July

From the perspective of the IPHONE

After a quick weekend trip to celebrate the 4th with family and play with the little Blakester, I was back in the city and ready for a craaaazzy month.

I jumped in to full gear for our upcoming Vacation Bible School at Redeemer. 

 The weekend before VBS I checked off one of my bucket list items and went to a Taylor Swift Concert!

Yes 53 of the 55 thousand people there were under the age of 15 but I like TSwift and my friend Lindsay Ann and I have talked about going to her concert for a long time!  Hannah and Perryn came with us and a good time was had by all.  For a few hours we turned in to 13 year olds and sang our hearts out (even if we did feel our age:-))

 The following week was VBS!  After a late night Saturday night with TSwift I had a 16 hour work day on Sunday btwn working services and getting ready for the big week.  

 I love love love VBS but man is it tiring!  I love seeing so many kids gathered in our building dancing, singing, worshipping, and learning about our great God! It's a fun week with kids and volunteers from all 3 Redeemer congregations.  

The best part is the rockin vbs shirts we wear everyday (let's just say mine goes in the trash on the last day) 

pictured with Spring the ES director

 On Friday night we had a "Royal Gathering" (based off the theme) and had all the kids perform songs and scripture from the week for their parents.  Pictured below is our youngest group on stage. So sweet to see our kids so excited to share with their parents what they learned

 On the Saturday after VBS a group of my friends trecked it to Prospect Park in Brooklyn to the celebrate Brooklyn concert where the Lone Bellow performed. It rained like crazy off and on (hence the awesome ponchos) but it was one great concert!  

Pictured with Erin

 The following week was a big work week for me.  We are in the depths of getting ready for all our new programming in the fall. If you can't tell by the papers scattered across my desk or the 9 windows opened on my computer, work is busy!  So many exciting things are being launced in the fall...and it's going to be great, but right now it's a lot of work!  

One night after work I got tickets to see a live taping of America's Got Talent and took 3 friends with me!

 I honestly don't watch this show at all, but it's always fun to be in the live audience of a show. The taping is in Radio City Music Hall, which is a beautiful venue!  It was a fun night with great friends. (pictured: Amy, Ashley, and Misty) 

 On another night I met up with a few Kids with a Promise friends (the mentoring program I used to volunteer with) to have a drink. It was great to re-connect with some friends who I get to see so rarely.  

Joe, Jenn, Mark, and Jackie

an impromptu Cape Town reunion happened on Sunday ater church when somehow a few of us ended up in Starbucks together.  I know I've talked about my Cape Town trip a lot, but man was it a great trip...and such a great team. 

Liz, Amy, Dria, Scott, and Kara

(we missed all the rest of you Cape Towners)

So in the mix of all the happenings one of my best friends Amy, was in the city for 2 weeks.  Amy moved to SC after getting married in May, but came back to finish out some work at Redeemer and hang out with the crew.  Amy and I stayed together the entire time she was in the city and got lots of quality time together. After 5 years of seeing each other everyday and then 2 months a part  It was so great having her here! 

 

 And in Amy's honor there was a bbq on Friday night! 

Some of the crew: Robyn, Josh, Kara, Misty, Dria, Neil, Amy, and katherine

 

 It's been such a busy summer for all my roommates, but we finally managed to have a roommate night and went all out at a Japaneese hibachi grill. It was so good and a fun night out with the roommates!  

On the last night Amy was in town we did a old Community Group reunion at Carmines.  It was really fun to be reunited again. These girls have been a faithful group in my life (plus a few who couldn't be there due to being out of town, living far away now, etc). It's amazing the journey we've been on the last few years. 

 Katherine, Daniela, Amy, Misty, and Robyn

 

 I love NYC in the summer and try to soak up as much time outside as possible. In the midst of all th busyness I've tried to spend some time at my favorite place (Riverside Park) running, walking, and just sitting enjoying the river breeze

It's hard to believe July is almost over.  It's been a fun and intense month! 

The great thing is I have 2 week of vacation coming up which is very very very needed right now.  I look forward to days in the mountains and on the beach, time with family and friends, and most importantly time to be still and rest.