The Benores in DC!

What happened? This blog used to be called The Benores in Texas? As my brother rightly pointed out, the blog name had to be renamed. And although technically our old blog was named for a state, we now live in a major area that encompasses 2 states and a federal district. So we are now more aptly named … The Benores in DC!

So what happened? Well, it’s been almost a year since we’ve done any blogging. Sorry about that, times have been a bit crazy in the Benore universe. But Kevin and Shantell have moved from the wide open spaces of Fort Worth, Texas to the fast paced political arena of Washington, DC. Although our postal address is Alexandria, VA we really live in an unincorporated part of Fairfax County. After 7 years on Central Time, it is good to be on the East Coast. For the first time in my life I live in a state with consistent snow. Sure it snowed in Texas, but that was maybe a day or two out of the year. Here in DC, snowfall can happen multiple times a season.

So why did we move? It was time for a new adventure in our lives. We loved Texas. We made several good friends and it was hard to leave those behind. Since we are still pretty young and we don’t have to worry about uprooting kids from school, we thought … why not? In fact from the point I had an idea about moving to DC to an actual move only took less than 2 months. Crazy? Yeah, a little. So week 1, we started talking about the opportunity. By the end of the we I put in my resume to a few places in DC. The day after my resume went out, I got a call – which started Week 2. Week 2 was “phone interview” week. I did a bunch of phone interviews and took a test. The beginning of Week 3 I flew out to interview in person. Sometime in Week 5 I was offered a position. By Week 8, we were living in DC. I now work for Politico as a Senior Web Developer.

With the new job comes new responsibilities. I can talk about politics as in a neutral manner, but there can be no “taking sides.” Even though I do not write for the press, I am a member of the media and take my responsibility to be a neutral observer seriously. And in this town, there are enough people expressing opinions about policy – there is little need for me to add my voice to that choir. Instead, this blog will remain what it was primarily intended to be – a status update for our friends and family on what is happening in our lives. Although, I must admit – this forum has been under utilized for that purpose. But now with our friends and family spread out from as far west as Hawaii, to the Lone Star State of Texas, to the “snow in all states, except Florida”, I will try to do more writing about what we are up to.

Oh, in case you haven’t heard … Shantell is also pregnant. In another week, we will be in our second trimester. Things a progressing very well. We will have the baby sometime in July. And we will not find out its gender until he or she is born. I am sure you all will try to guess – but that’s just part of the fun. No one will know until he or she comes out crying. That’s it for now. And thanks for reading The Benores in DC.