Liv (Temporarily) Out of the District

Big life update!!!

For the next 11 months, Liv (and Zach) will be out of the District. Why? you ask.

 

After law school, Zach was offered a clerkship on the 3rd circuit in Pennsylvania. The clerkship is an incredible opportunity for him to refine his understanding of the law under the tutelage of a judge and University of Pennsylvania professor, Stephanos Bibas.

So, we are moving to Philly.

Over the past few weeks, we shopped for Philly apartments, bid adieu to a number of our friends, packed up our apartment in D.C. (a special thank you to Emma, Connor, Sarah, Sundar, and Mom and Dad!), and mourned the (temp) end of our time on Capitol Hill.

Rather than conceive of it as an end of an era, we are thinking of it as an intermission.

 

I feel incredibly blessed because my work approved for me to work remotely 3 out of the four weeks of the month. This means lots of uninterrupted research and writing time and short spurts of meetings, speaking engagements, and trips to reconnect with colleagues, friends, and fellow CHBCers, to punctuate our time in Philly.

Both he and I have been blown away by God’s kindness to us. Just a few months ago, there remained so many unanswered questions: Would we have to live apart? Could I continue my policy work? Would my bosses and friends be supportive of the decisions Zach and I made? Would I be proud of the decisions we made? (I think the latter two questions are definitely unique to my personality. An Enneagram 3, anyone?)

The preceding season was a huge testing of my faith and once again, God demonstrated his faithfulness, even in the midst of my lack of trust and faith. God answered our prayers in ways that we could never have imagined. My heart is filled with gratitude.

 

We are hoping to use this time in Philly to intentionally pour into our marriage and invest in each other now that we are both done with school! No more #studybuddy life.

We are excited to return to D.C. afterward, but we really want this season to be about blooming where we are planted. If there’s anything we have learned from living in the transient D.C.-metro area, it is that it’s so important to build community wherever you are and regardless of how long you are going to be there.

So here’s to our year out of the District!

Cheers loves,

Liv

“If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ In this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.” ~ John 15:7-8