NYC Day #1

I’m not sure how clearly I've expressed my love for NYC on this blog.  I love New York.  Maybe because my dad always talked it up so much when we were growing up (he served his mission there), maybe because it’s so alive, maybe because some of my best memories were made there, probably mostly because I found myself while living there single for two years…..one of my life’s great adventures.

So, when Tal and Anita announced they were going to get married there, I was HAPPY.  And then, when Jeff and I found some saintly friends to watch our kids so we could spend four days there kid-less I was overjoyed, and then, when I found out that ALL (yep, all NINE) of my siblings and their spouses were going to be there kid-less too….well, I can’t describe the joy. 

A no fail recipe for a fabulous four days.

We put all three kids down at our friends’ house on Friday night, bid a sad farewell to my little nursing Emmeline and took off in our totally empty mini van.  We had a great drive down…..no screaming kids in the back seat, no need to play the contortionist to get the binkie and the toy and the food that had fallen on the floor….just quiet and road and Jeff explaining the world to me.  I loved it.  I’d have taken the trip just for the peaceful drive down there. 

Despite our late arrival, Jeff’s brother John and girlfriend Clarissa were happy to see us and even showed me how to play Rock Band.  I rocked (not really, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would).

Saturday morning I got up early and went for my long Saturday run through central park (I’m training for a 1/2 marathon…..more about that later).  When I first woke up I had a little ache in my heart of baby Emmeline (who I’ve never left for longer than a few hours).  That little ache disappeared as soon as I ran into the park.   I would have driven to NY just for that run….it was perfect.  It brought back all kinds of memories and feelings and even specific thoughts I had while running there years ago while in grad school.  I listened to some of the same music, ran through a lot of the same places….got chills as I did it.  Something about the run helped me remember the part of myself that I found 10 years ago while living in NYC….it had gotten a little buried by motherhood.  And, even though I was running the farthest I’ve ever run before in my life, I felt energized. 

We had a fabulous brunch with John and Clarissa and walked around the park for a while.  (I’m sad we didn’t take one single picture…..I’m sure Jeff’s happy about that and maybe John too).  I spent the whole morning/afternoon kind of in awe of the world I’m missing while being home with three small children…..oh, how the styles are changing without my knowing, how the world is raging and rolling and moving while I wade through the marvelous molasses of motherhood (how’s that for alliteration!).  Don’t get me wrong, I love what I’m doing right now, I sincerely do.  It’s just good to see what another part of the world is up to every once in a while.  I kind of felt like I was faking it, being all cool and independent, the whole weekend.  It was kind of a fun feeling.  In the late afternoon we met up with half of my siblings in Times Square.  I used to hate Times Square, so touristy and crowded, but they’ve since blocked traffic and made a lot of it pedestrian only which makes it feel so much less claustrophobic.  It is just so New York.   We headed down to Soho and China Town to do some serious kid free shopping.  Mostly we just moseyed around, talking, relishing the relative ease of being together without kids clinging to our legs.      We even got to meet up with Tal, the man of the weekend.  He seemed so relaxed, at ease, happy.  I love seeing him that way.  I thought my kids would like to see the crazy New York store with a stuffed zebra, ram and penguin.  Only in NYC. We took our time, looked up, took pictures, fleneured (rob, not sure if I spelled or used that word right).  

We met up with the last of the “adult eyrealmers” at a great Thai place in Soho.  After dinner we rushed back to Times Square to see “In the Heights.”  It was great.  I love Broadway. And we stayed out late, walking around, taking our time.  No babysitters to get home to…….have I mentioned how psyched I was to be there with out my kids?

Look at us there.  All grown up.  All out in the world doing stuff.  Finding our way.   I can sincerely say, I love and LIKE all my siblings a lot.  They are my best friends.  I know, I’m really really lucky.