Our Boston, Off to New York

Greg and I are on a bus to New York City! Yea!!! (BoltBus is definitely the way to go; wireless internet, electrical outlets, and a clean and comfortable vessel.)

We recently drove past the Charles, and I watched the rowers and kayak-ers enjoying their early morning exercise. Something about the beauty (and quietness) of Boston in the early morning hours made me reflective and reminiscent. I started thinking about how much I will miss Boston when we leave one day. (We have no idea when that will be, but it's likely to happen.) I realized that I've now lived in Boston longer than I lived in Waco, TX and Istanbul, Turkey. I've been at my current job for three years now (to the date), longer than I've ever worked anywhere. We've really put down some deep roots here with friends who have walked with us through some really trying and celebratory times, and us with them as well. I actually started to cry as our bus moved on and the Charles was no longer in sight.

But then I thought about how this next year in Boston will greatly deepen the relationships we have here, how we'll meet even more new people and have the privilege of helping them make a home here in Boston, and how we'll make lifelong memories together of our fifth year of marriage and fourth year in Boston. And I smiled.

But enough about Boston. We're off to the Big Apple, and I'm giddy with excitement. Have I mentioned that we get to stay at the Grand Hyatt tonight for free?!?! Yep, I actually WON a free night at any Hyatt in the world! We have a dinner reservation at 44&X in Hell's Kitchen. (Thanks, Steve, for the recommendations!) We plan to have lunch at the Olive Garden when we arrive in a few hours. (I know, it's a little lame to go to a chain restaurant. But I absolutely LOVE Olive Garden's salad and bread sticks, and we don't have one close to us.) And we'll spend most of the afternoon traipsing around Central Park, 5th Avenue, and wherever else we choose to explore.

Oh, and to all of you dear friends in New York, I'm so sorry we can't visit you this time. We're barely there for a day, but next time we'll look you up!