My New Life...

Fall is here and New York City is busy!  I am still amazed at how many people I pass each day that I am here.  It is definitely becoming more normal to live in the city and each day I feel like I know my way around a little more and feel a little more confident. 

As you can see from the picture, I had the opportunity to go to a Yankees Game.  One of my friends came into town who is a big baseball fan and has always wanted to go to a Yankees game before the stadium was shut down.  I honestly did not realize what a big deal Yankee Stadium was until I went there.  We were at one of the last games which was so fun!  He helped me understand the significance of the stadium in sports world.  I think as a New Yorker you just have to be a Yankees fan, so I guess I will now try to be one, whatever that means:-) 

I know some people think I just play up here in the city.  I mean I have had some great experiences and have gotten to do some cool things, but I do work (haha)!  In fact, I work a lot!  I have two main jobs up here.  I work at Redeemer in the Children's Ministry.  I am over the nursery for one of the sites, but I also help with all kinds of things for the ministry.  I also work part-time at Geneva School of Manhattan as an assistant.  Between both jobs I am working a ton of hours.   In many ways it has been challenging.  Life is tiring here in general and then working a lot makes me even more tired.  I am learning how to balance my time and really prioritize .  I knew in order for me to move up to NYC when I did, I would have to work multiple jobs.  I know it will not always be like this and am praying that at some point in the future I would be able to focus in on one job.  The cool thing is I am getting different experiences up here and I feel like I am learning more about myself, my giftings, and my desires. I look at this time as a "season" and am asking the Lord to teach me more of Him through my life right now.  

So yesterday was my birthday.  It was a good day and day I was able to really reflect on where God has brought me.  I went to central Park last night and sat by the lake as the sun set.  I thought about how much I prayed for the city and that I would one day live here.  I prayed that I would be here by the time I was 27.  I can remember praying that so many times, but also struggling so much with doubt.  In some ways I just questioned if I would ever have the opportunity.  It is still so crazy to me that I celebrated my 26th birthday here!  I moved here a year and 3 months before the age that I prayed!  What a sweet gift from the Lord!

I also thought a lot last night about how much has changed since I moved here and will continue to change.  I think I was so excited about moving here that I did not think about how different life would be.  People always say that change is hard, and I would agree with that.  With the joys come the struggles.  I think when you are in your 20's it is hard to think long-term.  I mean I know I still think in like one year increments.  I am not sure if that is good or bad, but it is just really hard for me to think long term.  Well last night I thought to my self, "what if I never go back?  what if this move that I have just made is permanent?  What if i am officially becoming a New Yorker and this is my home now?"  Now I have no idea how long I will be up here.  I may never live in the South again or I may one day go back.  I don't know, it just really hit me last night that I really signed up for a big "change" in my life when I moved up here.  It is like this is my home now.  When my parents come up here this weekend or my friends (that just a few months ago I lived within a short drive of almost all of them) come up here, I am showing them my new life.  New York City is my home now.  Tomorrow morning when I step out of my front door onto the busy street, hop on a crowded subway during rush hour, go to work by the Empire State Building, etc  that is my normal life now.  I have new friends here, a new community, a new life style.  I don't know if I am making any sense right now.  I guess I just had some time to think yesterday and it just hit hard what a big change has just taken place in my life  and honestly it won't ever be the same.  I know that is how it is with everyone.  Change is constant and is part of life!  I guess it is just weird to me when I stop and think about it all.  

So I thought I would share two fun New York City moments:

1) A couple weeks ago I was running in the park and I look over and America Ferrera (star of Ugly Betty and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) was walking right beside me.  As I keep going I see the set to Ugly Betty that she is walking too, so I take a little break and watch a little of Ugly Betty being filmed in the park.  It is still crazy to me that is normal life here:-)

2) Some of my co-workers and I went to a taping at the Food Network of the show "Guy off the Hook".  It aired yesterday and we were on tv. The funny thing was they did a short snipit of just me.  it was lke 5 seconds zoomed in of my face.  One of my friends happened to be watching the show and saw me.  She called me and was like  "I know I just saw you on TV"  We were there for two tapings and the other one airs in October.   I will try to post the date before it comes on!