City or Country girl?

Henry, Bea and I decided to take a trip (while Justin was gone on his conference that was just an excuse to go snowboarding) to Connecticut, New York City and Philadelphia. We were gone for 8 days and we had a blast. Bea was especially good in the car and didn't cry at all for the entire almost 9 hours it took to get to CT and 7 hours back from Philly. It wouldn't have taken as long except we had to drop Justin off and pick him up at the airport at the beginning and end of our trip. We spent some quality time with Grandma and Gammie Hohl as well as our good friends the Smocks who also have a baby girl, Elizabeth (lily or li'l E), who is two weeks younger than Bea. They had fun together fighting over squishy blocks. It was so funny to see them ripping it out of each others' hands. They were seriously fighting over it and I hope it's not a sign of things to come! I'm sure they'll be great friends. After we spent the first half of our trip amongst the gorgeous farms and countryside of Connecticut we spent some time in New York City and then moved on to Philly. In New York we ate my favorite food (Bea ate some pear and apple gelato at GROM) and hung out with my dear friend Emilie. We spent the day in Washington Square park in the above 70 degree weather. We couldn't have picked a better day to go into the city. Bea did so well just sleeping when she got a chance in the car or in my baby wrap and hardly put up much of a fuss. We drove late into the night to Philly where we met up with my step sister, Ruth, and her darling family and tried to lift their spirits as her little angel boy, Jeffrey, began his chemo treatment for retinoblastoma or cancer of the eye. I'm going to do a special post on him soon. We might be traveling to Philly a few more times to meet up with whomever accompanies Jeffrey during his treatment. We're all fasting and praying that his eye and vision will be spared. We just love the Bryans! We went to the Children's Museum in Philly and to Valley Forge with them as well as ate really great sandwiches at one of the best cheesesteak joints in town, then ate hamburgers at 5 Guys and topped it off with free Ritas. That was a crazy long day! The next morning we spent with the Shimer's who we bumped into at the Children's Museum the day before and we got to eat breakfast and play at the park before the long drive home. We had such a great time in Philly and I hope we go there for fellowship! I would love living there for a year.

I do have to admit that I almost cried as I walked down the streets of New York because I missed it so much. I was so happy to be back and I felt that I was supposed to be there and I was missing so much by being away. I miss my old friend, the city. My children will know you somehow, even if we have to travel across the country to visit you. What an enchanting place.