Junipero Serra, Alexander Hamilton, and Presidency Obsession

Fr. Junipero Serra in Statuary Hall
Image via Architect of the Capitol 

Today is the feast of Blessed Junipero Serra, the 18th century Spanish Franciscan priest who established the California missions. Fr. Serra will have another big day this fall, when Pope Francis canonizes him while visiting Washington, DC. This honor has sparked new interest in his story, including some protests decrying the negative medical and social effects missionaries had on native peoples. The story of Serra's missionary work is indeed complicated, as he both imposed harsh physical discipline but also advocated for native people against abuse by Spanish soldiers. Even if his evangelization techniques were heavy-handed, it’s undeniable that Serra began the legacy of Hispanic peoples in California that continues to this day.

Despite all this publicity, a memorial of Serra is now at risk. California’s legislature is considering a motion to remove Fr. Serra's statue in the US Capitol and replace it with one of astronaut Sally Ride. While the first woman in space deserves recognition too, the statue swap proposal comes at an unfortunate time, particularly since Serra's canonization will coincide with the first trip to America by a Latino pope, and the first time a pope will address Congress. 

The Serra statue situation is not unlike the recent news about Alexander Hamilton’s place on the ten dollar bill. Hamilton is enjoying a surge of recognition too, as the star of a smash hit musical opening on Broadway later this month. Thanks to new biographers, he’s moving out of the obscure historical shadows. As the first Secretary of the Treasury and architect of the US financial system, his face on money seems like an obvious choice. But now he is being removed to make room for the first female figure on American paper currency.

Debates over Serra and Hamilton’s small monuments make it seem like gender recognition in history is a zero-sum game. If we honor significant women, particularly modern ones, that means we must demote the contributions of past centuries’ “great men”. I argue that there is room for both. Sally Ride and Harriet Tubman need not compete with Serra and Hamilton. The real rival here is the over-publicized presidency. Both men are being obscured because Americans like to go with the obvious and recognize presidents over and over again.

Take Serra’s spot in the National Statuary Hall Collection, for example. The collection was established in 1864 as a way to use to the vacant space of the old House of Representatives chamber. Each state could submit two statues of notable citizens. The early 1880s - 1920s roster consisted of Revolutionary War figures, settlers, Civil War soldiers, and now obscure 19th century politicians, plus the odd inventor or two. As the ranks have grown, statue displays have spread throughout the Capitol complex. When I worked the US Capitol Visitors Center, the different figures provided a fun scavenger hunt and conversation starter with visitors.

Since 2003, states may swap out existing statues for new honorees. Subjects must be deceased, and states are responsible for funding and commissioning new artwork. One reason for this new rule was to help diversify and update the collection a bit, swapping out the 19^th century politicians no one remembered anymore.

Unfortunately, many states that have changed their statues have gone with the obvious option of, you guessed it, presidents. Dwight D. Eisenhower of Kansas and Gerald Ford of Michigan have joined Statuary Hall. California made a similar switch in 2009, swapping Unitarian abolitionist Thomas Starr King for President Ronald Reagan. That left Fr. Serra's 1931 statue as the only potentially free California spot. So instead of Ride joining Serra to complete California’s exploratory legacy, Statuary Hall will become more like the greatest hits of the 1980s.

Similarly, Alexander Hamilton is on the chopping block because the Treasury is too attached to President Andrew Jackson. A recent grassroots movement called to replace Jackson’s image on the twenty dollar bill with a notable historical women. There was even a poll that selected Harriet Tubman. Instead, the Treasury has decided that women are only worth half that, and offered us a bureaucratic accountant instead of a controversial chief executive.

It’s troubling that our national memory can trend toward simply the most famous, the most powerful. This implies that we’re only smart enough to read history as an “icons” roundup in People Magazine. One of my favorite confused tourist stories was the time I overheard a woman explaining the World War II Memorial while walking down the National Mall. She pointed to the group of columns symbolizing the sacrifices of soldiers from every state and said "Look! That's where all the presidents are buried!" Facepalm.

In my opinion, the Statuary Hall collection is best as a federal pantheon of "lay" citizens and the legislators who served them. The Capitol represents the legislative branch and is meant to be the "house of the people," not a shrine to unilateral power. Likewise, our money isn’t exclusively for presidents. Hundred dollar “Benjamins” celebrate an inventor, author, and diplomat who never lived in the White House.

Later this week we’ll celebrate America’s independence, a feat that was the work of many people. It would not have happened without the George Washingtons and Thomas Jeffersons, but neither would the Revolution have made it without the lesser-known men and women who supported their ideas and did the hard, daily work of fighting for freedom. We don’t have a king on our money, and there is room for all of us in America’s story. 

7 VA Quick Takes

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1. Last weekend The Southern Baron presented at a European Studies conference in DC, so I got to see my family AND get my academia fix. Win win!

2.The conference was at the Omni Shoreham, a 1930s brick hotel and historic night life spot that is on the National Register of Historic places. The Woodley Park neighborhood was adorable and the lobby was gorgeous - but there was not enough wi-fi or free coffee. C'mon, grad students cannot live on aesthetics alone! 

3. My favorite panel was one about Europe's new role as a mission field for Christian re-evangelization. Evangelicals from Africa and othe former European colonies are now ironically planting churches in the same nations that once worked to Christianize them. One speaker referenced a definition of this reverse evangelization trend as "meridionalism" - the romantic perception of the global South as a source of salvation for the tired West. 

Meridionalism does appear to be on the rise in Catholic consciousness, especially since the election of a Latin American pope. US dioceses short on priests now import clerics from Africa or South Asia. Are the believers of developing nations our only hope for redemption from "First World" progressive modernity? Or is the modern world enabling a more integrated global Church? 

4. Both sociologists on the panel offered evidence that this trend is far more complex than noble savages. One had done extensive field work interviewing different church groups, and found that missionaries had a complex web of international connections. In her experience, Catholic priests were more blasé about moving from place to place - foreign assignments are par for the course. 

The second presenter was researching the history of American missions in Europe. To his surprise, 1920s mission magazines weren't as concerned about converting Jews as they were about bringing the "true gospel" to the "superstitious" Catholics of Eastern Europe. 

5.  While we were in town, we got to celebrate Brother #3's Confirmation a few days early! St. John was the saint he chose, and he got to receive the Holy Spirit on the feast of his patron St. Joseph. Sweet! 

He's now 14, the same age I was when he was born. How did he grow up so fast?

6. This weekend we made a shorter trip back down so I could attend a friend's baby shower. I met Mary when we were both 14, and last summer we got married within a week of each other. How did we grow up so fast? It was so nice to catch up with her whole family and be back in the Manassas Catholic community. You know it's a Papist baby shower when the attendees include 5 infants, 3 pregnant women, and 2 parish staffers who worked First Communions that morning. 

7.  Because I started my job so suddenly, many of my NoVa acquaintances don't know the details of my NJ-NYC life. It's fun to hear reactions to museum patron antics. Lately my cross has been cranky complaints. Why do some donors act like demanding customers? "If you want to keep getting my $35 donations you better do what I want!" 

The other day someone sounded upbeat on the phone but spouted passive-aggressive insults. "Gee, I thought computers were only as smart as the people who used them!" Listen buddy, at least I'm smart enough to know that generosity and arrogance don't go together. 

So yeah, one my goals for Lent is to work on being patient instead of thinking up all the blistering comebacks I'd like to say. As the Southern Baron pointed out, this is a way to "offer him your coat as well." Respecting other people's dignity when they insult yours - that is the challenge of the Gospel. 

Confessions of a Parish-hopper

In the past five years, I've lived in four different states. This has made me a little commitment-phobic about joining a parish. Should I volunteer for things when I'm just going to leave in a few months? What if there is something better across town? It's helpful to know all the local Mass and Confession times, after all. For better or worse, this has made me into a parish-hopper.

 When I lived in Delaware I ached for Catholic camaraderie. There weren't really any young adult groups to speak of. I went to Mass at the cute historic church up the road, and all the senior citizens gave me the side-eye.

Then I moved back to my hometown in the Diocese of Arlington, where there are more YA events going on than you can shake a stick at. For every weekly listserve I received, there was some other parish hosting a book club holy/happy hour. It was great, but overwhelming. Sometimes I felt like this:

The activities at my parish usually didn't fit my schedule, so I found myself exploring other options. There was the Holy Thursday 7 church pilgrimage from my old parish, the young professionals lectures in DC, the packed Theology on Tap that made me feel old, and the random wine and cheese that a friend invited me to. After a while I felt like Goldilocks trying on all these fellowship groups.

Maybe this one...

It wasn't until I started working on Capitol Hill that I found a place that felt just right. I could see the steeple of St. Peter's from my Metro stop. After long days dealing with tourist questions, the lovely, peaceful church was a place to relax and think. The parish activities were perfect too! Holy hour with confession took place every weeknight, and the friendly priests hosted wine-and-cheese receptions in their historic house rectory. (19th century furniture remains the way to my heart.) The bulletin featured a perfect blend of devout spirituality and social justice service opportunities.

Traveling Mass kits are always so nifty.

 I hopped onto the Monday evening Bible study and Saturday morning food pantry deliveries. By far my favorite outing was a hike in Great Falls Park. On the feast of my patron St. Elizabeth of Hungary, we checked out waterfalls, clambered over rocks, and attended Mass said on a picnic table. Best of all, the young adults group welcomed me without any awkwardness. Even though I technically lived an hour away, no one pointed at me and yelled:

Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Just when I was settling in at St. Peter's and learning about all the Latin Mass options in Alexandria, I got a job in New York. See! I knew I was too transient to get on anyone's lector schedule!

So here I am at square one again, without a church home. The Betrothed has a wonderful parish in central Jersey, also named St. Peter's, but it's just too far from my job to be our permanent place. For now I'll hang out there while I shop around. Hey look! There are two parishes within walking distance of my office in Brooklyn, not to mention the historic ones in lower Manhattan....

7 Things About Funemployment

So I don't work downtown anymore. The tourist busy season is winding down, so a bunch of us got laid off. We knew this was coming, but still, it's hard out here for a temp. Being unemployed has been an unexpected blessing in some ways. Here's what I've been grateful for these past two weeks. 

A "Staff Only" staircase

1. Having access to an amazing historic place. There are few greater museum thrills than getting to go through the "authorized personnel only" door. I feel like I leave a little piece of my heart behind in every historic place that is "mine" for a short time. Whenever I return to Colonial Williamsburg or Winterthur it feels a little like coming home. This latest installment is no exception. On my last two days I ran around taking pictures of all the beautiful places that would soon be off limits. 


2. The wonderful people I met at work. Most people were in their 20s and starting out, or 40+ and winding down. It was an interesting dynamic of 100 or so folks, everyone with a different interesting background.  Standing around on post all day gave us plenty of time to tell our stories. I felt like Bill Murray in the Groundhog Day diner scene - I could share some random fact about every person in the room.



"Maybe God isn't omniscient, maybe he's just been around so long he knows everything."



3. Not even realizing how lucky I was to know them. One of my favorite coworkers, a big, jovial Civil War buff who brought in barbecue on holidays, tragically died in his sleep last weekend. It's hard to believe such a dynamic and encouraging presence is gone. But the outpouring of support and memories on Facebook from the community has been amazing. Rest in peace, Tony. I'll always remember when that tourist planted a wet one on my face after you got him last-minute tickets.


4. Getting a rest. I spent three hours of every day commuting. Thank goodness for the bus and Metro systems, but leaving my house in the dark at 6:30 AM was getting old. So was battling the rush hour crowds. One day a lady in a suit told me I needed to be more aggressive getting a seat. I took her advice to heart, but I resisted the urge to whale on anyone with my lunchbag. 


5. A surprise FTD box on my doorstep election night. If I hadn't gone out for an errand I would have missed it. "Happy carpooling and fulfillment of civic duties," said the card from my fiance. 







6. Rediscovering my hobbies. I've baked two kinds of gluten free bread (fennel seeds and raisins FTW), I've watched movies on Netflix, I've checked out more library books than I can carry. Oh yeah, and blogging. 


7. The opportunity for something new. I have a spreadsheet full of job opportunities. Fire up the novenas. 

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Witnessing America

My life has changed dramatically in the past few weeks. I finally got my wish to be a Metro commuter and work in downtown D.C. The job offer came suspiciously close to the end of a 54 day rosary novena I was saying, so I'm sure the Blessed Mother had something to do with it. Now this night owl is getting up before 6 to take a bus and a train to work in visitor services at a national landmark. 

Not this landmark. But I like to consider the President a neighbor. 

On my first day I sat through a generic orientation with people from across the agency. I was sitting between an electrician and a plant geneticist. It was great to see all the types of people who make the nation's capital run. 

When you become a government employee they ask you all sorts of morbid questions, like who gets your last paycheck if you die. These beneficiary forms require two witnesses. So we passed our papers around the table, adding our own names and addresses to strangers' life stories. We briefly witnessed the most important people in their lives. 

So even though I spent over two hours on my commute today, I loved doing it. I loved crossing paths with so many different people, witnessing a sliver of the countless daily lives that fill Washington. All those people with briefcases, Kindles, badges, and families waiting at home are writing the story of America. 

7 Quick Takes, Summer Break Edition

Thanks to Jen at Conversion Diary for hosting!

1. It really feels like summer break has started. My sister is home from college, my temp job has ended and I have ton of free time, and Brother #2 has finished his master's thesis. Let the movie marathons and outdoor frolicking commence! In the morning, I'm making waffles. 


2. One of my goals for my time off is to work on the church architecture research that I hope to publish. There are so many interesting new churches with traditional flair in the Arlington diocese. 



St. Raymond of Penafort, one of favorites from my last round of photography. 



3. The Betrothed and I have set our wedding date! June 15, 2013 will be exactly 3 years and 10 months since we met on the Feast of the Assumption.  


4. Before I started all this marriage paperwork I had no idea how Catholic churches keep track of their membership. Did you know that the parish where you were baptized keeps the official record of all your sacraments for the rest of your life?  The archival nerd in me is excited about how nationally organized this is. So I had to call a church across the country in Arizona where I have not been in 26 years. "Ok we'll call you when your baptismal certificate is ready and you can pick it up!" Umm, yeah, about that. 


5. Speaking of wedding prep, I signed up for Weight Watchers online this week. Cliche bride activity, I know. But I have a big goal to reach, and it's nice to someone else calculate things for me. Anyone have advice about how to succeed with the program?


6. Last week I went to the Young Professional's Happy Hour at the Catholic Information Center downtown. It's a bookstore and chapel run by Opus Dei, and it has by far the best Catholic book selection I've seen in the area outside of a shrine gift shop. As an added bonus, Dr. Helen Alvare was the speaker. She pretty much knocked my socks off with her legal arguments about religious freedom. I kind of want to be her when I grow up. Listen to a podcast of her talk here - you will not be disappointed. 


7. Thank you for all of the great comments on my post about being underemployed. It's good to know other people are dealing with the same challenges of trusting God's plan. Speaking of which, while wandering from the Metro to the CIC, I passed this banner on a Christian Scientist building. It made me smile. 

7 Quick Takes Volume 19

I just realized I have been numbering these all wrong; I've done way more than I thought. Thanks, Jen for hosting. And for keeping the link-up open all weekend for procrastinators like me.

1. Yesterday I moved to a new desk at my job for the fourth time. Some people are annoyed that 7 of us are sharing a room, but I'm just happy to be within earshot of my department again.

2. I am determined not to pay full price for a gown from a bridal salon, but that didn't keep me from trying on dresses last weekend with my sister and mom in tow. It's funny how things I liked on paper look silly on me in person, and how my attitude toward wedding dresses has evolved now that I am engaged. With every dress, I pondered "Would I want to be the minister of a sacrament in this dress?" What I like to wear to a party and what I want to look like for a life-changing solemn moment are different. Textiles have meaning, you know ;-)

3. Still, wedding dress ads are pretty entertaining for their sheer ridiculousness alone. On my material culture blog I wrote about some that featured zombie models and classic Hollywood references.

4. I've been trying not to focus on the HHS mandate as much, because it's just stressing me out. But I couldn't help laughing at this juxtaposition of articles in my Facebook newsfeed: a piece from the feminist website Jezebel entitled "Law Will Allow Employers to Fire Women for Using Whore Pills." immediately followed by a Human Life International article, "The Assault on Femininity: Is Fertility the Next Down Syndrome?"
Both articles were not afraid of hyperbole, but obviously I'm more inclined to agree with the latter. The politics of fertility - it's a big deal, ya'll.

5. This year's gluten free Irish soda bread turned out pretty well. Baking with teff flour is always weird - things can come out dry and a little greenish. But this loaf is pretty tasty with butter and a schmear of marmalade.

6. I've been a little bummed that The Betrothed isn't around to go see the cherry blossoms, try new restaurants, go to daily Mass etc. But this afternoon I decided "Screw it, I'm going on adventure by myself." So I drove the 30 miles downtown to attend Gregorian chant vespers at St. Matthew's Cathedral. It was awesome. Then I took a long walk down 16th Street, which ends in...the White House! That was also awesome. As were the blossoming trees and the windows-down weather. Solo excursions can be fun.

7. It's the 4th week of Lent - Happy Laetare Sunday! I'll leave you with Matisyahu's reggaeton version of today's responsorial psalm.

Last Quick Takes of 2011

--- 1 ---

Soo, that Advent wreath photo project was not as prolific as I had hoped. This year for some reason I am more timid about whipping out my camera to document a church after Mass. Still,  I did take some fun touristy field trips - here are installments 1, 2, and 3.

--- 2 ---

Last weekend I got to hear The Beau sing in his parish's Advent Lessons and Carols. It definitely got me in the Yuletide spirit. Advent carols should always have timpani accompaniment.

--- 3 ---

It looks like the fresh, cheap British takeaway chain Pret A Manger has made the leap across the pond! There's one in Manhattan, and lately I've seen two in DC. I just had to stop at the one in Union Station on my way to catch my train to The Beau's Lesson and Carols in New Jersey.
Me: "OMG how long have ya'll been here?!?!?!"
Bemused cashier in reindeer headband: "Since Tuesday. I know, people keep freaking out and saying they recognize us from London. Honestly, this time of year Pret is the last thing on my mind."

Via IamDCDG

Seriously, though, you should check them out. They win my allegiance for listing allergen information and for personally responding to customer emails. Pret got me though my two week frigid museum death march/London trip of a lifetime.

--- 4 ---

My sister and I were victorious in our bridesmaid dress mission for Brother #1's June wedding. This was our  inspiration

but this is what I ended up choosing. The best part? The dress has POCKETS. Thank you, fashion designers, for allowing me to carry Lactaid pills and tissues.

--- 5 ---

Speaking of blue, that is also the color scheme for our family portrait today. I'm excited to actually be in it this time. The last parish directory photo was great, except for the fact that I was out of town....

--- 6 ---

Reasons #467 - 469 why I love my job: The VP of Finance made festive earrings for all the ladies in the office, there was gluten free pizza for lunch, and my new Russian boss is teaching us the Cyrillic alphabet one letter a day.

--- 7 ---

I might schedule some posts for the Christmas Octave, but otherwise this is my last big installment until after I return from ringing in the new year in New Orleans with The Beau's family, Have a blessed, joyous Yuletide everyone!

The Christmas wreath at St. Mark, the parish where I grew up

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Advent Wreaths Take 1

I'm continuing the tradition I started last year of photographing Advent wreaths at different parishes. My first wreath of the season was at the Cathedral of St. Matthew near Dupont Circle.

St. Matthew's building on Rhode Island Avenue was completed in 1911. It has hosted President John F. Kennedy's funeral as well as many other services with political connections.

The last time I visited St. Matthew's was before the March For Life in 2002 or so. Back then the church was in the middle of a restoration project, and the murals were covered in scaffolding. On my visit last weekend, the beautiful early 20th Century paintings were in full view. 

7 Quick Takes, Vol. 11

--- 1 ---

I just discovered the amazingly useful blog Pray More Novenas. It emails you the novena prayers every morning - idiotproof prayer. If you are like me and can never remember to keep up all 9 days, you should give this a try.

--- 2 ---

I blame these cute but sappy books. 

The novena I've been praying is for St. Therese's feast day tomorrow. To be honest, I have never been a big fan of hers. Usually she's portrayed as a saccharine ingenue, ringlets bouncing as she skips through life scattering rose petals. She charmed her parents, her sisters, even the Pope! Gag me with a spoon.

Honestly, her life wasn't really like that, so I should give her a break. This novena has been a surprisingly profound experience. I feel more at peace about life, more aware of God's presence. There are signs of the same thing happening for some of my novena intentions, too.

--- 3---

The accounting department at my office moved to a bigger room, which means I get my own desk! No longer am I perched on a 2.3' segment at the end of my boss' desk. I even have my own stapler and tape dispenser now. Feels like I am moving up in the world. 

--- 4 ---

Awesome - getting a pretty silver silk blouse as a swanky "hand me down" from my aunt. Awkward - tearing a seam in the slightly snug sleeve, and repairing it with said tape dispenser in a corporate restroom.

--- 5 ---

Yesterday I think I put 100 miles on my car driving to the chiropractor, work, and then a cocktail reception at an historic house in Georgetown. Even though the traffic here is ridonkulous, I still love driving toward DC. It feels like all of us commuters are headed somewhere exciting and important. Also, once I have crossed the Potomac I can start drooling over historic architecture.If I could hug an Italianate townhouse, I would.

--- 6 ---

If you've ever tried to look up Mass times online, you probably discovered that most parish websites are even more insufficient than the church's restroom facilities. For every visually appealing, user friendly site, there are ten thousand Web 1.0 monstrosities with tiny print, weird scrolling messages and the confession schedule buried deep in the menu under "community" or "about us."

You know what can be even worse? Catholic bookstores. This week I consulted one that described the store inventory as "appropriate gifts." Another had online purchasing, but no mentions of store hours. They received the wrath I normally reserve for job applications that require me to physically mail in a copy of an unsavable PDF form.

--- 7 ---

The liturgical calendar for October always makes me happy - woah, how did all these awesome saints get scheduled in the same week? In my own calendar there are tons of birthdays, too. Happy birthday to my BFF K.D. tomorrow, and to my Mom on Sunday!

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7 Quick Takes of a Lotus-Eating Summer

Well gosh, that blogging break was longer than I planned. It's been a weird few months since I finished grad school, and I've needed some time to reflect on all the changes in my life. I have a recurring feeling that I am on the island of the Lotus Eaters from the Odyssey: in the familiar comforts of home, I quickly forget what my previous life was like. Classes, the library, museum catalogs, blog posts, even visits from The Beau have felt very far away once I returned to my childhood home. It's a lazy, very unsettling feeling.

On the other hand, moving back home to northern Virginia has been a blessing in many ways. As I drive around the suburbs, passing familiar elementary schools, churches, and shopping centers makes my life flash before my eyes. There have been some great new developments as well. So here's what I did on my summer vacation.

• Attended two weddings, one of which involved an epic road trip with my grad school classmates, who are like the 7 siblings I never had. 
• Became an American History curriculum consultant for some homeschoolers. I have a new appreciation for textbook authors who can actually add interesting narrative details. 
• Attended the funeral of Dr. Warren Carroll, a warrior for the Truth and the first professor I ever heard lecture. He and his wife Anne are two of my greatest historian role models. 
• Threw out my back, and spent several hermit-like weeks at the mercy of a chiropractor. Having someone make your neck crack at 8am can actually be cool. 
• Took a spontaneous trip to Chicago to visit relatives I had not seen in 2 years. 
• Contrary to my fears, did not shrivel up and die of misery when The Beau went to England for 6 weeks of dissertation research on martyrdom. I went to adoration and wrote him letters, he befriended senior citizens at church and sent me postcards. I don't miss the 5 hour Skype time difference though. 
•  And now, for something completely different - I  got a job as an accounting clerk that has actually turned out to be pretty awesome. Something like half the employees at this software company are Steubenville alumni, which means I have a nice Catholic community in the office. Also, reconciling credit card statements is surprisingly satisfying. Invoice filing has also inspired me to be more vigilant about my own finances. I now monitor my accounts using Mint.com, a free, secure, online version of Quicken that I highly recommend. 

Now that I'm a working girl, I'm excited to resume blogging as a creative outlet. Stay tuned for reflections on homeschooling, Mormons, and random song lyrics.

7 Quick Updates

It's been rather nice being on blog silence for a while, but I feel like I should at least check in here. I've still been keeping up with everyone else's posts, though. If you're looking for more fun stuff to read check out the other linkups to 7 Quick Takes Friday on Hallie Lord's fun blog.

1. I'm back home in northern Virginia for reals this time! Tonight I switched my address on my car insurance so you know it's official. Added bonus: my rates are cheaper here. 
2. "Living at home" (isn't that a weird redundant expression?) has never had a dull moment. Already I've been to a homeschool conference, made a sextuple batch of pasta salad for a graduation party,  watched baby birds learn to fly, and relearned the art of grocery shopping for a crowd. 
3. Yesterday I had an impromptu interview for a  part-time babysitting job. Please pray that this works out! It would be so encouraging to be employed, even a little bit. 
4. While it's frustrating not to have clear employment prospects, I'm grateful for this time to spend in my beloved DC area. Already I've gotten to reconnect with a lot of friends from high school and college.
5. For instance, today my longtime friend S. and I went on a museum romp around the national mall. If you have never been to the Hirshorn Gallery, I highly recommend it. There is lots of interesting, quirky modern art but nothing too entirely bizarre.
6. Meanwhile, the Beau has safely made it to London for several weeks of dissertation research. Figuring out Skype with a 5 hour time difference has been tricky, but I am so excited for him to have this opportunity. 
7. Finally, I hate to end on a sad story, but I feel like I should spread the word about a teacher at a local Catholic high school who has gone missing. Please pray that Tom Duesterhaus comes home safely!

The District's siren song

This weekend I got to go home to Virginia for a weekend's worth of spring break. (Thanks to thesis a week off just means more time to edit.) It was a great break that involved attending a Confirmation Mass, pigging out on barbeque, being the only table of white people in a legit Cantonese restaurant, and catching up with girlfriends from high school and my VSC year.

From anadelmann's Flickr

There was also a lot of driving. On Saturday morning, I dropped Brother #1 off for a flight at Reagan National, and on the drive back I could see the DC skyline in the distance. Something about the outline of the Washington Monument and Capitol building always makes my heart skip a beat. There were even cherry trees blooming! Oh DC, why must you tease me so? Part of me really, really wants to work there next year. I want to Metro downtown every morning, reading library books and being part of the commuter hustle. I want to cook dinner for my parents and to see my brothers serve at Sunday Mass.I want to have a young adult church community.  I want to see my old friends on the weekends. Part of me will always be left in the national capital area. Whenever I go back there, life makes more sense and my faith is stronger; I feel safe, optimistic,and  inspired.