Miss Thomas Goes to Washington

I'm HERE! After an enjoyable week of lunch dates, coffee meetings, and wedding fun (see pics below of Carrie) I packed up Lafonda the little gold Honda and hit the road. We went to CCC Sunday morning, I cried as I said good-bye, and Mom & I drove to Ohio. We stayed overnight at my Great Aunt Betty's house, had a great conversation with her and some of her family (my mom's cousin & kids), then left for DC! But, we had a little set-back....the brake pads wore out & we had to get it fixed. Over 2 hours in some redneck town in West Virginia (we could NOT understand a WORD of what some of those people said...VERY thick southern accents!), $400 later, and about 200 miles, we arrived on the Beltway in DC! We got off on our exit, passed the church, and drove through the hilly & scenic back roads to my house! The West Wing is everything I had imagined-BEAUTIFUL! My family was so welcoming & very hospitable to show me the tour (Family Room, Great Room, Library, Kitchen, Entryway, Basement, Movie Theater, 2nd Family Room, Dining Room, Laundry Room, Computer Cafe, and the West Wing). Yes, I have reached the peak of Real Estate. Only downhill from here, folks! Unless, I reach my dream of becoming the First Lady, then I'll have the White House to decorate! :)

Beach Week in Myrtle Beach, SC began on Wednesday & I just got back last night. Talk about diving right in! I had a group of 14 girls in my room! Small groups were not as I had thought, but they got better as the week went on. It was so encouraging to meet so many committed believers in the church who are so passionate for serving and discipling students! Praise the Lord for these volunteers! The students have really hard lives & are so diverse in where they are spiritually. Please pray for the hearts of these young men & women who were taught the Word every day for 5 days, and now are back into "the real world" of their everyday lives. I remember coming home from camps similar to this experience and being on such a spiritual high, but then returning to every sin pattern & spiritual discontentment as I returned home.

Right now I am just reflecting on how fast everything is happening. Graduation seems like a week ago, and the 5 weeks at home flew by! Now I have been in Virginia for a week & I begin working on Wednesday. I am an adult, with a job. Weird. I had such precious memories the past few weeks as I transitioned from college life to where God has me now.

This was my last visit downtown Chicago. Such great friends for the past 3 years. What would college have been without Kirra & Sarah? I love us. And I really miss us...

This was at Carrie & Jordan's rehearsal dinner. Carrie was my first and best friend since the age of 2. We have lived on Clover Hills Ct. since then & have been through so much together. I think I cried everyday that week & it was usually when I left her house to walk home, knowing that would not happen again. I made that walk (or bike ride) right up the street everyday every summer after long days of "playing" and everyday home from school (since the bus stop was at their driveway). Their wedding was so beautiful & I was so honored to be a part of their special day. Jessie is in the middle & she has been a friend since high school at Wheaton Academy, then her & Carrie went to Taylor University together. We had SOOO much fun hanging out & planning fun things the weeks before the wedding.

THERE SHE IS! Carrie! A Bride! WooHOO!! We are all grown-up now! I can't wait to see her again soon & hear how married life is. Im thankful she will be right down the street :)