First, John sent me this picture while Ava and I were in Chicago over Labor Day weekend. How awesome is that?! Amelia with her beloved big brother Lane after a round of golf....
So, to the meat of the post - this last weekend. I can't remember a time when I've had more fun, special, meaningful activities crammed into a 3 day period. And that makes me very lucky indeed.
At the start of this year I changed jobs. This change has been overwhelmingly good for me and for my family. I really love my job - for the first time I feel like my work, professional interests and work/life balance are in a really good place. But the hardest part about leaving my old job was leaving my boss Clare, who liked a lot, respected so much and learned a great deal from. One of the first things she said to me when I gave notice was, "a small part of me is glad because this means we can be friends now." I was so relieved and we've stuck to that - meeting frequently for lunch/drinks. Friday night she introduced me to a good friend of hers who was visiting from Washington, DC. We pretended like we were hipsters, meeting for happy hour at Malo.
Saturday I had the chance to go to a staff reunion for Senator Tom Harkin, who is retiring after 40 years of public service in the House and the Senate. My first job out of graduate school was working for Senator Harkin's campaign in1996. Then I rejoined the political staff in 1999 in Washington, DC. But the person who made all that possible was my father, who worked for Senator Harkin on his very first (losing) campaign in 1972, then again on the (winning) campaign in 1974, paving the way for my career in politics and public policy. I was the first - second generation staff person, though there have been many more behind me....
Me, dad and TH at the staff reunion. Awesome.
Over the years I've had mixed emotions about my time on the campaign. It was an amazing experience, it was so intense, it was full of high school behavior (much of it mine) it was a difficult time in my life, it was a great time.... I was a little bit nervous and oddly insecure showing up for the staff reunion. But I have to say, that melted away in the face of reconnecting with some really terrific people. The benefit of everyone being 18 years older is that we are all 18 years older with all the perspective that brings. It was fantastic catching up with this group of people, many who I still talk to regularly.
The 1996 TH campaign alumni....
Sunday was the final Harkin Steak Fry, headlined by former President Clinton and Senator/Secretary Hilary Clinton. Because of all my dad's work on the staff reunion etc... he got pulled into a private meet and greet/photo line with the Clintons and I got to be his "plus 1." Yup, Sunday morning I was just hanging with the Clintons. If I ever see the photo, you can bet it will be posted asap! Over the course of my career I've spent a lot of time around big deal elected officials, including the Clintons. But the thrill of it hasn't worn off....
Then we headed to the last and final steak fry, which has actually become so big Hy-Vee caters it.... Here's me with Ava along with a photo bomb by Andrea Mitchell from MSNBC...
But then, really, one of the best parts of the weekend was celebrating Meghan's birthday with family dinner on Sunday night. John made amazing chicken pot pie. I made pumpkin cheese cake with chocolate shortbread crust. Amelia laughed so hard she fell out of her chair on to the floor. And we all celebrated the amazing person that is our Meghan.
My people, my very favorites....
Bonus Ellen after I collapsed into a heap on the couch Sunday night....
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