Greetings from Washignton, DC

Hey Family!!!

So I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but Stace - what an awesome idea!! I have really been enjoying reading about what's going on in everyone's lives, I love it :) I also figured that if my mom can figure out how to post on a blog then I for sure could do it :) (Kurt - it took you 45 min.?!!! J/K)

ANYWAY - a little bit about what's going on with me - I'm still loving being out here, (in Washington, DC for those of you who don't know) and working on Capitol Hill. We just went into a recess so that means things will slow down a LITTLE bit for me. I am working for Pete Hoekstra, (MI, 2nd District) who is also the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. As I'm sure most of you are aware, intelligence issues are a pretty hot topic these days so we get a lot of calls and questions. Some days I think, wow, this is a pretty cool place to be, and other days - God and I have a lot of conversations about why He sent me here!! Other than that - I'm enjoying what I do and what I get to be involved with. I have a friend who works at the White House so he took me and a couple of my friends on a West Wing tour last weekend (my mom tells all my news) which was amazing. I got to see the Oval Office, where the Vice President's office is and where all the Cabinent Members meet for the regular morning meetings. I didn't get to see anybody really famous, but we did get to see Barney and Ms. Beasley (the Presidental dogs) playing in the Rose Garden :) I've been invited to attend a "Presidental Arrival" which is when the President comes back from a trip and he greets people getting off of the helicopter. I'll have to let you know how that goes :)

I have been taking a few small days trips here and there. In August I went out to the Eastern Shore in Maryland to Assateauge National Island Seashore (where all the wild ponies are) and camped with some friends for the weekend. The ponies DO actually come up to you (who knew!!) and they helped themselves to some of the food the guys had left on the picnic table, was pretty darn funny!! We got a few pictures which I'll post once I figure that out. I (of course) got a little more sun than I was hoping for, but now have a great tan after a fews days of peeling ;) For those of you in MI, I'm still getting 70-80 degree days here even though is October :) :) No complaints, I don't really miss the cold that much!! Although Stacey, your fall pictures did make me a bit homesick.... One really cool thing was I got to see some dolphins playing in the ocean, they were beautiful to watch. We saw 2 playing one morning and then 4 the next morning - was awesome. I also had an opportunity to go out to Ocean City, in Maryland for a day. It was pretty fun, we just hung out at the beach, played football and ate seafood. Levi came down a couple of weekends ago from Norfolk (the weekend of Hurricane Ernesto). He's about 2 1/2 - 3 hours away and drove through about 2 feet of water to get here. He stayed for the weekend and we went out to Shenandoah Valley to their county fair, It TOTALLY reminded me of the Hudsonville County Fair. They even had professional bull riding, which was cool to watch (made me think of going to watch Adam bull rider up in Morely - I remembered that feeling of "wow this is cool" and then"WHAT the heck was he thinking!!")

As to my living situation, I am currently living in a house that is basically 1 block away from Union Station, I love it here (there's a restaurtant 2 houses down and a coffee house owned by a local church right across the street that is great) but will have to move by the end of the year because the people who own it will be turning it into a deli. I think it'll be a little weird going back to a place I lived in and be eating in my bedroom.......anyway, I don't know where I will be moving to yet, but I am looking to stay on the Hill. I do have a roommate now (I've had a couple different girls who have stayed with me temporarily for a few months at a time) and the one who is currently living with me now will be moving back to NC. So, I have found another girl to live with and we'll begin the process again :)

Anway, I think that's it on this end for now - I'd love to hear from you all if you get a chance :)

Leah