Our New Home - Kensington, Maryland

We arrived in Kensington on December 26, 2014.  

Our new home for the next 18 months.

10220 Frederick Avenue, Apt. 304

Kensington, MD  20895

We were met by our host couple - Roger & Linda Plummer and one of our apartment 'cul de sac' neighbors - LaMar Adams.  They helped us unload our car and then went on their way to their temple shifts.

We were left to explore the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen, the hall closet, the 2nd bedroom, the master bedroom AND the walk-in closet.

We were thrilled (and still are) with our apartment.  

Our very comfortable living room.

We are both very happy that we had brought our favorite blankies.

The bathroom is tiny but adequate.  We each have our own cupboard.  Michael put up some hooks for me so everything is convenient.

Brad and Andy gave us the red cleaning bucket filled with cleaning supplies - which all came in very handy as we cleaned and made this little place our home.  I loved the red bucket so much I wanted to match it with a red garbage can.  It's the little things that can make us happy.  And they are such a happy red.

The Plummers took us out one day to get a feel for the surrounding area.  We went to Walmart to pick up various items that we needed; to lunch at Bob Evans Restaurant; and the library to get metro cards.  It was a very fun and productive day.

A 'selfie' as we head off to the temple for the first time.  We were set apart and put to work immediately.

There was a New Year's Eve party in our building.  Wow!  These missionaries know how to cook and have a good time.  Since Michael wasn't feeling well, he left early; but I stayed to play, get to know people and EAT.

Not only did I meet some great people but I found one of my favorites! Cream Puffs from Costco.

Michael was suffering with pneumonia for the first month we were here, so during the time that the temple was closed for cleaning - I cleaned and he recuperated.  It was a long haul - for both of us.  

Thank goodness for puzzles that were in the laundry room that we could borrow.  When Michael started feeling well enough to be out of bed, he was able to do a few...

...and play solitaire on the computer...and listen to his iPod.

While Michael was recuperating I had the opportunity to go to the Pentagon for a tour that was given by an employee there who is the daughter of one of the couple missionaries.

This is the escalator to get to the Metro.

My mother would NEVER have gotten on this!

On another day, one of the single missionaries and I went downtown to Washington, D.C. to go to the Holocaust Museum.  It was a beautiful clear day - but windy and freezing cold!

This was our tour guide.  He is here from Hungary on a work exchange program.

This is part of a desecrated Jewish Temple.  It made my heart ache - as did many other things in this museum.  It is an amazing place.  It is, of course, very sad.  But it is part of our world's history.

After five hours - yes, I said five hours - in the museum, we left to go back to our apartments.  (We had totally lost all track of time.)

  

On the way, we stopped at Union Station for dinner.  We ate at this little sandwich shop called 'Pot Belly Sandwich Shop.'  I just thought it was a funny name; but the food was very good.

Union Station is huge!  With people everywhere - going every direction!

There are many shops that were calling my name -- I plan to get back there.

We also saw the Godiva Chocolate shop where we, as a family, had stopped many years ago when we were here.  None of us had ever tried this chocolate, and because we were on vacation, we decided we would.  And try it we did - to the tune of about $35!!!  Michael still prefers Hershey and I prefer Lindor and See's.

When we got back to our car and were walking across the street from the Metro, I saw this sign and thought it was cute.

And then it snowed - and we lost power for about 12 hours.

Our gas stove was our heating source for the day.  It did a surprisingly good job.

I took advantage of the day by doing some more cleaning - with my happy, red cleaning bucket.

After Michael was feeling better, we bundled him up and headed to work.  He would be exhausted after our shift but would rest for the remainder of the day and do the same thing all over again the next day.  It took five to six weeks before he was feeling somewhat back to normal.  I welcomed him "back" with open arms.  I was beginning to feel like I was on a mission as a single sister.

Two or three of our five days at the temple we pack a lunch and have a half hour during our shift to eat.  This has brought back many memories of fixing five to six lunches every morning before school and work.

We have enjoyed the honey that Brad gave us for Christmas.  It makes a great snack when getting home and we don't need a full meal.

On one of our Mondays (preparation day) we went to the Wheaton Mall in Laurel and had a caramel Cinn-a-bon in honor of my friend, Andrea's birthday.

 And then, we really got dumped on!

It was oh, so cold - but breathtakingly beautiful!

This is the frozen fountain in the front of the temple.

...a scene on our way home from the temple.

I find it fascinating that this picture looks like it is black and white; but in reality, it is color.  If you look closely, you will see that the house is a light green.  So much white everywhere.

The sides of the freeways look very different from the freeways in Oregon.  A different kind of beautiful.

It is so amazing to be driving on the freeway and suddenly.....there's the temple!

This is the mock-up of the inside of the temple that is on display in the visitors' Center.  President Eyring came to do the dedication.  His brother was the Visitors' Center Director at that time. 

We never tire of seeing the temple each day as we go to work.  How blessed we are to be here and to serve in this beautiful place - and with such amazing people.  

This was taken as we were on our way to serve a shift at the Visitors' Center.  It was sooo cold and windy!

The outside of the Visitors' Center with the Christmas lights.

A view of the temple from the Visitors' Center.

I wanted to share this beautiful picture sent to me by my friend, Brenda Werrett.

The view from just outside the temple doors, under the overhang. (after another snow storm)

We miss our family and friends; but we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is where the Lord wants us to be.  What an incredible opportunity to serve.