2013: A Year in Photos
It’s funny how you forget your own life, how the good things slip into the dusty corners of our memories the way a favorite sweater can be lost in the back of an over-full closet, missing an entire season of usefulness. When I think over the year, I note how hard it was to wait for information about where we would be moving, and how frustrating our whole moving experience was because of the HR delays. But when I look at the photos from this year, I remember how wonderful it was, how blessed we have been with the best of friends, and how happy we are even though we are quite far from those we love. And so today, I’m taking a few minutes to look back over 2013 and appreciate the many gifts, experiences, travels, and opportunities for growth that came my way this year.

My first meeting at the EEOB! If I’d known about this meeting in advance I would have dressed better.

Strawberry Picking with friends and family!

Leadership tips from Fake George Washington at Mount Vernon.

A visit to DC’s Police Memorial – an often forgotten but lovely area near Judiciary Square.

We drove up to Philly to see some history.

And stopped over in Atlantic City, NJ on the way home.

A hike along the Potomac with friends.

A view from the President’s Box of the Hubby’s graduation.

Three photos from our trips to Gettysburg. Here’s number 1.

Number 2.

And number 3.

A view of the Jefferson Memorial during Cherry Blossom season, taken with a friend during my lunch break at work.
![A tour of the Law Library of Congress, including the [no longer active] card catalog.](https://pinkbriefcase.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/card-catalog-law-library.jpg?w=449&h=601)
A tour of the Law Library of Congress, including the [no longer active] enormous card catalog.

July began with a small-town parade in Clarkston, MI.

Also: Fishing.

We visited San Francisco’s best nature spots (and Alcatraz).

We tasted wine grown among lavender fields…

We saw dozens of harbor seals resting in the sun.

We searched Muir Woods high and low for banana slugs — until I finally found this one.

And then, it was time to go. We left behind our first apartment as a married couple…

And we drove across the country to set up our new homestead in the Midwest.

The journey was made easier by my best friend, and tastier by the cookies her aunt gave us on our pit stop in Pittsburgh.

We spent some time getting to know our new city…

And took advantage of our geographical proximity to Touchdown Jesus, cheering my Fighting Irish to a devastating loss.

We escaped for a weekend away celebrating a good friend’s happy marriage.

We had a few lovely visits from family and friends before it got too cold for pleasant outings.

But even with the cold weather, Leo feels right at home.

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with both sides of our family…

And have enjoyed the festivities leading up to our first Christmas as Chicago residents.
Fun post! Looks like it was a great year.
Thanks!! It really has been pretty great.