here i am!

i feel like i've been MIA for a few days, but i am here! "here" being in washington, dc. :) i am here for a conference for work, from sunday to thursday. i miss my husband-to-be!

anyway, the bachelorette party was tons of fun. of course, a lady never tells TOO much of what went on at her bachelorette party--or rather, never has too much TO tell, right? :) we exchanged a couple gifts, had some pizza and cake, and headed out for some dancing and drinking. i am proud to say none of us felt bad the next morning. a couple photos for your viewing pleasure:

that's me with the shot the bartender made me named after me. and my two midori and sprites. you will be relieved to know all those cups lined up there are NOT mine. :)

that's us posing in have a nice day cafe. aren't we a lovely bunch of girls? :)

the conference i am at is for the ryan white care act. i think many of you don't know what i do anymore, so briefly, half of my job is being the administrator for a program that provides outreach services to women and children affected by HIV/AIDS. this program is funded by federal funds set aside for HIV/AIDS services--the ryan white care act. this year is the 15th anniversary of the program. i have been a bit overwhelmed by this conference--there are 2400 people here! it is very interesting, i have learned a lot. it has been sad to see the photos and hear stories of people with HIV/AIDS. and to remember ryan white, the little boy who died in 1990 at the age of 19. he contracted AIDS because he was a hemophiliac, through a blood transfusion. his mother is here. i met her today and i hope she feels honored by the work that goes on in her son's name. she and her son faced so much stigma and cruelty. i hope progress has been made but don't know really... i am still sort of processing all of it, but am happy to be part of something that is making a difference in peoples' lives.

tonight i had dinner with two old friends who i never get to see, britton and halletta. britton i met in college, and we had lunch yesterday as well (he works at the hotel where i'm staying). halletta was my best friend from bath county and we lost touch for quite a while. it was so wonderful to see her again. isn't it funny how you can not see a good friend for a long, long time, then you finally get together and it's like not a day has passed? lovely.

did i mention i miss my man?