last day as a government attorney

Today was my last day working for the government and while I'm very excited about my new job, I worked with a wonderful group of people and will really miss seeing them everyday. After the Customs Lawyers Association conference where most of us spent all day, we went out for a going away party.

Richard, Brian, Allison, Hillary & William.

It's amazing how much time I've spent with these people over the past year. Richard and I played soccer in the same league (his team beat mine...) and spent New Years Eve together. Brian and I also played soccer together and spent lots of time working together. Hillary and I had lunch together every Monday and William and I worked a big project together. I'll miss them all!

Sohail joined us. I'm so happy I'll still see him everyday!

I'll particularly miss Brian who was my neighbor at work and became a good friend over the course of the last year. We shared lots of laughs and he is an incredibly talented attorney who taught me lots about Customs law.

With Richard

Allison & Brian

Richard & Brian

Greg & Allison

Dax & Brian

Megan trying to convince people to dance after getting the band to play me song

Megan & Greg

picnic in dupont

tonight the weather was perfect (70s with a breeze) so sohail and i packed a picnic and had dinner in dupont circle.

sohail enjoying his pasta salad

right before having a hard boiled egg

a squirrel crawled in between our shaddows

after dinner we did some great people watching in the circle. it's amazing that just a few months ago this was covered in snow and the scene of a massive snowball fight.

relaxing in the city

After two weekends of really fun travel, we had a more typical weekend in DC.

Saturday night we went to see a Marc Cary jazz concert to celebrate our friend Rebecca's birthday.

The show was at the Bohemian Caverns which looks just like a cavern inside. It was a cool space.

This morning Sohail planned a brunch to watch the final of the French open and we invited our friends who were most likely to come - Nate and his one-year-old. Who else is awake and looking for company at 9 am?

Apparently cheerios can distract a kid long enough for one point in tennis.

Then we read the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act handbook.

We tried reading a book an animals and the hippo was a hit but little n really is more of an FCPA kind of girl ;-)

N, n & me.

Sohail getting some baby time.

Memorial Day Bachelorette

Memorial day weekend doubled as another great excuse to get together with my college friends - this time to celebrate Sarah's upcoming nuptials. It's been a wonderful year with three of us getting married. Hopefully we can continue the trend in the years to come.

Before everyone came to town, I had a wonderful lunch with my Dad, Joanne and Derek. In this picture they thought they looked wrinkled so....

I took another...

...but they couldn't keep a straight face.

Our cute beach house.

With a wonderful kitchen.

And a view of the ocean.

The first day we went on a pre-dinner walk on the beach.

Shirin & Kai showering after a dip in the ocean. He's getting big!

Dinner at Taco Boy with Erin (Sarah's law school friend), Courtney (Sarah's friend from Ecuador & Spain)

Sarah (the bachelorette) and Shirin

The next morning we dug a belly hole for Shirin so she could lie on her stomach for the first time in nine months.

Testing it out. She was delighted.

Then I made a brief escape to get my hair done in preparation for my wedding.

All done! The back's a surprise for those of you who are coming.

Getting ready for a night out on the town.

The bachelorette all decked out.

All of us.

Before dinner drinks.

Yum!

Getting to know my sister-from-another-mother. Courtney and I realized in the planning process of this bachelorette weekend that we have a lot in common and reconfirmed that finding throughout the weekend!

Sarah working on her first dare. She found a table of guys on a bachelor party so they were more than happy to have a little good hearted fun!

Sarah getting her palm read. Surprising that there's a fortune teller in a night club but she told good fortunes (foretelling only the best regarding Sarah & Barney's marriage) so why not?

Shirin and Kathy

Enjoying the evening.

Sarah with a love note ready for an unsuspecting guy...

Sarah getting a guy to flex his "muscles"

Another group shot.

Sarah even got this marine to wear her crown! He was a good sport until his fellow soldiers starting taking pictures of him.

The next morning we surprised Deena with a birthday cake for her 30th birthday.

Then I snuck away again for Edie and Joe's wedding. It was really beautiful.

I got to catch up with Julie, Dusty and Julie's Mom at the wedding. Julie & Dusty's baby was due in three days but she and Edie have always been close friends so it's great they could make it to the wedding.

Edie & Joe had a hummer limo!

Sunday night we went out for a laid back dinner in Folly Beach.

And played some bridal bingo. Apparently I'm very good at this game ;-)