(Almost) Scary Times in D.C.

Hey friends! Hope y'all have had a great weekend and were able to enjoy the beautiful fall weather. I have been on fall break since Wednesday at 4:30 (to be exact!) and am so thankful for the time I got to spend with family and friends. Classes start back tomorrow but after this post, it's back to reality as I have the privilege of reading a book and studying for a test. Yay!

My friends Daniela, Mallory, Morgan, and I went to D.C. for two nights over the break.  While we did some exciting shopping, eating, and sightseeing, and I definitely want to write about that later, I am dying to tell y'all of a couple instances when we could sense God's hand of protection during our trip.

Friday night, Morgan and I officially became women when we rode the metro all by ourselves! While I have been on the Metro and Subway several times, this was the first time I have rode without an adult. My daddy, specifically. Mallory's sister, Copeland helped us buy our tickets and down two floors we went to wait for the Orange Line labeled "Vienna."  Because our travels didn't require us to switch trains, we were relieved we could stay on the orange line until we reached our final destination, that was about a 30 minute ride away. Even though I was so excited for this little escapade with Morgie, it was nice to see a few familiar faces as we approached the platform to wait for our train. Rewind about 30 minutes. We had gotten dessert at a cupcake and a frozen yogurt place (yes, two desserts, but they were right next door to one another!)

and ran into two couples who were also eating cupcakes AND yogurt. (Side note: we started talking to them after I started singing the song "Summertime" by Rascal Flatts when I saw the "Summertime" flavored cupcake. One of them thought I was singing another song about summer so he started singing until we realized we were sing two completely different songs!) Anyway...It was nice to know someone else who would be getting on our train. Especially once one of they guys informed us they had seen a guy who looked really angry and had been yelling really loud that would also be getting on our train. Even though this angry guy was in the back and we were in the front of the car, it was easy to sense his rage and our new friend we met at the cupcake/yogurt shop seemed uneasy about him. He made sure to stand between us (Morgan and I) and the guy, in case something were to happen, and asked if we knew where to get off and if there would be someone to pick us up once we got off the Metro. Even though the angry guy got off at the next stop and there was no harm, Morgan and I were so thankful to have our new friends to watch out for us.  What are the odds we would meet these people, leave at different times from the cupcake/yogurt places, walk separate ways to the Metro, and then be getting on the same line at the same time and have them there to keep us calm about the possibly dangerous guy. We were reminded that God works out every detail of our lives and He was faithful to protect us and send these new friends our way!

Fast forward about 24 hours when the girls and I were headed home last night. We needed to stop and get gas so we stopped at a station that was not even sketchy...there was even another gas station next door.  It wasn't  even like we were in the middle of nowhere! Daniela, who was our wonderful driver, got out to pump gas. Morgan was sitting up front while Mallory and I were in the back talking to one another. Thankfully Morgan was looking around and being attentive because as soon as Daniela got back in the car she said "lock the windows" , "drive off!" Before I could even realize what was happening, two guys probably a little bit older than us, were walking towards our car and one of them was making a scary face at me as he put his hand on my car door. I don't know what his intentions were, but as soon as he realized Daniela had her foot on the gas he backed off and him and his friend walked off in the direction of the gas station next door. It all happened so quickly that I  feel like we didn't even have time to be scared until after it had happened. It was so weird because a girl had drove up and dropped them off right beside our car. It was too creepy and we were just so thankful that nothing bad happened. We thanked God for His protection once more and asked for His continued protection for the rest of the trip.

Wow...it was time to head back to North Carolina. Thank you Lord for Your protection and a great time in D.C.! More posts to come about shopping, eating, and sightseeing!

D.C. - Day 2!

Knowing that Monday would be a "free day" in which Daddy and I didn't  have any meetings to go to, I was looking forward to a day in D.C. with my family to do whatever we wanted! We had heard that Georgetown was a really neat area so we decided we would  head that way. We were planning on taking the metro to the nearest station and then walk into Georgetown but to my surpirse, my mom said she wanted to take a big red double decker bus instead! She usually doesn't like the very "touristy" things so I was caught off guard but knew it would be fun. :)

On top of the double decker bus! We saw a few sights and made a couple of stops before we headed over to Georgetown...

The Capitol

 Jefferson Memorial

 Washington Monument

 Julia Child's kitchen! (American History Museum)

 Michelle Obama's Inaugural dress!

 Dorothy's Slippers!

 Waiting for our bus to come back!

 Location of Reagan's Assassination

 Washington Cathedral (6th largest cathedral inr the world!)

 British Embassy

 Seeing the embassies of all the different countries marked the end of our double decker bus trip! It was actually so much fun to see the sights of Washington from atop because the weather was perfect and there was a wonderful breeze! One of our family friends Landon drove up from Richmond and met us in Ge.orgetown It was so funny because we saw him before he saw us so we had to opportunity to make ourselves look like the tourists we were and yell his name from the top of the bus as he stood embarrassed on the side of street. haha. As soon as I got off the bus I had to find a clothing store (thankfully there were plenty) because my outfit had conveniently ripped on who knows what! After buying a new outfit we made our way over to Georgetown Cupcakes  (known as D.C. Cupcakes on the TLC show) hoping the line wouldn't be too long. Unfortunately the line was too long to wait but I peeked in the windows and there were PINK cupcake boxes everywhere! Instead of a cupcake we posed for a picture and made our way to another delicious cupcakery called "Sprinkles." Their cupcakes were amazing but unfortunately we weren't able to get a picture because both cameras died!  I got Red Velvet, again, as well as a sticker for my collection!

In front of Georgetown Cupcakes!

After walking around in Georgetown for a while, it was already time to start heading back to our hotel, charge up the cameras, and head to dinner. The plan was to take the Metro but it was exactly five o'clock and the overwhelming amounts of business men and women anxiously trying to make their ways home called for a taxi ride instead. Once we made it back to the hotel we turned right back around to hop on the metro and head to dinner. I was so excited because my discipleship leader (who I have mentioned several times in past blogs :) is interning in D.C. this summer and we were able to meet her for dinner! We ate at a really neat place called Matchbox. It was so great to be able to catch up with Grace and especially to be able to introduce her to my parents because of the impact she has had on my life. :) 

Grace, me, and Landon at Matchbox.

After our bellies were full, Landon headed back to Richmond and Grace, my family, and I walked some of our dinner off. Grace, Kateleigh, and I did a little bit of shopping at H & M. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like their stores in D.C  have much cuter things than the one in Raleigh! After a little shopping  it was back to walking but this time to get some frozen yogurt at TangySweet. I really didn't need another sweet treat after a cupcake and dinner earlier but I just couldn't pass down some frozen yogurt!

Unfortunately it was time to say good-bye to Grace so we walked her to her metro stop and then headed back to the hotel. It was sad having to say good-bye after only getting to hang out with her sweet self for just a couple hours but I definitely hope to visit her again soon!

After hanging out in the room for a while it was time for bed because Tuesday would be a full day on Capitol Hill!

D.C. - Day 1!

My family and I spent a couple of days in Washington D.C. this past week. This was my first trip to the capitol and I definitely hope it's not the last because I fell in love with D.C.!

We drove up on Sunday afternoon thinking there wouldn't be much traffic. Boy were we surprised with all the people taking Sunday afternoon "joy-rides" down 95 that turned our 4.5-5 hour car ride into a 7 hour one. I am usually very impatient with car rides lasting over three hours long so I was thankful to have my dad's ipad, some good snacks, and my hilarious sister to keep me entertained. Once we arrived in D.C. around 5:30, we ate dinner, cupcakes, and did some sight seeing.

 First cupcake shop we tried! Red Velvet is my favorite flavored cupcake in the whole wide world and I always get this flavor any time I have the chance to eat a cupcake so I was very excited. I also got a sticker here to add to my collection of cupcake shop stickers!

Looking out the top of the Washington Monument towards the capitol.

    WWII Memorial

 After the fall. She recovered so gracefully! :)

As beautiful as the monuments are during the day, they were even more beautiful in the moonlight! I remember how much fun this night was because there was a perfect breeze, couples were out dancing, there were lightning bugs everywhere, peole were out jogging, and I was with my family! The first picture was taken looking out the west side of the Washington Monument. We were so fortunate because usually you have to go stand in line for tickets at 10 in the morning but the park ranger saw us standing around the monument and asked us if we wanted to go up and said not to worry about tickets! This was so neat because we got to see all of Washington lit up in the night! The WWII Memorial was also very beautiful. I will never forget the three young boys who were standing with their hands up against the wall to pay respects to those who died for our freedom. It was priceless! The only thing that would have made the night better would have been if the reflecting pool (from my FAVORITE scene in Forest Gump when Jenny and Forest are running towards each other) had of even existed! The whole thing was dug up for renovation so instead of a beautiful pool of water, all I saw was muddy dirt! (Just an excuse to go back, right?) Oh and I have to mention, my beautiful sister fell up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. I am not telling this to embarrass her but to remind myself how funny it was once we realized she was okay...bless her heart..it was almost as funny as this picture of my dad.

Oh and this one...

Forgive him...it had been a long day. 

Did I mention I love him? :)