Nationals Game

Out at the Washington Nationals game with the office.



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Pilates, Skyping, Kayaking, Shopping

Last Thursday night, I got to skype my family! It was so nice to see my sweet mama and sister.

She even let me take a picture of her...a rare occassion! Then I asked my grandparents if they would come on camera, too!

Grandpa Tom tried to get low enough for the camera, and consequently fell on Grandma Lois.Married 62 years and they still laugh at each other. My cousin Stuart was in town from Houston, TX. so I got to see my Aunt Vicki, Uncle Gary and my Aunt Susan.

My family has a really good system of communicating. We communicate pretty well...and I think a lot of that has to do with writing. My Dad and Mom both always write me letters at school and now, they are writing me letters here in D.C.! These are just the letters from my first week in the nations Capitol.


On Friday my office went to help set up the Bike MS in Virginia. It was ridiculously hot! I knew I was from Oklahoma, though, when I started talking about the chigger bites I was getting from being out in the grass. "What's a chigger bite? Where are they?" said one of the chapter workers. That's when I had to explain that you won't actually see the aftermath of a chigger bite until you get home and can't stop itching!

Friday night, Sammy, Randy, John and I went to Adams Morgan. It was fun and I think the guys had a really great time. We ate at this place called giant pizza, where you get literally a giant pizza for $5. It was packed. But, the best part about Friday night was that Randy and John wore the exact. same. outfit. I couldn't get them to pose for a picture, so I had to take an action shot in the metro.

Blue button down polo, khaki shorts with a chocolate brown belt, and sperrys. Classic.



This weekend Sammy and I went kayaking. I was exhausted afterwards and slept from about 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. It wasn't even sunny! I'm a wimp... Sundayt Anna Paige and I went to St. Peters Church right behind the Capitol. It was awesome...there were families all over.

Got my father's day cards and presents! Woohoo! I am getting out of my procrastination mode...

Have a great week!

So Many Things...

Sweet Chloe Mae Simpson's birthday was Tuesday! We got her these precious TOM's! Paisley is going to look great on her!



http://www.toms.com/youth/tiny/small-paisley-tiny-toms-classics
Monday night John, Randy, Stephanie and I went to this place called 51st just a block or two from our dorm. Get this! This place had 50 cent tacos after you bought a drink - either beer or any kind of drink. Then, the whole restaurant plays TRIVIA!!! Our team was called the Okies...but after we started losing, we called ourselves the Texans. Even a better on Monday.... this man!
We were both walking to the metro and I commented on how pretty his flower were. I could smell the lillies :) - mind you all the flowers were in a box. So, when I commented on these, he said " Would you like some?" Of course!

Tuesday was the best day! I listenend in on a lot of conference calls, got some really good ideas about how I can make objectives about what I want to get out of the internship...I GOT MY OWN OFFICE. Then I read an article in the Express about this new pilates place called FUSE Pilates.

http://fusepilates.com/Such a God thing. Went in, running late, obviously. At the end of the class I introduce myself to the instructor who happens to be the owner. I proceed to tell her how I have MS, so I may not be able to balance like everyone else. Come to find out---she has MS too! That's why she started the company! Hey, God!

Today, I spoke with a lot of health LA's about getting support for a bill before it gets introduced. Congressman Burgess wants support befoore he introduces it- which I totally understand. Plus, for it to be a bipartisan piece of legislation it is smart to get the GOP on board first, then the Dems who are most likely to get onboard, anyways. It was so awesome when I finally (after listening to voice mails....) talked to a Health LA and she said, "Yes, my boss is totally behind that! My mom is on the neurology board so I totally understand!" Awesome!

The Foggy Bottom farmers market is right outside our dorm so I just happened to stroll through---and get some fresh, organic and non pesticided fruits! Cherries, strawberries and apples!


These are the cherries I bought today! Edited on Instagram on my Iphone.

Please pray for Max's soul...
C

For Max.

Last night I got to see my aunt and uncle and my cousins, Lauren, Luke, and Lindsay. It was so wonderful to see family.

Yesterday was hard. Really hard. A guy from high school, that everyone totally adored, tragically passed away in a tragic car accident on Sunday morning.

Max Cameron was the best. He made anyone smile. He truly lit up a room. I will always remember when I was a freshman and Max was a sophomore. He was so good looking and every single girl in that school would have given anything to have Max even look her way. Max said something to me, I can't even remember what now, but I do remember I was in heaven the rest of the school day. He could make anyone's day.

Not only was Max easy on the eyes, he was a good guy. He stuck by his friends like glue. Max one time cornered me in my kitchen because I was kind of talking to his friend, Jack. Max was looking out for Jack and wanted to make sure I wasn't just tugging on Jacks heart. One, I couldn't believe Max Cameron was in my kitchen. Two, I thought, this kid is really looking out for Jack. Jack and I are still friends today. Max, you will be greatly missed. But, I know that we all can look at Max's life and learn so much. He truly lived life to the fullest. He made everyone feel like they were the only person in the room. He shined for Christ. He loved to the ends of the earth. He lived life because he loved life.

A television show about cupcakes?

Do you watch D.C. Cupcakes on TLC? I went to the infamous Georgetown cupcakes on Thursday!

There was so much to choose from...







But it came down to Red Velvet and Milk Chocolate birthday cake
Cupcake. Because, it's still the Gemini time frame, right? Therefore, I still celebrate!

Below the Mason Dixon Line

Welp, I made it through the first weekend in the big city! In my previous post, I didn't really tell ya'll about the quirky things that happened throughout the week. I was mainly just business.

I smile. A lot. I smile at everyone. People in New York, they didn't necessarily ever smile back- but it's not like they frowned. Here in D.C.? People think I'm crazy. Today I smiled at at runner...okay so he just happened to be a super delicious looking runner...but I smiled and pretty sure I heard him think outloud 'someone must have given that girl ecstacy.' Too bad I've never done drugs, hottie mc hottie.

I do love the sixe of D.C. On Tuesday I was getting on the Metro. I look up and who do I see? My friend, John Brooks! John and I were student council BASIC camp counselors together a.k.a. the best week of my life! It was such fate! I couldn't believe it. So, John and I went out last night and talked politics, college life, etc. It was fabulous.

There are homeless people all over D.C. and Georgetown. There's a guy- I think his name is Willy. Willy sits in the same spot every morning and asks for spare change. I was praying for him one night and promised myself I would give him whatever I had in my purse. So, I told Willy..."Okay, I'll give you a dollar, but you have to stop smoking. " Willy responded, " Lady...I've been trying to stop smoking for 25 years." Alas, a deed I thought would help Willy just makes me want to asks him even more questions.

I think one of the finest moments I have had here in the City Hall dorm is that of my first night here. On May 29th, my birthday, I flew from Tulsa to D.C. So, with the fact that I turned 22 that day and that I was traveling on my birthday made me feel old. Really old. So, after I was all moved into my room at the dorm, I said bye to Sammy and then went upstairs to bed, because let's get real, it was almost 11 p.m. I caught the elevator and there were a few guys in there. Sidenote: If you've hung out with me in the past few months, you've heard this ferocious cough that I have and have yet to get rid of. Back to the story, I get in the elevator and as I'm coughing up a lung, the guy in the elevator says "Wow, that's some cough you got there." Jokingly, I say, "Ya, it's from all my years of smoking those dang cigarettes. Can't break the habit.." Sidenote: If you know anything about me, you know I don't smoke. Well, elevator boy didn't quite get the joke. I think he was a little confused, but eventually caught onto the sarcasm. As he's getting off the elevator, he throws out a chance for a little rendeveous. "Well, I'm so and so from Wisconsin. There's some guys and we're drinking in room 608. You should come on over."

1. I thought, this kid has never watched one Lifetime movie where girls my age get snatched up and never heard from again after being 'invited' to come 'chill' in a dorm room. What does he think I am, a rookie? Boy, please.


2. I was flattered.


3. I was befuddled. I had mascara down to my cheeks, eyeliner was smeared and I'm sure I smelled like an American Airlines Eagle flight. Not to mention, my breath was probably haneous.


4. A little voice inside me said "You still got it, even at 22." Which, I know isn't old, but I was having a growing-up-mid-lilfe-crisis.


5. I felt like I was a freshman in college, again.


6. Then, I realized. What are these 'kids' doing drinking in their rooms? Dorm rooms, to be exact. Why don't they go to a.....AHAH! They can't get into a bar, or go buy beer. These kids are totally babies and I am an old hag.

In my office, the girls told me it's pretty much law you don't get married before you turn 30. Thank goodness. So glad this is a trend here! Young people should live their lifes, get out there, before being tied down. And by tied down I mean, starting the next phase of life.

Friday night, Sammy and I went to get Lebonase food. It was delicious! I have loved Lebonase food since I was in my teens when I babysat for a Doctor from Lebbanon. Sammy didn't quite appreciate the ethnicity. But, as usual, he was a trooper!

If anything else exciting happens, believe me, you will know!

First Week of Public Policy

I just came home from my first week of my internship at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Public Policy Office. It has been a thrill to learn all that I have this week. Even with Memorial Day, I still crammed my brain with information about Medicare, Medicaid, the Debt Ceiling, Healthcare reform, Caregivers, Neurological Bills...this is the stuff I crave! To describe just how much of a political junkie I am, I've starting carrying in my bag a list of the 112th Congressional Directory. I'm so cool, right?

Tuesday I really dove right into the mix. I work with some really great people, all of which have either a Masters in Public Policy or a Law degree. Needless to say, I come into the office every morning with a list of questions, eagerly waiting to hear what these women (there are men who work in the office, but they are out of pocket this week...) have to say. I looked into articles pertaining to the federal budget and how the cuts to bring down the debt will compromise healthcare i.e. medicaid. About 30% of the MS population relies on Medicare so I researched what the actual differences are between the two very similar words. Medicaid is a federal-state program where the Fed's match X amount of dollars. Medicare is just a federal program.

Why should YOU be concerned with this issue? How can you help? Why, so glad you asked that! If the federal budget is slashed like some of Congress want to do, then Medicaid will be the first to go since it is a large part of the budget. This means the program will soley rely on state funding, which is limited already, and those peoples who only have Medicaid as their health plan will be up a creek without a paddle. Big time. You can help by calling your US Rep, your US Senator. Tell them that you don't want these big cuts to take away from the health system in this country. Tell them you want a mix of budgeting between different things. You are the constituents, they need to listen to you...and if they don't, vote 'em out!

Wednesday was hectic and I got stuck on one side of town because of a custormer service issue I was having...a slow day at the office, thankfully.

Thursday I went to some health care meetings about bills that aren't even on the floor. Which, to be honest, was really boring. I don't know why other organizations are having meetings about bills that haven't even reached the point of discussion. Thankfully, the girls at the office informed me about the bills that the other organizations were talking about and how these bills are relative to MS Society. Also, I made 'Dear Colleague' phone calls on a bill going before the appropriations committee next week. That was awesome! I got to talk to Health LA's for Senators from all over. Very cool!

Today I went to The Hill for a meeting on health care and how states are dealing with "dually eligible" Americans. When a person is eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, they are dubbed "dully eligible." Therefore, some people need both to get all their medical needs covered.

Message from this week...get involved, know what issues concern you and call your Rep's and Senator's so they can know what matters to their constituents!