Monuments & Memorials...

So today Shawn and I decided to go into Washington D.C. to do some sight-seeing. We took the metro in, which was really convenient, especially since my foot has been hurting a lot of the past few days and a lot of walking irritates it. We started out walking near the Capitol Building, but we didn't get very close to it today. There is so much stuff we are gonna go back a few times. We walked along the National Mall, past all the Smithsonian museums and other museums too. There is one of the Smithsonian museums that has a sculpture garden outside. It is full of really neat bronze sculptures. We took some pictures in there, especially since Shawn and I like to take goofy pictures and that was a good place for that! We made a list last night of all the different Smithsonian museums that we want to go to while we're here, because there are a bunch are we'll want to give a day to each, but we bypassed them today.

We moved then onto the Washington Monument. We didn't go up in it today but just standing at the base looking up is breathtaking! The sky was just beautiful today. Clear blue with minimal clouds. It was a gorgeous day, but it did get windy at times.

The World War II War Memorial is really interesting. There is a fountain in the center, but it wasn't turned on yet this year. The walkways of the WWII Memorial have a lot of etchings of different scenes of wartime. There were too many to take pictures of all of them, but I did get a picture of one. We walked along the Tidal Basin next up to the Lincoln Memorial. That was really interesting too. The Gettysburg Address was on one wall and Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural Address was on the other. I didn't realize how large Lincoln really was in there! 

The Vietnam War Memorial and the Korean War Memorial's were both really beautiful but sad as well. Anything like that about war depresses me and the Vietnam War Memorial was terrible for me! Just walking along the wall with so many names...I just have such a hard time dealing with that level of death. I know that is weird coming from a nurse who deals with death on a fairly regular basis, but war is different. I just don't deal with that well.

We were gonna head to the Jefferson Memorial next, but my foot really started hurting a lot so we cut the day off then. Hope you enjoy the pictures! We'll be heading back out there soon! I start working in the hospital this week on Wednesday, but I have to work dayshift this week (boo)! Hopefully I'll be back on nights soon. Looks like Shawn got a job so that's a huge weight off of his mind too. Ok...I'm gonna go make some cookies now!

Pictures!

Here are some pictures of Old Towne Alexandria! Enjoy! I think we're gonna go into D.C. this weekend maybe or early next week...so there will be more pictures coming soon!

All Moved In!

I left home about 6am Friday morning and arrived in Alexandria around 4pm. Not too bad...especially considering we stopped for breakfast and lunch and we got lost trying to get into Alexandria! We weren't lost very long though...but I did have to stop and ask directions and buy a local map (and anyone who knows me at all knows how frustrating it is for me to be lost and have to ask for directions!)

My apartment is really nice. It's not huge, about the size of my last apartment in Bloomington, but plenty big for me. There is a nice sized bathroom and a walk in closet. The furniture they provided is pretty nice too. It is also a gated community, which is really nice. You have to have a key to open the gate to get onto the property even if you're walking. That is a nice perk. I think it'll do :) Alexandria is really nice too. The apartment complex is right across the street from a shopping center that has a Barnes and Noble, a Target, a BestBuy, a Starbucks, a Dunkin Donuts, an Old Navy, a grocery store, etc. I'm all set! We went yesterday for a few hours down to Old Town Alexandria. It is a really nice area in the center of town where most of the buildings from the original settlement are located. I forgot to take my camera though, so I'll be heading back to take some pictures. There was a really nice guy working at the visitors center who gave me a lot of good information. I have several area maps now and a long list of stuff to do in Alexandria and D.C.! I'm ready to get started! The Old Town area has a lot of cute shops and restaurants. There is a lot of different ethnic food restaurants too. I'll be able to try several kinds of foods I've never tried before. The end of the main strip of Old Town is a pier/dock on the Potomac. There is an old Torpedo factory there was that was converted into an Art Center and there is an Archeology museum there as well. There are boat rides along the Potomac offered there too, and several parks and walkways are right along the river. I think there is gonna be a lot to do here. I promise I will take some pictures soon...I think we're gonna go back tomorrow and take some pictures, so keep watching for those!

I start my job Tuesday, but the first week in just orientation stuff so I won't be actually working with any patients yet nor will I meet any of my coworkers. I have to learn to use the computer system and other stuff like that. Plus all hospitals have there own policies and procedures that are pretty important, so they'll need to go over all that kind of stuff. I did drive out to the hospital today so I could make sure how to get there and take a look at it. It doesn't look very big, but that is fine with me! I'll have more to update about work next week. Anyway, I made it out here safely and I'm all settled! My adventure has begun!

What 2008 brings...

For those of your who did not know, I have been toying with the idea of doing traveling nursing for a few months now. I have never really traveled much throughout my life and I feel like if I don't know it now I never will! I hate to leave my current job because I have made some great friends and I LOVE what i do, but there is a whole world out there that I have not been able to experience! I'm very excited to tell you all that I have been offered my first assignment! The assignment starts January 21st (but I will be moving Jan 18th), it is 13 weeks long and I will be working at the Inova Mt. Vernon Hospital in Alexandria, VA. There are a ton of perks to traveling, one of which is that I will have my own fully-furnished apartment (so any visitors would be welcome!). It is only 10 minutes to D.C. (which is really cool because I've never been to D.C.) but is a decent size city itself as well. Mimi knows a guy who used to live near Alexandria and he said it is a really nice area. I was a little nervous at first about going to a new city, especially one like Washington D.C along, but that problem was resolved because Shawn will be coming with me! Now I'll have company for the drive and someone to galivant around D.C. with! Every 4 months or so I will have the option of changing to a new city for a new assignment so if anyone has suggestions on where I shoud go, let me know!

So, this new development in my life has prompted me to join the world of blogging. I will be using this blog to keep everyone updated about what I've been up to. I will try to update it weekly with pictures and such.

The first event of the year was New Years 2008. Some of my best friends came to Muncie to visit and we had a blast!

Theresa, Al and Shawn came to visit and Edward hung out with us as well. Plus...Shannon and Brad hung out with us at the house before we went out too! It was a great time. I'm not gonna lie, 2008 has been pretty awesome so far :)