Roadtrip to D.C. and snow days!

It's hard to believe, but federal offices are closed again after this epic blizzard.  I'm taking this as a sign that I need to write a second blog post.  A lot happened over the last two weeks, and there's a few changes to share.  First off, here's some pics from the historic snow days.





Snow days and closures aren't the only only thing happening in D.C.   I also started this new job but getting here was an adventure in itself.  The trip started on a Thursday with a warm goodbye from my friends at my previous employer.

Right after that wonderful lunch, we got on the road.  Here's a few pictures from our family trip (sans Little C) that included stays in Meridian, Mississippi; Nashville, Tennessee; and Front Royal, Virginia.

This pretty much captures what Little E and me did the whole trip.

Krystal's is an important stop once you get in
Tennessee territory.  Is there anything better than
mini hamburgers and hotdogs? The answer is, yes.

Tried to make the road trip a little more than just a long drive, so we stopped in Nashville and did a little sightseeing. C had never been before and was pretty excited about cruising Broadway and catching a performance and the historic Ryman Auditorium.  Happy she could check that off her bucket list.

A little stop by Savannah Candy on Broadway in Nashville.

Our fancy room in Downtown Nashville.

Front of the Ryman Auditorium.

Watching the Grand Ole Opry performances at the Ryman.

Another Cracker Barrel stop, but this time we
got to see the Uncle, Aunt and my little cousins!

And that's a nice recap of the family adventure up here.  Little E was mostly occupied with that iphone and headphones, but she was an amazing sport.  Since we got here on a Sunday morning, we stopped by the new ward.  I have to say, the church building is beautiful, and so is Little E.

After church we checked into the temporary housing, and it ain't bad! We also did the most important thing, go to Cafe Rio and grab Daddy-daughter donuts!

Ms. C is all about trying to make the most out of everything and made sure to take Little E out for a little sightseeing before they returned to Houston.

Mom and Little E at the White House.

A little stop to see some First Lady dresses!

Finally, let's talk about what I'm doing here!  I've had a chance to spend a few days off and on in Foggy Bottom, but my training group spends most of the time in Arlington at the Foreign Service Institute where we're receiving comprehensive training on all things Foreign Service for the coming weeks.  The course will end with us receiving our post assignments and a swearing in ceremony.  Our family can't wait to see where we're headed for the next two years, and more immediately, how much longer I'll be in D.C. for training for my specific post and assignment.

Off to work!

So that's it.  A lot has happened over the past few weeks, but a lot more is going to happen.  We'll keep everyone updated as our adventure progresses.