T.G.I.F. (& Saturday & Sunday!)

This blog post dedicated to my dad. Happy Father's Day! I couldn't ask for a 

better father. Thanks for all that you've done for me, and for always believing in me. 

I also owe it to you that I've learned that it's okay to be wordy (baha, see below post). 

So, this weekend was pretty spectacular. Time in DC, cultural/local events, nature, naps, good food. It had it all!

It started when I got off work Friday and Leslie, Chris, Lindsey and I all met up outside the Capitol to go to Jazz in the Garden at the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Garden. We walked quite a ways, and on the way I ran into a teacher I had at Cor Jesu at a random stoplight!! (Ms. Ahrens, for all the CJ girls). We were on the lookout for food, and she directed us to burger place across from her hotel. This was just the first of a few chance encounters this weekend. 

Never thought I'd see this so close up in real life. 

The second chance encounter on our way to Jazz was with a family of ducklings. Haha, for real though. It was possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen. The mother duck and her 8 or so ducklings were just walking around the streets of DC, catching the eye and camera of many a passer-by. The real entertainment began when the mother hopped up a few steps, and her baby ducks tried to follow. A crowd gathered around and watched, cheering the ducklings on, especially the last two who were frantically running back and forth trying to find another way up because each time they tried they just flopped over on their sides. They finally made it up and we erupted into applause! 

And off they go, one big happy duck family!

The actual Jazz in the Garden event was amazing. There were people EVERYWHERE. Everywhere. It was insane. These pictures might illustrate a bit, but really it was just incredible. The jazz was really good and it was a beautiful night. We also met Anne, another SFLA intern and her intern friends from the Susan B. Anthony List there (she has her 1st rotation there). 

Starting at the right and clockwise: Me, Lindsey, Anne, Chris, and the 3 SBA interns, Santina, Austin, and Garrett!

Saturday brought more adventures. We woke up early (which was a challenge, but was worth it!), and met Tina, the SFLA intern director, for the "Become a Pilot for the Day!" Family Fun Day at the Air and Space Museum's location in Chantilly, VA. My dad, being the Boeing dork that he is (love you dad!), had briefed me on which planes to look out for. It was pretty neat, to be sure. They had an F-14, which was made by the Navy, and I when I got home I dutifully fulfilled my dad's request to tell Dan that I liked the F-14 (Dan served in the Navy) but the F-15 is still better (my dad worked for years on the F-15). He got a kick out of that. This day at the museum was really aimed at kids, and Tina's 4 kids loved it. 

SR-71, super impressive

Me, Tina, Lindsey (from Louisiana) and Leslie (+the top of Esther, Tina's 5 year old)

Lindsey, Leslie and I with Tina's kids! This plane had a stuffed
animal dog on top so we had to get a picture with it!

 After the Air and Space Museum, we metro-ed into DC, changing into professional clothes at a gas station on the way, to go to the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference held at the Renaissance, where some of the other interns had found the opportunity to help "run" Mitt Romney's campaign table there. We got there late enough in the afternoon that it had pretty much died down, but we got to walk around and meet other organizations, and then attend a panel for "Young Activists and Collegians." While standing in line to get in, and because I was asking if anyone knew where a drinking fountain was, we by chance happened to meet Rushad Thomas, one of the SFLA Missionary interns from last year!! It was neat to hear from him about his experience last summer, and where he's at now (getting his Master's in Government from Regent U). 

After the panel ended, we strolled around Chinatown looking for a place to eat. We noticed a Smithsonian across the street, and then I realized it was the National Portrait Gallery (which had come highly recommended from my cousin Matt) and we all decided to step in for a bit. A bit ended up being almost 2 hours, as the place was so intriguing. It's connected also to the general National Gallery of Art, so there was lots to see. 

We finally ended the night with dinner at a Chinese place (imagine, Chinese in Chinatown!) 

Leslie with Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a true femenist
who stood against abortion!

This, was CRAZY. The United States through TV! Missouri's TVs were playing Meet Me In St. Louis :)  

Ruben, Leslie and Lindsey

Annddd Sunday's theme was "Relaxin' with the Whalens". We went to 10:30 mass with them at Our Lady of Hope, and then, Dan and Maureen took us to O'Faolain's Irish Pub for breakfast/lunch. Then we took a walk with Nola and Maureen at a nearby park. And we napped until dinner, which we had at Wegmann's the grocery store palace previously mentioned.

It was a glorious weekend and I hope yours was as well! I've missed updating you all and apologize for the immense volume of posts! This is a record for me as much as it is an update for you :) Love you all!