Monuments and Mochas

So of course part of moving to a new place is finding new spots to hang out and spend time. Living a few miles from downtown DC, there are a myriad of options for dining and entertainment, as well as more educational venues like museums and monuments. Geoff is much more the history buff than I am; he enjoys learning the story behind the monument or the facts about a battle, etc… I am more interested in how it looks and if its near a coffee shop, ha. Speaking of coffee shops, we have found a nearby cafe that is quite enjoyable! The best thing is that Buzz Bakery is open almost any hour of the day (6am-midnight), has outdoor seating AND free off-street parking. We have been twice so far and have not been disappointed with our selections. I recommend the “Zebra” which is a half milk chocolate/ half white chocolate mocha. We have yet to try any of their pastries which look oh-so-yummy and include a wide assortment of cupcakes, pies, tarts, and brownies. *mouth watering* So here is your warning that if you come to visit us, Buzz will most likely be included in our itinerary :)

Ok so back to the historical part of this post… early this week Geoff and I took advantage of the unseasonably cool, dry weather and spent the evening at the National Mall. We visited the Washington Monument, then walked over to the WWII memorial from there. The WWII memorial was completed in 2004, and is a“monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world.” Geoff made sure I learned some historical facts while I enjoyed looking at the beautiful fountains, and people watching. While I’m sure the monuments are impressive in the daylight, seeing them all lit up at night was a pretty sight indeed. I’m sure that won’t be our last venture to one of the many historical markers in this city, but since we both hate hot and humid weather there’s a good chance that won’t happen until October! For an extra sweet end to the evening, we ventured downtown to a cupcakery where we had a B1G1 coupon. Why else would you pay over $3 for a cupcake, right? Anyway, so this Red Velvet Cupcakery had some pretty delicious choices. Geoff got the Carrot Cake cupcake, and I got the Summertime cupcake (lemon cake with cream cheese icing and coconut flakes on top). I don’t quite understand what all the hype is over cupcakes, and am pretty astonished at how many cupcake joints there are in the area, but this one would probably earn a return trip from me… as long as I had a coupon of course :)

Anniversary Thoughts

As I reminisce about this day 3 years ago when Geoff and I said "I do" and embarked on this journey of life and love together, I can't help but remember the words to the special music sung during the ceremony. Our dear friends, Ginger and Ryan, blessed us by singing "I will be here" by Steven Curtis Chapman while we lit the Unity Candle. I have to admit that the ceremony was such a blur to me that I can't tell you whether the song sounded good or not, but I am sure they did a terrific job! Its funny to me all the hours spent planning and preparing for that day 3 years ago, and how little of the day I truly remember. I’m thankful for pictures and other tangible items, like the lyrics to this song, that remind me of what took place that day and of the commitment Geoff and I made to each other in front of our Father, family and friends. So today I am overwhelmed at the blessing God has given me in a husband, I am reminded of the vows I made to love and to respect him always, and I realize how much growing I still need to do.

Tomorrow morning if you wake up and the sun does not appear
I will be here
If in the dark, we lose sight of love
Hold my hand, and have no fear
'Cause I will be here

I will be here
When you feel like being quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen, And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winning, losing and trying
We'll be together
I will be here

Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I will be here
Just as sure as seasons were made for change
Our lifetimes were made for these years
So I will be here

I will be here
And you can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you
And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true to the promise I have made
To you and to the One who gave you to me
Tomorrow morning, if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I will be here
Oh, I will be here

May

What a busy month May was! Since the last post…

• Danielle finished all of her classes at ODU and quit her job
• We got rid of more than half of our furniture and packed up what was left (with much help from friends)
• We downsized to one car :)
• We said goodbye to friends in Virginia Beach :(
• We moved into a one bedroom apartment in Arlington, VA (with more help from friends)
• Geoff transitioned to his new office downtown DC
• We visited IKEA several times and never left empty-handed
• We’ve started to feel at home once again

and what’s a blog post without a few pictures right?…

One of our last nights out in Hampton Roads- out for dinner at Mongolian Grill and walking around enjoying the spring weather- love those open air malls!

Ginger (Danielle’s roommate from college and high school friend) and her fiancé Neil came down from PA to help us move in! Went out to eat Mexican of course.

Now we’re just getting all settled in and will post pics of our new digs once it all looks presentable :) Check back soon.

what's happening?

Here is a quick look at whats been going on with us lately...

we celebrated Geoff's birthday by attending a Brewers/Nationals baseball game in DC. unfortunately, I forgot to request a win...

Danielle has 3 finals standing between her and the end of this semester! Looking forward to a relatively quiet summer, class-free :)

And of course, we're packing up to move... selling stuff on Craig's List... donating things to Salvation Army... and basically downsizing in preparation for our 1 bedroom apartment! The place is beginning to look like we're moving, which means we're making progress and we are happy about that! Two and a half weeks to go...

From the Beach to the Metro

where we'll be moving, that is. May 15th we leave our townhouse here in Va Beach and move into our new apartment in Arlington, Va! We're excited to be several hours closer to Danielle's family, but sad to leave many good friends behind. Thankfully, we do have several friends in the metro area that will make a new city a little less lonely. And Geoff is of course excited for all of those free museums... Danielle is more excited about IKEA ;) Danielle will be done with all of her Grad classes the first week of May, has a school internship to complete in the Fall, and hopes to graduate in December! Geoff will transfer to the main GAO office but keep his same position, which should be an easy transition for him. We're looking forward to these changes, and anxious to see what else God has in store for our future!