The adventure continues...

What an awesome week it has been! Here are some highlights:

Brittany spent the night Monday before flying back to California

Lots of plumbing issues, so we welcomed several plumbers into our apartment

Sara obsessively checked craigslist for good deals on side tables, tv stands, and strollers

Clay started class and is working hard on case briefs, cognitive science, and a city internship

Will took his first two subway rides and was freaked out the entire time. Yes, I was that mother on the subway singing "The Wheels on the Bus" while my little guy wailed and everyone stared :-)

Clay and I each carried a heavy side tables 30 blocks from the Salvation Army to our apartment

Attended a Klig opening reception where Will cried almost the entire time (his shoes were too small; thus, a minor mother guilt trip ensued)

I got two tutoring jobs--holla!

Clay and I went on a date which began with me having a meltdown but ended with me having a drink. I have the best husband in the world.

Thank God for mothers. Thank God for MY mother.

She arrived Thursday, and thus I slept really well that night knowing we would all be okay.

Mom came in town to help me drive our car back down to Louisville--and let's be honest: she also came because she is amazing and I needed her help!

When Mom comes in town, things just GET DONE. What a gift, especially considering we had a lot that still needed doing. One of the greatest things Mom did while she was here was rescue Will and Camden when a fire (yes, a FIRE) broke out on the 5th floor of our building. Clay and I were running around Manhattan (and I mean literally running) looking for cheap cheap furniture, and when we came back with our beautiful $12.99 side tables, we were greeted by multiple fire trucks and all of the residents of our building hanging out on the sidewalks. I had a panic mother moment, thinking to myself "Oh my gosh, that's my LIFE in there" before I saw Mama smiling and waving at us from across the sidewalk. There she was, Will in the stroller (enthralled with all the commotion) and Cam on the leash. All was well, even on the 5th floor.

Thank God for my mother, my hero.

We were planning on leaving NYC on Sunday to head to Baltimore and then on to Louisville, but the increased 9/11 police presence at all of the public transportation locations made it tricky for us to get on a subway and then a train to get to our car, which was parked in Summit, NJ. Thus, my OTHER hero, my wonderful husband, ended up going out to get the car on Saturday and driving it back into the city so we could avoid the trains altogether the next day.

Suddenly, we had our car for one more day in the city.

So what did a mother and daughter, both of whom are eager to nest, do?

That's right: we headed to the Harlem Target.

$200 and 2 hours later, our apartment was totally furnished.

Thank God for mothers.

Mom also gave us a date night (THANK YOU!) in the city, so I put together a fun evening that I thought would allow us to see the city from the water (the FREE Staten Island ferry), the sky (the top of the Empire State Building) and from slightly above (The High Line). I also planned on us going to this romantic garden Thai restaurant I had read about in one of my nifty NYC guide books.

What really happened: We left late, so no time for the ferry. Got to the restaurant: CLOSED. We wandered around Chelsea looking for another super cool place to eat, but I was bummed and Clay was hungry, so we ended up choosing one quickly and trying to regroup. I was so determined to go to THE coolest places in NYC that I had trouble letting the date just happen, but I quickly remembered that NYC is full of little gems and adventures to discover and experience. NYC is awesome in that there is so much cool stuff to do, but at the same time it can be overwhelming to choose and not think about all of the other stuff you could be doing with your time. So there I was, in a delicious thai restaurant with the love of my life, yet again telling myself to breathe and go with the flow. You think I would have learned this lesson by now.

In the midst of this week's craziness, we discovered that Will loves NYC bagels. In our opinion, Absolute Bagels on the corner of Broadway and 107th are the best.

Also in the midst of all this, the 10th anniversary of 9/11 captured our minds and hearts. It's weird: we have lived in this city for only a week, but already we feel a sense of admiration and pride for this strong, determined city. The people are (for the most part) very warm and friendly, and 9/11 seemed to foster an even greater sense of community and kind understanding. As I wove my way through streets of tall skyscrapers and subway transfer stations this week, I couldn't help but think of those who lost their lives so suddenly 10 years ago. It was a gentle reminder that we must take advantage of the time we have now to love others a little better, hug those we love a little longer, and smile at strangers just because it might make them a little happier. It also makes me want to know everyone's stories.

Mom and I also took Will to the High Line on Saturday. He especially loved the cool water feature!

My little yogi

And then on Sunday, we drove across the George Washington Bridge and under its bridge-wide American flag, and headed south.

Let adventure #4956734857248563 begin.

3.5 hours later, we were in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, visiting dear family.

My aunt Sally and cousin Allison were delightful, generous hosts, showing us all around their homes (Allison is in grad school there), their offices, and the Inner Harbor.

But Will mostly wanted to look at Allison. I don't blame him. She's pretty darn wonderful.

After dinner, we discovered a fountain and Will could NOT GET ENOUGH.

We both got soaked--but we also both laughed and laughed and laughed. It might have been the happiest I have ever seen him. What a gift that was to me that night, as I was already missing Clay.

JOY.

The next morning we got up early, drove to Silver Spring, MD, to buy the City Mini stroller I had been researching and shopping for endlessly since our arrival in the city, and then we continued on to Hagerstown, my former home. Crazy weird. We made a quick stop at the outlets there, where Will and Mimi discovered the fun kiddie rides!

Vroom Vroom!

Will's in school too!

After 14 hours of driving yesterday, we are gloriously back in Louisville, reorganizing, regrouping, and LOVING being home. On Thursday we leave for Chattanooga (!!) and then Birmingham for Ali and Bill's wedding (!!). Will and I fly back to NYC on Monday...but until then, fun fun fun with Mimi and Poppy!

(this has been my life this summer: packing, unpacking, repacking, packing again. Phew.)

Love love love to all!