Go Time!

After weeks of planning, daydreaming, and anticipating, the day finally arrived for me to say adios to Phoenix and hello to Washington DC.

Before I could peace out, however, I had to pack all of the belongings I will need for the next month into 2 suitcases and a carry-on. Quite a dilemma for a somewhat high maintenance girl with a penchant for shoes, not to mention the insane amount of warm clothing needed when coming to the East Coast in the middle of winter. Yikes. Much to my chagrin, the Snuggie and the fleece neck pillow didn't make the cut.

Fortunately, these essentials did. Shout out to SK for the b-day almond butter, aka my sustenance until I make it to a grocery store.

I had a layover in St. Paul, MN, which it turns out, proved beneficial. Why, you may ask? Because it was a whopping 17 degrees there, which made the 30 degrees in DC seem perfectly lovely. I didn't arrive in DC until after 9pm, thus I do not have any pics, but enjoyed taking in the sights from the plane. Capital building. Check. Washington Monument. Saw it. Lincoln Memorial. Goregous.

As we made our final descent into Reagan International, I had the realization that I'm far from home and all that is comfortable to me (obviously I'd reached that conclusion previously, but, no turning back now) . It felt a bit overwhelming and scary as I contemplated starting from scratch in a city where I know a handful of people. One thing I do know for sure, it's going to be an adventure; I can't wait to see what this place has in store for me and to share it with my family and friends.