July 8 

Virginia is for lovers--apparently that's the new slogan around here, since we've arrived.  :) We've been in the great state for a week now, and feel comfortably moved into our new apartment and ready to move out into the worlds of work and community.  Matt's first day on the job is tomorrow; I'm sure the OCC will be delighted to have him!  I will be starting to work part time for the National Dance Education Organization, writing some grants while I secure either another part time position or a full time job elsewhere.  I've also started studying for the GRE--those vocabulary flashcards are so much fun--in preparation for my graduate school applications which will be due in September. 

We love our new place!  We have lots of space, a great view of the Washington Monument, Pentagon, Lincoln Memorial, and the National Cathedral, access to a state-of-the-art fitness center, a two minute walk to the metro, and more!   Except for the second-hand smoke that is seeping into our apartment from a source yet to be detected everything is great!  We would love to be the hosts to anyone who is coming our way, and we would love you to come our way so we could host you!

Our new address is:

1600 S Eads St, Apt. 731 N

Arlington, VA 22202 

Our e-mail addresses and phone numbers have remained the same and we don't plan on changing them anytime soon (we'll let you know if we do).

 We had a lovely apartment warming party, and our home felt complete once it was filled with food, folks, and fun (thanks to COSTCO!  We got the bulk bagel bites and friends-to-go all at the wholesale warehouse!)  We are excited to get to know our  neighbors and ward members as we jump head first into this new chapter of the days of our lives.  Wish us luck!

June 18

Hello Family!  Just wanted to let everyone know that we found a place to live in DC! We will be living in Crystal City, right across from the Marriott, the Metro, Costco, a huge underground mall, and 2 minutes from the airport. It is pretty much the perfect location. Of course, a spot like this doesn't come cheep, and we have had to take out a mortgage just to pay for our rent. But we want everyone to know that the Gee Hotel in Washington DC will be up and running in less than a week, so if you need a place to stay in the nations capitol, start making your reservations now.

March 2

For all those interested, Dr. Pope (the professor I do research for) recently received the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Award, which is the highest faculty honor given out at BYU. As part of the award, he was asked to give a university forum on his research. He just gave that forum on Tuesday and as part of the forum he mentions the research that we have worked on together. If you want to watch the lecture, you can click here, or on the link to the left. It has been a real honor to work for such a great scientist and scholar.

March 1 

Hey Family,

The big news from Provo is that I defended my honors thesis yesterday and passed so I will be graduating with honors. It was a bit grueling, but it was a great experience, especially if I plan on doing any additional theses or dissertations in the future. You can check out my thesis by clicking on the link on the left, or just click here. Thank you all for your support of my academic work, especially Mom and Dad who bankrolled most of it and gave a great example to us kids on the importance of education. Most importantly, I am grateful to Lisa for putting up with all the late nights and $5 pizza these last few weeks. She has supported and encouraged me through all of it.