April through the lense of the Iphone

April pretty much matched March with a very busy month

As I mentioned in a previous post I went to Raleigh one weekend and met baby Scarlet

Katherine won friend of the year award from me that weekend b/c she got her 6 week old baby up at 5:30 AM on a Sunday morning to go downtown Raleigh with me to cheer on some friends of mine in the Rock and Roll half marathon.  It was a fun morning, Scarlet was a trooper, and seriously Katherine was a good friend to me!  

I became and aunt again when Ruthie and Anna joined the family.  YES, my sister has twins, Mary Blake is a big sister, and I have 3 sweet nieces!  More on that in another blog post.

Spring finally came to NYC and Central Park and I became friends again.

I don't think I could ask for a better running path.

Easter happend and Redeemer was PACKED! Like lines all the way down the block packed.

It was a crazy long, busy, intense Sunday with 5 west side services (and 10 total Redeemer services)  but oh so great!  

We had an OG reunion (original community group) and it was so great!  Amy was able to skype in and we all went around and shared life highlights.  I can look at all these girls and think about the journey we've been on and just be filled with thankfulness for their friendship. 

I spent some time with the Taylor girls and we played beauty shop.  

I had 2 dinner dates with these girls, which was awesome!  I love this little dinner club and am so thankful we make it a priority to see each other in the midst of busy lives that don't intersect naturally too often.  

My co-leader Betsy and I took our 3rd grade small group to Benihana and Time Square one Friday night.  

I don't know if we were crazy or not, but who doesn't love a good Time Square, Toys R Us, Ferris Wheel night with 6 bubbly girls on a rainy Friday night?  

Such a fun group of little New Yorkers.

Somehow people at my office are always finding out about free food in the neighborhood. This time it was free Ben and Jerry Icecream Day, so a few of us took a little field trip to Macy's in Herald Square to get us a free cone.  It was totally worth the crazy rush of people who also had the same idea as us.  

7-11 started thier big gulp promition with 3 months of $.99 big gulps.  In this astronomically expensive city this was a very joyous day for me.  Seeing that I have a 7-11 one block away I tend to enjoy these reasonably priced big gulps probably a little too often.  

We had our 2nd Children's MInistry Sunday with volunteer testimonies and volunteer recruitment.  Hearing these stories of how God has used Children's Ministry in these volunteers lives to grow them in Him was such an encouragement to me in a busy season when I can feel somewhat tired in my job.  

I went to a benefit for a non profit in the city, Operation Exodus, and took a fun photo booth picture with these Redeemer moms.

And I visited probably one of the nicest Rootops I've ever been too and spent an afternoon celebrating my co-worker Meagan and her baby in belly Grace. 

This is looking out over Central Park.

And this is the view of downtown.  This apt is in the UWS, but we could see all the way down to the Freedom Tower in lower Manahattan.

It was a beautiful afternoon of perfect weather, good food, great company, and overlooking a city that I love. 

It was such a great month that has totally flown by.  

And as the Rain pours down outside my window I am reminded that April showers brings May flowers.  

Come on May!