This August, I got to experience many "1st Times"! I don't know how I'll live up to this list in the months to come, especially when school starts, but I'm grateful I was able to pack all this into August :)
1st Stake Calling
If you're unfamiliar with the administration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is a local congregation organized by geography. A stake contains several wards. All roles/positions in the Church are extended by leaders as "callings" and fulfilled voluntarily by members.
I got released from the longest calling I've held continuously - Ward Activities Committee Member since I first moved to DC in April 2012. I loved it and I will miss it. It took alot of time and work but I love helping bring people together and making new friends. I guess my new calling on the Stake Institute Council won't be too different...it's weekly (vs. monthly/bimonthly) and has more of an educational bent. I love the extra spiritual lift going to Institute brings to my week and the people I've gotten to know there.
1st Professional Baseball Game/Seeing My Hometown Team
I've never been much of a sports person though I like to stay active, fit, and healthy. But I AM a dedicated American Studies scholar-in-training and I felt I should make more of an effort to experience the great American summer pastime: baseball. I really have no interest in actually sitting through a baseball game but multiple forces combined to make this appealing enough for me: fun people were going, the Seattle Mariners were playing (my loyalty to my hometown team has never been expressed), and the chance to visit a new city. Trent & Ryan were really patient with answering all the questions I had about the game haha. The Mariners lost :( but the Orioles stadium was really cool.
1st Time in Baltimore
We walked down to the Baltimore harbor after the game. It was beautiful. They had a cool fountain/waterfall so I had to take my customary jumping picture :D
1st Time Paddleboarding
I first saw these "stand up kayaks" last summer when I first went kayaking on the Potomac River by Georgetown and wanted to try it but thought it was way too expensive. Now that I'm more adjusted to outrageous DC prices and learned they're called "paddleboards", I finally got to check it off my list! Britt and I had been planning to do it since March so even though it was cloudy and drizzling this Saturday, we couldn't postpone it any longer! $20 for a scenic hour of a good shoulder and core workout - time well-spent!
1st Henna Tattoo
I've seen this art form offered at various fairs but always seemed to be in a rush or on a tight budget at the time. So when I passed by this booth at the Arlington Fair, I had to jump on the opportunity to cross this off my list. I was so excited!!! I don't have any permanent tattoos and don't plan to get any (see 1 Corinthians 3:16–17), but I think henna tattoos are just beautiful.
1st Funnel Cake
I usually don't like fried foods, but again, fairs are so American and funnel cakes are quintessential fair food. It was messy to eat (I looked like I had a serious dandruff problem) but delicious!
1st Living Ordinance in the LDS Temple
The things that happen inside LDS temples are extremely sacred (not secret, we just have to prepare ourselves to be worthy to enter and participate) so I can't give details. But suffice it to say that I took felt ready to take this next step in my spiritual progression and it was a beautiful experience that I was able to share with a couple of my closest friends in DC and my dear friend from home who first introduced me to the Church in high school :)
1st "March"
I'm really into African American history (one of the reasons I moved to DC) and I was so excited to participate in one of the activities commemorating the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. It was during this event that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his monumental "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial (a few blocks from where I now work and go to school). I woke up early on a Saturday morning and marched with hundreds of people who came from all over the country to commemorate this event by listening to community and political leaders, including Julian Bond and DC mayor Vincent Gray. Someone was passing out free posters, so I held this the whole time. I felt an incredible spirit of determination and unity around me. I wasn't able to go to the bigger event on Wednesday, Aug 28 because of work/school so I was grateful to participate in this day's activities. One of my proudest DC moments for sure.
1st Double Birthday Party
I wanted to see all my friends on my birthday but remembered throwing my own birthday party last year was too exhausting. Fortunately, Britt offered her house for a combined birthday party since hers is 11 days after mine. It's really funny how different we are and yet how close of friends we are. We had the party between our birthdays and it was a roaring success! The joy and love I felt increased with every friend who came :) I took individual pictures with each friend but I don't want to exhaust you with all of them so here are a couple of Britt and me.
1st Bed & Breakfast
For Labor Day weekend/Britt's actual birthday, we took a mini roadtrip to Lexington, Virginia (one of the top 20 small towns in America) - a charming historic small town about 3.5 hours from where we live. I was excited to stay at Llewellyn Lodge, my first Bed & Breakfast (est. 1985), the first one in town! I was struck by how FLUFFY everything was: the bed, the chairs/couches, the rugs, the towels, the toilet paper, the kleenex, even the omelets were fluffy! It was absolutely lovely and our host, John, made sure we were as comfortable as possible and gave us a ton of tips about things to do around town. I highly recommend this place!
1st Natural Bridge
Apparently there are several natural bridges around the world, and I was glad to visit my first one "in my own backyard". Britt and my roadtrip was actually planned around visiting this Natural Bridge in Virginia. Its history is intertwined with several big American historical events and figures. I'm grateful it has been well-preserved; the nature around it is so beautiful.
