September 6 or Fast Sunday and a Capitol symphony

See this cloud? Remember it for later.

After a late night cavorting around ESPN Zone, getting up this morning was difficult. I left the Barlow Center at 9:45 in order to get to the church house by 10:30 for an interview. I was successful and I got a calling! Guesses? Anyone?

FHE co-chair for the Barlow Center.

We got sustained during Sacrament meeting and then set apart and trained during Sunday school. I’m glad to have an opportunity to serve and be involved with the ward and here at the Barlow Center.

Testimony meeting was great, and the game actually did get mentioned by one person. My co-FHE-co-chair Ben said that his brother messaged him early this morning from Hong Kong. Ben’s brother’s ward got out at about the same time the game ended, so the young men in the ward developed a code for getting the score out. He said that one young man got up with the biggest smile and said, “I really really like Alma 14:13,” which is actually a pretty appropriate scripture for the situation.

Have I mentioned that I really like the bishopric in this ward? They are very kind, very smart, and very welcoming. I met Brother Burton’s wife today, and she is just the bee’s knees as well. It makes such a difference to have a bishopric who cares and serves so selflessly. I have been very impressed.

After church we took the bus home (cheaper and prettier than the metro) and met in the lobby for a dinner group discussion. Turned into more of a dinner group constitutional congress. Rival factions pushing their own agendas! We should have an early group! Cook for 8! Cook for 12! Cook for 20! (At this point I asked him, have you ever cooked for twenty people in a 5 x 8 kitchen?) Cook organically! Must have fruit and vegetable! Can’t be from a box! Drama, drama, drama.

After a short little break we went down to the west lawn of the Capitol building to watch the national orchestra play. It was a beautiful day and I got some great pictures of the sunset (pollution helps makes sunsets beautiful). It started to rain a little bit before the show, but nothing we couldn’t handle. We stuck it out and heard some good music. About an hour into their playing, it began raining again. HARD. I don’t believe that I have ever seen rain like this. That thing we have in Utah where water falls from the sky? Not rain. More like…..mist. This was RAIN. We ran to the Metro station and by the time we got there we were completely soaked. When we got off it was raining even harder! The water was coursing into the station! We decided just to go for it and rain home. By the time we got there, everything that could be wet, was wet. All layers were soaked. My hair completely soaked. Water running down my face, my legs. Luckily, it wasn’t that cold, so we won’t all get sick. But it was a fun little adventure!

Now, sitting at home I get to enjoy the sound of the rain hitting the pavement rather than the sound of it hitting my head. It’s nice.

Playing games waiting for the symphony to start. We tried playing poker, but we had nothing to fake bet with, and it was really pointless.

You know how I love sunsets.

I just couldn't get enough.

And it kept getting better!

The capitol, on fire!

Meant to be a group portrait, but ended up just being Melissa!

Remember that innocent looking cloud? We are cowering under a blanket trying to avoid the rain.

It cleared up enough for the symphony to play for about an hour.

Once it started raining enough, we decided to run for the Metro station.

Slippery flats+wet streets= no fun.

Remember, this is only part of the way home. It was raining harder when we got off the Metro!

Jeff Swindle's orange shirt shows the rain pretty well. When we got back to the Barlow, there were no dry parts anywhere, so you couldn't tell that he was wet from a picture!