Farewell

There's a small picture I have kept on my desk ever since my Mom gave it to me years ago. It says, "Live in such a way that there will be no regrets when someone else follows in your footsteps." On this, my final blog post before we leave metropolitain (that always makes me think of neopolitain) life for a more vanilla-flavored (or perhaps corn-flavored) life in the Heartland, this phrase comes to mind.

I think of it, because as I reflect back on the time since August 2003 (when I moved away from home for college), I can proudly say that I've lived a life I don't regret and would not be ashamed to have someone follow the path that I have taken. A quick review of what the last 8 years have held for me shows that I have married a man of great character, strength, wisdom and patience (he's put up with me for over 6 years of marriage now!); I've graduated from a fantastic little college (Hillsdale College) that's making a big splash the nation over; I've worked full time for a total of 3 years during which I've done everything from brush the inside of a toilet bowl to brush with celebrity; I've completed a masters degree at a University where I disagreed politically with most of those beside whom I studied, and consequently I learned SO much; I've lived and worked and commuted in one of the most populated, most difficult to drive in, most diverse areas in the nation, and I've loved it; and I think I'm most proud of the fact that through all these experiences, I haven't lost where I came from, who I am or what my personal goals are.

This last week of slowly saying goodbye to things has been particularly memorable. To celebrate (a little late) our last anniversary with out kids and as the start of our last week in the area, Chase and I went to a show at the Kennedy Center last weekend. We saw a small show called "The Reduced Shakespeare Company: Complete World of Sports (Abridged)." It was a troop of 3 guys mocking the sports world while attempting, in about 2 hours, to review the entire history of sports. After hours of watching Whose Line is it Anyway on our DVR, the fast, improv style of the show was just what we were after. We've had attending a show at the Kennedy Center on our Bucket List for quite a while, so it was good to check that off the list, and we never even thought to put "go on stage at the Kennedy Center" on the list... But that's exactly what Chase did! He, of all people, was pulled from the audience to be on stage for about 5 minutes! Because no photography was allowed, I don't have a picture of it, but here's the troop with whom he was up there:

That certainly made for a fun Facebook status update and kicked off our last week in style! On Tuesday I said a very fond farewell to American Target Advertising, Inc., the place I've been working for about the last year. Thus far, each place I've worked has come with its own unique challenges, but the challenges have always been balanced with fantastic coworkers and lessons both about work and about life that I've needed to learn. ATA was no exception. They have a crew of top notch employees there who showed the utmost patience and grace in teaching me anything and everything I wanted (and some things I didn't particularly want) to know about the art and science of direct mail advertising. It was a fantastic experience, and knowing the revolving door that is ATA (alumns tend to find themselves back there years and even decades later) who knows what the future holds!

After saying goodbye to my office and coworkers and spending a couple of days packing, Chase and I needed a break. So yesterday we headed into the city for one last full day of enjoying the sites and experiences that are so very much Washington, DC. We started out with a tour of the East Wing of the White House given by one of my Georgetown classmates. As we walked up to the main doors behind the famous columns, a gentlman slightly ahead of us kindly opened the door and motioned us through. And can you guess who it was?!?...It was this guy!!!!!!!!!:

...Yeah. Chase and I had no idea who he was either. Which is why it was a good thing that my friend giving us the tour did know! This is Timothy Geithner, a critical figure in today's political landscape and financial mess because he is the Secretary of the Treasury. HOLY COW! The Secretary of the Treasury held the door of the White House open for us!!! (No, I did not offer him any advice on how to solve the debt limit crisis. He'll just have to figure it out on his own.)

As if this brush with political fame wasn't enough, when we were touring through the beautiful rooms of the East Wing, the big dog himself came through! No. I'm not talking about the President... I'm talking about the one, the only, the First Dog, Bo, and I got to scratch his back! (At which point he must have sensed my conservative leanings, because he walked immediately and directly away from me, but still I got a scratch in!)

After such an exciting morning in the city, we had lunch at Union Station, visited Hillsdale's Kirby Center, toured the Library of Congress (which, by the way, is WAY cooler than I thought it would be. Why had I not visited there sooner?!?), and rounded out the site seeing with a private tour of the Pentagon.

I don't know what your impression of the inside of the Pentagon is, but Chase's and mine was that it was likely to be a bunch of halls, lined with a bunch of doors, behind which a bunch of military folk sit in a bunch of offices, and perhaps there was one really cool room with a big red button that, when pushed, could destroy any foe that dared to even think of attacking America. (Perhaps our impression of the interior of the Pentagon was influenced by Hollywood just a little...) The reality is that the interior of the Pentagon includes miles of hallway that are filled with the military history of our nation. It was fascinating! We spent 2 hours going through things and could easily have spent 2 days doing so. But happy hour called, so we polished off the day with some good food, good conversation and good friends from my Georgetown class. Sixteen hours after we left home, we returned feeling like we'd been very successful in saying farewell for now to this city.

As with so many things in life, we must take the good with the bad. Or perhaps better said, we must take those things we really want to do with those things that are going to be really hard to do. Despite knowing that we're moving home and that we're going to love it there and that it's precisely what we must do for ourselves and our family, I will absolutely miss this place. It's going to be really hard to leave. It has been an experience that Chase and I will forever look back on as one of great growth and years we'd gladly relive. And I'm proud to say that I leave here with no regrets - only wishes that time could stand still and the experience could last longer. But then again if that were the case, we'd never get to the next experience, and I'm getting anxious to meet the little tyke that reminds me so often that I have ribs that can double as punching bags...

Thanks to all who have played a part in making our time here so very special.

As soon as we get settled in and I get internet access at our new home, you can be sure I'll be continuing to post. But for now, farewell from DC, and farewell to DC.