Why DC?

(excuse me while I spend time talking about DC the next few days.  After 9 months of not knowing where we would end up, its exciting to know!)

Why was DC our first CHOICE?  Let me tell you all the reasons we love DC.

(1) DC is a big enough city for Dave to do different types of architecture.  In most southern, midwestern or smaller American cities, a lot of architecture is good architecture, just more traditional.  Dave is not traditional at all.  A larger city would give him more opportunity to do a variety of work.

(2) Firms in larger cities are more likely to do work overseas.  Dave's top two firm choices both work overseas...and although Dave won't likely work overseas at first, he will have the chance to eventually do so. Why is overseas important? Apparently weirder (Dave would correct me right here to say "not weird, Katy, different") buildings are built overseas more often than in America.

(3) DC means I don't HAVE TO take another bar exam.  I can waive into the DC bar. It's a process, I'm sure, but not another bar exam.  I will likely take the Virginia bar exam eventually, but it's nice to know I do not have to wait until next spring to be licensed or find work.

(4) LIKEWISE, I don't even have to waive into the DC Bar to find a job in DC.  I AM DYING TO USE MY LAW DEGREE in different ways.  I want to try out other areas of law, legislation, etc.  I can do that in DC without a DC license.  I WOULD LOVE TO WORK ON THE HILL, in policy, for a lobby firm.

(5) DC was compromise.  There's no doubt about it, anywhere we moved, I was giving up a lot back home to go with Dave.  I would be giving up my world, my friends, my job, my license, my church home, my family.  And I was willing to do it, but it did create some disagreements on where we wanted to end up. DC is my favorite city and is a city with opportunities for me which is a large reason why sweet Dave took interest in it. He's too good to me.

(6) DC is livable. Let's not even pretend, we are SOUTHERN folks through and through. We like green space and friendliness and don't want dark hard buildings and sidewalk alone.  Also, DC is not too too big....and thats good for this MS girl: exciting but not overwhelming!

 (7) DC IS SOUTHERN....(and it's not southern, all at the same time)DC is full of people from all over- including southerners.  And what I learned in my 3 summers there is that Mississippians (and southerners, in general) find each other.  It's true. We hear a southern accent a mile away.  We spot searsucker and migrate to that person to strike a conversation. AT THE SAME TIME,  We see someone in an sec tshirt and immediately discuss football.  DC was always an adventure for me when I lived there - because I met different types of people from all over, but I always found comfort in being around southerners.

(8) DC has good churches.  One, in particular that I love: GRACE DC..but so many others.  No matter what city, Dave and I looked up for jobs, I always checked to see if there were churches, particularly PCA churches.  It was a must that we move somewhere with Christian Community.

(9) DC is a direct flight home.  Its far away, sure, but not too far that we can't come for important weddings, holidays, etc.

(10) DC has friends.  One of our reasons for moving away- even if away was just to Birmingham- was a chance to start our life together.  It seemed a bit unfair for Dave to move into Jackson, into a life I already established, and have to assimilate into my world. Moving away meant creating our own world.  But, I always hoped was would move somewhere where we each knew a couple people. DC has friends for both of us already, which is great, because I want to be with Dave, but sometimes I want to watch a chick flick or have a mani/pedi day you know?