Washington D.C. memory with Mimi

Ok I'm in the process of organizing my photos that are all jumbled in my Google drive. I've got some hilarious 2011 sepia toned treasures on there that maybe I'll share someday...... Anyway so I found all these photos from a super quick D.C. trip and I wanted to put words to this memory before I forget. 

So way back in August 2014 I visited my family and we took a trip up to D.C. to visit our Temple. It was super quick like we were there for 48 hours I think-but so memorable. I had just met Mike like a month before and was still in a twitterpated state of mind. That's why I'm so smiley in all these pics. Lol actually maybe it's because I was so tan.

 ANYWAYS so we stayed at our cousin's and I can't remember why JJ and my parents were busy but anyway there was an afternoon where I grabbed Mimi and we explored the city together, just us girls!

 D.C. has always felt really familiar because of all of our trips up here growing up. But we have never actually been to any other museum/place of interest besides the National Gallery & Smithsonian because we're all ART FREAKS. So my lil' sis and I parallel parked like a boss so we could go to the Zoo! 

It was way fun walking around in the jungle with Mimi. We had our brother's nice camera so we snapped a ton of photos while we strolled by the tigers. 

My sweet parents posing for yet another Temple shot. We probably have like 35480283742983 of these same shots. It would be fun to find them all and collage dem pics. *writing to do list item now*

 

These next shots were taken the same day as our Temple visit, but for some reason AGAIN Mimi and I were alone and took off together to see the Washington Monument & Lincoln Memorial. We ran around all hyper because we were alone again, just us girls! Mimi was practicing her photography and so being the entertainer and complete HAM that I am, I gladly was her model. 

I had so much fun with Mimi on both days when it was just us. We bonded and got to know each other on a whole new level because like she's all grown up now and going through things I went through right at her age. And we're also cognitively aware enough to ask for advice and share things. Ugh, that weekend was just so perfect! I can't wait to see her again and have more girl time memories!

HAHAHAHA I'm so annoying it's not even hilarious.

It's Snowing in Virginia Beach!

Sister Chelsea Snow ladies and gents.

For everyone who doesn't know, this lovely lady has made the decision to go on a mission and serve the Lord for 18 months. 

At college she opened her call to Richmond, Virginia and I cried.

In between my tears of joy and exclamations of "OHMYGOSH I LIVE THERE" we both got so excited for her new journey to the East Coast!

At the end of the semester our goodbyes weren't as teary because maybe JUST MAYBE I would be able to see her when she came to Virginia!

The odds were not in our favor, you see because the Richmond Virginia Mission is not a tiny mission area. 

So she went off the MTC and then flew to Virginia this past Wednesday!  

And it was a complete surprise to find out that her first are would be in the Norfolk Ward in the Virginia Beach Stake (a ward in my stake!)

So now we're in the same Stake and I get to see her a few times before I go back to college in April!

My sweet Mom and I made plans to go have lunch with the Sister missionaries and planned it so Sister Snow didn't know I was coming!

We showed up at her apartment and Sister Snow opened the door and well, here's the video:

So after we hugged and screamed and laughed and cried a little, we got to cook lunch together! Her companions are SO sweet and their little apartment is the cutest!

 

I just couldn't get enough photos with this gorgeous girl!

 

AMAZING MIRACLE MOMENT:

I got a letter from Sister Snow on Thursday and immediately wrote her a letter back and tried to send it on Friday but missed the mail truck (that thing zooms away so fast!) So I was bummed that I had her letter in my hand for a whole nother day but the Lord knew that she was coming to my stake and planned the whole thing. 

I am so grateful that I can see the Hand of the Lord working in my life! I was able to personally deliver my letter to Sister Snow AND have lunch together before she went of tracting!

What a wonderful world!

I am so glad that I met Sister Chelsea Snow all those years ago at the greatest EFY of our lives, we had the best week together and kept in touch since! She's is the most amazing missionary already and I can't wait to bump into her again! Love that girl

check out her journey on her Mission Blog! http://sisterchelseabaileysnow.blogspot.com

So much has changed! and yet...some things remain the same.

at EFY as adorable 15 year olds.           and here we are as stunning 19 year olds