Wow, what a night, what an experience, what an opportunity, what an adventure. These activities just seem to flow toward you, maybe because you embrace them so readily. What a blessing.
Kristi...what an amazing night. I can only imagine how your returned missionary husband was feeling.
My husband raves about empanadas too. He served in Chile so who knows if the empanadas are even close to being the same. If you do find out how to make them please share the recipe - I'd love to give them a try.
denise, that is so funny you say that. my husband and i could not be more opposite people. i am sitting there crying my eyes out and he looks as excited to be there as he would at SAT exam. I know he had a great time and felt lucky to be there, but I think sometimes his emotions get lost in ALL of mine, so i am glad you said that. maybe I will ask him to read my blog and comment and see what he says. (ok he may read it but i will send 100 yards of ribbon to everyone i know if he comments)
That sounds so great. I am glad you got to do that. In L.A. there was this great counter ran by the sweetest family from Argentina. They sold all kinds of empanadas. They were delicious. I still dream of them. The sweet corn was my favorite.
I have never commented on your blog but have been reading it for several months now and completely enjoy it. As a return missionary myself, I was choking back the tears as I read about your experience last night. We truly are ambassadors for the countries we serve in because of the great love we develop for the people. What an incredible opportunity!
That sounds so awesome! The oval room picture was beautiful. I've never really thought about Argentina, but this makes me want to do a little googling.
Very cool comment about being ambassadors. Neat perspective.
Very cool Kristi. I love the oval room, it is gorgeous! I hope you get to learn how to make the empenadas too. I love how you take it all in and it MEANS something to you. So happy you had a great night!
HOW COOL! I remember you talking about this upcoming night a while ago and I'm so excited to get to read about it. It sounds like it was wonderful. They had empanadas in Peru, but they were not even close to being like the ones in Argentina...especially the ones that are fried. Oh my gosh, they are heavenly! While we were in Buenos Aires we took a day excursion out to the campo (I think that translates to farm or rural area in english) and attended a gaucho show, had lunch, rode horses, etc. They served the most delicious beef empanadas. My mouth waters just thinking of them. You HAVE to take her up on her offer to teach you how to make them. Seriously. Oh yeah, and can I come? Just kidding, but please do share the recipe and take pictures! :)
Also, have I mentioned how you and Jeff need to plan a trip there? I'm sure you've talked about it, but you will seriously fall in love with the country. I have done quite a bit of traveling and must say that BA is one of my favorite cities in the world. I could go on and on about it and am giddy just sitting here thinking about that beautiful place!
3:11 PM
Anonymous said...
What a great experience you had last night. Empanadas are soooooo good -- I'd love to know how to make them as well. We loved Argentina -- each place that we visited -- all different and all wonderful. Surely JC does not have a heart of stone -- he hides things well, I am thinking. Love to you all!
Oh, Kristi, you forgot to tell us the most important thing! What does one wear to the Argentinian Embassy?? Were you very grown-up in heels and a clutch bag?
LOL at you burying Jeff in an avalanche of your emotions!
I just love DC! Where else on earth can you do what you were able to do. So great that you were able to share in your husband's missionary experience. So fun!
What a wonderful experience, Kristi! I loved your description of riding the Metro and how your mind was racing. I imagine your mind is always racing! I also loved the idea of returned missionaries being ambassadors for the countries where they served -- so true! Jill's comment in itself is beautiful. And I can totally relate to your comment about Jeff commenting on your blog, I know Marc reads mine, but he has never left a comment... fabulous night you had!
6:26 AM
Anonymous said...
Wow, wow, wow! Such an amazing experience. I loved the part about how they had returned to Argentine soil. Beautiful!
This post made me miss DC. What an enchanted evening and fun date, what with the rain and the Ambassador and Krispy Kreme . . . . and I hope Jeff comments so that we all get 100 yards of ribbon!
Wow! that is an amazing opportunity. I served my mission in Chile, what I wouldn't do for an empanada. I loved them. Alfajores are my favorite cookie, is that the dulce de leche cookie you had? I can't believe that you have only been in this area a year and have done so much here. I feel a little lame :-) We went to the Kentlands for dinner not long ago. My husbands boss lives near there and wanted to show us around, he knows we are LDS and says it is built around a church there. That is as much as we have seen.
wow that is soooo awesome...i love argentina's empanadas...and their chimichurri sauce...oh delight
1:13 AM
[Image]Argentine Embassy
As I get ready to type about our night, I still can not even believe how blessed we were to do what we did tonight. It was truly a tender mercy to have this experience.
We had been invited to come to a reception at the Argentine Embassy because my husband has served a two year mission for our church there. We had recently had dinner with a diplomat from Argentina and met him and his family and were thrilled to be invited. The way this all came together is to me is as well amazing. Another missionary from Argentina, who is much younger than my husband works on Capitol Hill and had met this diplomat. During a conversation this young man asked what he thought about bringing as many past missionaries from their country together for a reception at the Embassy. This diplomat was more than thrilled to host this event.
We took the metro to DuPont Circle. I still am so amazed when I am on the Metro and feel like such a small town girl. I love looking at everyone and wondering where they are going, how their day was, are they excited or sad to get home. (this is always tough for Jeff because my mind is racing and it is hard to have a conversation with me)[Image]
When we came out of the escalators coming out of the Metro it was POURING rain. This photo does not even do justice to how cool it was to just riding up waiting to get hit by all the water. [Image]We got off at DuPont and luckily only had to run in a down pour for two blocks to New Hampshire Ave.
[Image]The Argentine Embassy is not on Embassy row but in a neighborhood right off DuPont Circle. The home was built in 1901. In 1916 the home was purchased by Argentina. [Image]It is exquisite! This is an OVAL (I have never seen an oval room like this before) reception room full of art. There was stain glass everywhere with the RA monogram on it (Republic of Argentina) All of the door knobs and window knobs were just beautiful. I had asked the diplomats wife if it was OK to take photos and she said yes, but still I didn't want to go camera happy, so I didn't take that many. I just felt so honored to be there, I didn't want to ruin the chance to get invited back.
There was a small reception and then the young man who organized it spoke and introduced President Hammond (The Washington D.C. Temple President) who spoke and then introduced the Argentine Ambassador. The young man who spoke did an incredible job. The one thing that really touched me was when he said, "As missionaries I know we all made one promise as we flew home, that we would some day return to Argentina. Today you have come true to your promise, because right now in this home your are on Argentine soil. You have returned." President Hammond spoke to the Ambassador and told him, "In this room sits some of your best ambassador's. They come home and share their love of Argentina, they tell their families. They get married and tell their spouses of their love for Argentina. Then they have children and what is their favorite stories to tell their children? The stories from Argentina! Then their children become Ambassador's for Argentina." I of course was crying! The Ambassador is an amazing man and had even run for president of his country. He spoke of his love for our church and what changes it has brought to his country. He said he loves how our church teaches the people to work through example. It was truly an amazing night.
They then brought out empanadas, fresh mango slices and Dulce de leche cookies( i don't remember the actual name). Those empanadas were as amazing as Jeff has always described them to me. If I would have had pockets I would have filled them full to take home. I am hoping to get together with the diplomats wife sometime as she said she would be happy to teach me how to make them. Nothing would make Jeff happier then for me to know how to make those.
[Image] Before we got back on the Metro to go home we stopped off at Krispy Kreme at DuPont circle and had a yummy lemonade slushy and looked over the map of Argentina and it is probably the first time Jeff has shown me on a map all the places he lived and holds so dear to his heart!
posted by everything pink! at 7:06 AM on Jun 21, 2007
Untitled
26 Comments -
Wow, what a night, what an experience, what an opportunity, what an adventure. These activities just seem to flow toward you, maybe because you embrace them so readily. What a blessing.
11:25 AM
I was first to comment, hee.
11:25 AM
Kristi...what an amazing night. I can only imagine how your returned missionary husband was feeling.
My husband raves about empanadas too. He served in Chile so who knows if the empanadas are even close to being the same. If you do find out how to make them please share the recipe - I'd love to give them a try.
11:32 AM
denise, that is so funny you say that. my husband and i could not be more opposite people. i am sitting there crying my eyes out and he looks as excited to be there as he would at SAT exam. I know he had a great time and felt lucky to be there, but I think sometimes his emotions get lost in ALL of mine, so i am glad you said that. maybe I will ask him to read my blog and comment and see what he says. (ok he may read it but i will send 100 yards of ribbon to everyone i know if he comments)
11:37 AM
That sounds so great. I am glad you got to do that.
In L.A. there was this great counter ran by the sweetest family from Argentina. They sold all kinds of empanadas. They were delicious. I still dream of them. The sweet corn was my favorite.
11:56 AM
I have never commented on your blog but have been reading it for several months now and completely enjoy it. As a return missionary myself, I was choking back the tears as I read about your experience last night. We truly are ambassadors for the countries we serve in because of the great love we develop for the people. What an incredible opportunity!
12:35 PM
President Hammond was my bishop when I went to the DC Branch!!! He is an amazing, amazing, AMAZING person!
1:03 PM
rebekah. you are so right and his wife is so cute and just kept sqeezing our cheeks!
1:41 PM
What a great opportunity! You have gathered some great stories this past year.
1:41 PM
That sounds so awesome! The oval room picture was beautiful. I've never really thought about Argentina, but this makes me want to do a little googling.
Very cool comment about being ambassadors. Neat perspective.
1:49 PM
Very cool Kristi. I love the oval room, it is gorgeous! I hope you get to learn how to make the empenadas too. I love how you take it all in and it MEANS something to you. So happy you had a great night!
2:05 PM
One more great adventure for your journal,huh! Awesome!!Janae
2:56 PM
HOW COOL! I remember you talking about this upcoming night a while ago and I'm so excited to get to read about it. It sounds like it was wonderful. They had empanadas in Peru, but they were not even close to being like the ones in Argentina...especially the ones that are fried. Oh my gosh, they are heavenly! While we were in Buenos Aires we took a day excursion out to the campo (I think that translates to farm or rural area in english) and attended a gaucho show, had lunch, rode horses, etc. They served the most delicious beef empanadas. My mouth waters just thinking of them. You HAVE to take her up on her offer to teach you how to make them. Seriously. Oh yeah, and can I come? Just kidding, but please do share the recipe and take pictures! :)
Also, have I mentioned how you and Jeff need to plan a trip there? I'm sure you've talked about it, but you will seriously fall in love with the country. I have done quite a bit of traveling and must say that BA is one of my favorite cities in the world. I could go on and on about it and am giddy just sitting here thinking about that beautiful place!
3:11 PM
What a great experience you had last night. Empanadas are soooooo good -- I'd love to know how to make them as well. We loved Argentina -- each place that we visited -- all different and all wonderful. Surely JC does not have a heart of stone -- he hides things well, I am thinking. Love to you all!
4:52 PM
Oh, Kristi, you forgot to tell us the most important thing! What does one wear to the Argentinian Embassy?? Were you very grown-up in heels and a clutch bag?
LOL at you burying Jeff in an avalanche of your emotions!
5:24 PM
Wow amazing. Seriously a very cool night...and yeah, what did everyone wear?
5:44 PM
What a night! Do you want to go to Argentina together some day?
8:14 PM
I just love DC! Where else on earth can you do what you were able to do. So great that you were able to share in your husband's missionary experience. So fun!
10:08 PM
Holy cow! Can your life get any more exciting, Kristi?! You will remember this (and especially your hubby) forever!
10:51 PM
I like what Jill said about these opportunities flowing toward you because you embrace them. I think that is probably very true.
What a wonderful evening for you and Jeff (even if he won't comment about it).
11:24 PM
What a wonderful experience, Kristi! I loved your description of riding the Metro and how your mind was racing. I imagine your mind is always racing! I also loved the idea of returned missionaries being ambassadors for the countries where they served -- so true! Jill's comment in itself is beautiful. And I can totally relate to your comment about Jeff commenting on your blog, I know Marc reads mine, but he has never left a comment... fabulous night you had!
6:26 AM
Wow, wow, wow! Such an amazing experience. I loved the part about how they had returned to Argentine soil. Beautiful!
11:09 AM
What a small world; my husband served in Argentina Cordoba. He would have enjoyed your evening.
11:41 AM
This post made me miss DC. What an enchanted evening and fun date, what with the rain and the Ambassador and Krispy Kreme . . . . and I hope Jeff comments so that we all get 100 yards of ribbon!
7:52 PM
Wow! that is an amazing opportunity. I served my mission in Chile, what I wouldn't do for an empanada. I loved them. Alfajores are my favorite cookie, is that the dulce de leche cookie you had?
I can't believe that you have only been in this area a year and have done so much here. I feel a little lame :-)
We went to the Kentlands for dinner not long ago. My husbands boss lives near there and wanted to show us around, he knows we are LDS and says it is built around a church there. That is as much as we have seen.
7:48 AM
wow that is soooo awesome...i love argentina's empanadas...and their chimichurri sauce...oh delight
1:13 AM