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White House State Dining Room on February 27, 2016

Hello, all! Things have been moving quickly for me lately.

Friends!

Just this past weekend, my dear friend Melissa came to visit me here in DC. She arrived Friday afternoon and left this morning, and in those two and a half days, we visited the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Folger Shakespeare Library, The Hamilton (a restaurant on 14th Street), the Georgetown Neighborhood Public Library, Good Stuff Eatery, and Pie Sisters. We walked at least 15 miles in two days and got relatively little sleep. It was absolutely wonderful to see her, and I'm so grateful that she came.

RA

Last Thursday, I received an email notifying me that I am going to be an RA! I'll be staying another year in this dorm, Village C West (VCW)! I'm thrilled to have the chance to help new freshmen adjust to Georgetown and to college life in general. Mom is particularly pleased that RA financial benefits include housing and a meal plan. Next year is thus far looking good!

Moving

Since I was a small child, my parents have talked about wanting to move "back home" to be closer to family. I didn't understand the complicated nature of moving at the time, so I went to school often saying, "We're moving to Nebraska!" One year, a couple of girls asked me, "Why are you still going to school here? I thought you were moving to Nebraska."

Well, finally we are moving to Nebraska—or rather, my family is. My mother just signed the paperwork for a new job and announced it to her coworkers and friends, so the news is public. My family will be moving to Omaha this summer, hopefully at the end of June. Until then, my father will rapidly paint, renovate, and otherwise pretty-up my childhood home. My mother will start her new job in April, commuting occasionally but mostly working long-distance, and my sisters will finish their last school year at Ocee Elementary and their last few months of being Georgia girls.

As for me, I will return home after finals and help pack up the house. I will help my family move into the house in Omaha, and in mid-August I will return to DC. At that point DC will be my home. I will of course visit my parents in Omaha and my friends in Atlanta, but I will live in DC.

Midterms

Academics are currently stressful! I have a hundred things to do before I go home to Georgia this Friday, and over my spring break I will spend time with my family, my friends, and my textbooks, getting ready for Round Two after the break. Once I make it through this week, I can sleep, at least a little bit more than I have been lately.

To Sum Up:

I am tired. I'm feeling more at home here in DC. I'm excited about some things and happy about some things and anxious about some things, and overall I'm just ready for the nap I'm going to take an hour from now.

I hope everyone is doing well!

P.S.: I'm pleased I get to make a post on February 29. Cheers!

Loss

2000-2016

I am having a really hard time. I feel weird about putting that on the internet where I know my grandma can read it, but it's true. My cat died last week. I am struggling. I am crying as I type. I have cancelled on a lot of people in the past week because I don't want to go anywhere or see people or do things. I want not to think. I want her to be alive. I want to hold her.

I'm a little late on this week's post. I delayed because I was busy and because I didn't feel right about posting something primarily negative.

Here are the positives in my life right now:

• I have shelter, food, and clean water.
• I have clothes & blankets that keep me warm during this cold of winter.
• The sun is setting later and later; today it was 5:20 when I suddenly realized it was still bright outside and I silently, slightly, rejoiced.
• I have a lot of people who love me.
• I have cute things to brighten up my life—art from Cassie on my wall, a drawing from my cousin Cameron, a pretty flowery keyboard cover, nice stickers on my computer, lovely blankets.
• I go to school in an amazing city, at an amazing university.
• Jesuits exist and I'm friends with a few of them.
• Chaplains-in-residence are really great, and I can email them at any time to set up a coffee date.
• I can walk and run and otherwise move independently.
• I have a teddy bear from my best friend Helen that I can hug because, in the words of her little brother Ethan, "you can't be sad when you're hugging a teddy bear." (I'm sorry to report that, actually, you can.)
• My classes are interesting this semester, and I'm involved in really interesting discussion groups for the semester as well.

There are probably more. Writing this list was helpful for me because I am very sad and depressed, and it was helpful to be reminded of my blessings in life. I'm sorry for a primarily negative blog post; I hope you'll forgive me.