Sunsets aren't the end...

As I spend my last full day in Washington, DC for this summer, I remember coming here in early May with my family and thinking I wonder what great memories I will make here. I really couldn't have even imagined what this experience would be like. In order to keep from a sentimental rambling, here are 5 of my most favorite memories from DC:

1. Going to the national concerts for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. Those events combined all of my favorite things: picnics, getting to hear great music, singing at the top of my lungs along with all my friends, relaxing at the base of the Capitol with a great view of the Washington Monument...it was all incredible.

2. Hiking in Shenandoah National Park. If you know me, you know that I have a very high appreciation of art. However, during that hike, I truly came to realize that God's Creation greatly surpasses all possible human expression of beauty.

3. Touring all the museums with my friends. I really love the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History museum, and the National Gallery of Art. Getting to walk through them multiple times with my friends was so much fun, and I would see something new every time.

4. Getting to work in a federal building with the best co-workers in the world. The Fuel Cell Technologies Office is so awesome, and everyone was so kind to me. I have the best bosses in the world, and it was great to get to know them on a professional and personal level.

5. Living on the Hill. I really liked being able to walk everywhere. One night, my roommates and I walked to get milkshakes at 10pm, and then strolled down to the Capitol to stare at its lit-up glory. Another time, I just ran down to the Capitol by myself in the evening and laid out by the fountain.Or, many times I would walk to one of the many coffee shops right around my house and hang out for a while. It was such a wonderful experience.

Sunsets aren't the end. They may seem like the end of a beautiful day, but a different day is just around the corner, and the sunrise is always glorious. I will miss DC, living with 10 awesome roommates, having such wonderful friends around me all day long, and working at the DOE. But I know it has been such a wonderful blessing of a summer, and I won't tarnish it with tears. My friendships will outlast this season, and maybe one day I'll come back. Tomorrow leads to a new day, a new adventure. I can't wait!