from our ward. We played games and ate food. It was a lot of fun. We were in the middle of a tied up Catch Phrase game when we had to leave in order to get back to Fairfax before midnight. We rushed over to Fairfax and arrived at 11:52 PM. We got in our New Years kiss and spent the rest of the night with Matt, Brett, Mesia, and some other family friends. Since it was Matt's (Andrew's brother) last night in the area, we didn't want to miss spending time with him. We ended up spending the night over there and headed home in the morning. New Years Day we ran errands, took down the Christmas decorations, cut up and disposed of our Christmas tree, and relaxed. A little Mario and Donkey Kong on the wii was probably included in there somewhere too. :)

As for New Years resolutions, I never make them. I don't like it when people set their standards so high and then it is just that much more depressing and disappointing when you screw up and/or don't reach your goal. However, there are a few things that I would like to focus on more this year, and that I know will make me happier in the end.

• Reading my scriptures more often. We had a lesson on Sunday in church about this and it really got me thinking. I don't read my scriptures daily and I tend to do other things, like watch TV or play wii, that take away precious time that I could use to read the scriptures.
• Say daily prayers and fast every fast Sunday. A lot of times I forget both of these things. Because I have been out of the habit of doing it, it is hard for me to remember. This is something I need to work on.
• Writing in my journal. There were times in my life when I was really good at this. Even if I blog, that would be better than nothing.
• Visiting the temple. It's sad to say, but we've only been back to the temple once since we got married, and that was for our friends sealing. I keep telling Andrew that we live so close and are so privileged that we HAVE to take time out to visit the temple. It will only strengthen our testimonies and give us blessings.
• Participate in charity work once a month.First I need to find one that suits us as a couple.
• Have the missionaries over more often. We have them coming over this Friday, so that's a start.
• Expand my knowledge. I've been meaning to learn how to make pottery, play the banjo, and expand my current knowledge of African dance. I also want to, and need to, learn French and more Kinyarwanda.
• Write my "kids"-- the two Rwandan children that I pay school fees for-- more often.
• Get on a good workout plan. I really should kick my butt into shape and start this p90x plan for good. This means eating better, drinking water only, and sticking to a routine.
• Get a better job...salary & benefits. Anyone know of anything?
• Be a better wife. I'm not saying I'm a bad wife or anything, but we can always put more time and energy into the ones we love. I'm still new at this whole marriage thing.

There you have it. I hope that by the end of 2011 I will have accomplished some of these goals. We shall see.

Our honeymoon

Sealing at the DC Temple

Endowment at the DC Temple

My bridal shower (pictured with my sister Aubrey)

Hiking in Utah

With my sisters Mariah & Aubrey hiking at a family reunion

Me rock climbing in Utah

At Red Rock Canyon hiking with my sisters in Nevada

Our new apartment complex!

Me in Rwanda chillin with a 700 lb silverback gorilla

One of the most amazing people in my life.. my friend Taima from Rwanda

On Saga Beach in Burundi (Africa)

Unprofessional engagement photos

In love

Graduation

So glad my whole family was there

Christmas

So I wanted to do a whole separate post about just Christmas. Andrew and I were fortunate enough this year to spend Christmas with both his and my families. His parents live in Fairfax, his brother and wife in Centreville, and two of his brothers flew in from Phoenix and SLC. My mom and two sisters also came up from Virginia Beach for three days. We went over to Andrew's parents house on Christmas Eve and had a nice dinner with just family, a tradition that our family practices, but his usually reserves for Christmas day. We played games, sang songs, and had a mini Christmas devotional. It was very nice and relaxing. My sisters, my mom, Andrew, and I spent the night at our apartment in Alexandria. The next morning we woke up and headed back over to his parents house to open presents and eat a traditional Weber Christmas breakfast, which includes smokies, cinnamon buns, and eggs. We spent the remainder of the day at their house, playing games, and only went home to Alexandria to get ready for the day (since we spent the majority of the day in our PJ's). We then headed back to Fairfax for a smaller dinner with a few of his parents close friends from the Fairfax ward. We played more games, ate more food, and went home.

Onto the gifts. It was really exciting this year for me because I knew what Andrew wanted for Christmas. He had been talking about p90x a few months back and the idea of getting the DVDs and a pull-up bar. I had been very adamant about not getting a pull-up bar because it would ruin the "decor" of our house. He then proceeded to tell me that there is a detachable pull-up that we can store in the closet... I still put my foot down and said that we would not be getting a pull-up bar and that he could use the pull-up bar at the gym. Multiple times throughout the past few months he has brought this up in arguments and around his family to gain their support. Everyone was beginning to think I was crazy and controlling. But little did they know that I was a schemer. On Christmas day his last two presents were p90x and a pull-up bar. He was in complete shock but finally realized that I was normal, after all.

Also less exciting, I got him a water bottle, a DVD, and a sweater.

For me, he got me some items from Rwanda (through Macy's). I got a gigantic Rwandan flag, a Rwandan fruit basket, and a bracelet.

Hope you all had a great Christmas too! We are so blessed we can share our first married Christmas story with you.

Our first tree (yes, it is real)

A card my mom gave me in 2007. I found it & though I'd be a tradition to display it around Christmas

Andrew assembling his pull-up bar

Andrew and 3 of his brothers (Matt, Jeremy, & Brett)

Updates

So I haven't been doing too good about keeping up with my blog, but I promise to get better!

I wanted to start off by updating everyone on our lives. Andrew starts back at NOVA for his final semester in a week, and I start my graduate program in 3 weeks. Andrew is also doing his monthly training, preparing for boot camp which he will attend in about 5-6 months.

We had a leak in our bedroom ceiling for the past few weeks. We, fortunately, were able to have it repaired... but not after waking up to a flooded room (multiple times!). We are thankful it is finally resolved and we can move on.

I did a craft for Relief Society a few weeks ago. Since I had missed the craft night a month ago, I finished it on my own. Fortunately for me (a non-crafty person), the online website the sisters used was very simple. The final product is below and the link to the website is here: CRAFT PROJECT

Also, Andrew and I both are starting the p90x videos. Since I got it for him for Christmas, I decided I was in need of it too. I did four days, and then there was New Years Eve and all the distractions came and I stopped.. but I intend to re-start the program again and I'm going to stick with it completely this time. New Years Resolution.

Our bedroom

Finally done!

We just bought those fake flowers from Michaels

Love our mirror from TJ Maxx for $30.00

Couch and bookshelves. Not too much in this room.

Kitchen

More kitchen

Dining room

We also have finished furnishing our bedroom. For awhile I was adding things here and there, but now it is a complete look and I can rest easy. We still have a LONG way to go on the rest of the apartment... we have so much room and no furniture! But that will just take time and money. I have posted pics below of our place. We've been here for 4 months now and it's finally looking settled in... somewhat.

Well I start back at work tomorrow. So long vacation!

The heart shaped felt wreath that I made

Leaking ceiling

You can see condensation on the ceiling if you look closely