Another 9A Change

My first week in the city I went to a housewarming party at an apt a few blocks from the apt I was subletting.  I knew noone except the girl with whom I went with, Vicky.  At this party I had a conversation with my new friend Prakash who convinced me to live in the UWS (I was hunting for a long-term apt at that time), fell in love with the apt of where the housewarming party was, and met some amazing ladies who happened to live at this apt.  One of the girls I met was a girl named Lindsay Ann. Within a few seconds of conversation we realized we were from the same place, had several mutal friends, and loved many of the same things.  Lindsay Ann and I had brunch once a few weeks later and then did a beach day together with her roommate Hannah.  We knew we could all be great friends, but busyness happens and except for a few brief encounters on the sidewalks of the UWS paths were rarely crossed.  2 years went by with very little moments of hanging out.  Until one day when I asked Hannah to come and help decorate my apt.  It took one dinner with each other after our decorating meeting to realize we had so much in common and needed to be friends.  From that moment on I joined the 9A bible study, hung out at their apt, and became great friends with these sweet southern girls.  A few months after our friendship took off an opportunity became available for me to move in to this apt that I had fallen in love with my first week in the city.  And so my chapter in 9A began.  

Today the last original member of 9A moved out, When Lindsay Ann packed her stuff and moved to her new apt where she will soon live with her soon to be new husband.  This apt has been passed down for almost 5 years now.  It's a unique apt, a beautiful apt, a place filled with the love of Christ.  4 girls moved in and started this home and it and continues on with 4 different girls (with several girls in between)

I think we were all in denial that Lindsay Ann was moving out today.  She was a pillar  of this apt living here for the longest of anyone thus far.  I'll miss shopping in her closet, her honest fashion advice, her spunky personality, her sweet spirit, our nights of ordering in and watching mindless tv.  She was like all of my roommates, an amazing person to live with.  

I've written about this on my blog before but I have had many many roommates.  It is an area of my life that is really good and really hard.  I love the girls I live with but the continual moving in and out of people in my life and home has been incredibly draining for me these last few years.  It is an area of my life that the Lord is continuing to stretch me and grow me.  To show me that with so much constant change in my life, He is my home.  And so tonight as Lindsay Ann moved out I thought to myself "and it happened again". And with this one there will be a hole in 9A.  

We will misss her greatly, but so thankful she will still be in the city and as she told me today "B, we can still meet in midtown for clothes and jewelry swaps" Gotta love priorities of living with girls:-)  

I think LA's instagram post made us all tear up tonight, "Dear 9A: you gave me a home, you gave me dear roommates who became best friends, you gave me a Christian community, you brought me closer to God, you are where I met my future husband, you gave me a reason to stay in NYC and I am very sad to leave you" 

We will miss you Lindsay Ann!!!  

MY 9A Roommates......

Lindsay Ann, Lauren, and Hannah
March 2011 - July 2011

Hannah D, Lindsay Ann, Hanna F
July 2011 - May 2012

Perryn, Lindsay Ann, Hannah D
May 2012 - Dec 2012

On Saturday we will welcome a new friend to 9A and there will be a new picture of four 9A girls. 

 More on that in another post....