2 years- part two

Richard and I have been in two different weddings in the last week, but we did find a night to properly celebrate our anniversary. We went to 1789, a delicious restaurant in Georgetown that has a summer tasting menu during the week. Our date nights have been few and far between recently, so it was a treat just to enjoy each other's company and relax. Our five courses were all amazing, as was the service and my handsome date.

personalized menu and Haviland china, similar to our own salad plates

happy, happy

1789's take on S'mores

French press coffee and peach creme brulee is a great way to end a meal

outside the restaurant

Richard and I got each other cotton items, since its the traditional gift, but mom sent a piece of our china, which is the modern gift. Loved getting artwork from two of our littlest friends too!

2 years

This is what we were doing at about 11 pm on July 24th two years ago. Leaving the best party we had ever thrown or attended, thrilled to be married and excited about our honeymoon in Anguilla and our life together. What a special night. I loved every minute of it and still wish I could do it all over again. 

leaving our wedding reception at the Piedmont Club

Tonight, we celebrated our two-year anniversary at the hospital, where Richard was on call. He had put so many requests in to accommodate for weddings this month that he couldn't swing one more favor. So we'll go out to a fancy dinner tomorrow night, but tonight, it was pizza and cake in his office. 

healthy dinner

My husband loves a good store-bought cake, so I ventured over to the Safeway after work. The cake decorator was long gone, but I met a sweet little man sweeping the floors who knew where they kept the icing. He took me behind the counter and let me decorate a pre-made cake with my "Happy 2 Years!" message. I didn't quite have room for "Happy Anniversary." 

And so, our second anniversary was very reflective of where we are in our life. Richard is working a ton as a chief resident on the General Surgery chair's service, and the busyness and stress of life has made us just take each day as it comes, anniversary or not. We had a wonderful trip to South Carolina this past weekend for a fun wedding and will celebrate the union of two of our friends here later this week. We have walked through a few fires over the past few weeks (and months) but have made it through, trusting that God's plan is perfect and that He works for the good of those who love Him. 

So happy anniversary, dear husband. Here's to many, many more. 

this picture is not the most flattering, but we'll just chalk that up to a long day and poor hospital lighting

celebrating Jon and Amy

July is a busy wedding month for Richard and me. My good friend and old roommate Hannah gets married this weekend, and our friends Jon and Amy's wedding is the following Friday. Last weekend, Amy's sister Ashley threw a fun outdoor party for the happy couple, and despite it being one of the hottest days of the year, we had a great time! 

The party was a BBQ theme, and everyone who attended the party chipped in to get Jon and Amy a grill. And who can grill without matching aprons?

trying on their aprons

too cute

Amy's sister Ashley is quite the cake ball maker, and she made these adorable bride and groom themed cake balls. Loved them and the ice cream that accompanied them in its little polka-dot cup.

We got to celebrate with Jon and Amy the night they got engaged, and we're so excited to be a part of their big day in less than two weeks.

ortho residents and wives, with a general surgery friend thrown in

And just because she's so adorable, I thought I'd include a picture of Gia and me after church last Sunday. We had the same shape of sunglasses on and just had to document it. 

the future's so bright we gotta wear shades

4th of July fun

There's not much better for me than having a week day off with my husband. It rarely happens, but when it does, I love being able to relax at home together without any major agenda or plans. Richard was on call for the 4th, but now that he's a chief resident, he's able to take home call. Hooray!

We spent our 4th enjoying good food and fellowship with sweet friends and ended the evening with the classic fireworks. A fun, happy day celebrating our independence and freedom! 

first stop: a cook-out with the Capadi's- Gia was still a little sleepy from her nap

all the adults trying to get Gia to smile

at least we all smiled!

and one with the gals- Emily, me, Min, Gia, Lauren and Miss Addie

next stop: a shrimp boil at Ryan's- glad he's moved to DC!

And finally...fireworks!

eventful weekend

On Friday night, as I was curled up on the couch watching TLC and the Gymnastics Olympic trials while Richard was on call, I certainly did not expect for our weekend to be as crazy as it ended up being. Right in the middle of cute little Gabby's floor routine, a HUGE storm came through our area. I had hoped our power would be spared, but it flickered on and off and then went out completely. I went to the basement to seek shelter from the blustery winds and terrible lightening and spent a hot evening trying to get some sleep. I ventured out Saturday morning, and our neighborhood looked like it had been hit by a hurricane- trees uprooted, power lines down, and no power for several miles surrounding our house. My keratin treatment was sadly canceled (and how I need it!), and Richard and I spent most of the hospital seeking refuge from the heat and cleaning his new Chief Resident office. 

I booked a hotel room over at the National Harbor, and we finally trekked over there mid-afternoon to enjoy the AC and freshen up for the evening. The SC State Society (most states here in DC have some sort of state society group) had a shag party Saturday evening, and we had made plans to attend with our friends Philip and Leslie, who are here for a short time on Philip's National Guard orders. 

our hotel lobby out at the National Harbor

trying to stay cool by the water after a delicious BBQ dinner

Bolling Air Force Base was right across the water from where we were, and a Navy ship was docked close by

Saturday was extremely hot, but the party was still a lot of fun. It was held out on the water front near the Nats stadium, and it was great to hear beach music within a few miles of the Capitol. We have loved having Leslie and Philip here in the area!

We were still without power Sunday, but our friends Pam and Misha thankfully had it for their sweet little Natalie's first birthday party. It's hard to believe Natalie is a year old, as we saw Pam all throughout her pregnancy and prayed for Natalie's safe arrival. Our former small group was all in attendance, and it was great to catch up with each of them. Busy schedules have kept us from meeting on a regular basis, but I so appreciate our friendships have continued despite sporadic gatherings. 

Panyutin family

We spent Sunday night at our friends' Min and Vin's house, thanks to a generator they borrowed, and when I woke up in the middle of the night, I checked my email to see a message on the listserv alerting us that our power was back on. I have not heard such happy news in a long time. Our power provider had estimated that we would not get power back until Friday, the 6th, so having it early seemed like a great gift! And once again, as is the case when I go through periods of time without electricity, I realized just how blessed I am and how much I take for granted. So thankful our 4th of July won't be spent in the dark!