Anniversaries, Babies, A New Job, and More Visitors!

Whew, so much has happened the last few weeks!! Stick with me, we have a LOT of ground to cover. Let's start with the most exciting news, I'm starting a new job this week! Some of you definitely started to wonder how I was just galavanting in the park every day. Well, surprise! I left my job in May. I learned so much there and it was a great experience, but it was time for me to move on. I had a lot of interviews, but it took me a little while to find a job that was the right fit for me. I will be starting as an assistant in the Information Technology department at the Teach for America National Headquarters. I'm really excited and will be sure to keep yall updated on how it's going!! Now, onto what's been happening the past few weeks!

Ellis came and visited for our 2 year anniversary. He hadn't been here in about three months so it was fun to get to go exploring again. We started by walking the Brooklyn Bridge. For some reason I'd never made it down there! I must say, it was beautiful, but the walk across it was kind of a let down. The whole way up the bridge is just a tunnel, so you can't see the view or where you are until you get under the arches. But, once under the big arches the view was great. It was something new and we really enjoyed it.

                                             

The next day we had brunch with some of my old friends that were in town after taking them to Redeemer with us to hear Tim Keller preach. Travis and I went to middle school together (most likely to succeed 8th grade thank you very much) and his mom is the best doctor I've ever had! It was so fun to get to catch up with them. That afternoon we decided to check out the New York Botanical Gardens. They currently have an exhibit in which they have recreated Monet's Garden. The gardens are WAY up in the Bronx. Just getting there was quite the adventure. We rode the subway line all the way to the last stop, then walked about a mile through some, ahem, interesting neighborhoods. The gardens were beautiful, though. Here's a few examples!

The next day was something Ellis had looked forward to for months (ok, I had too). We were going to see the Braves and the Yankees play at Yankee Stadium! We were lucky enough to get to go to the Yankees/Redsox game last May, and this one was even more fun, plus it was water bottle night (I love my freebies). The game was great and the perfect way to end the weekend!

Ellis left on Tuesday, and Dad arrived on Thursday. June was truly a month of many visitors (Erica and Heather also got lots of love from visitors this month too). Dad had a meeting in Times Square all day Friday, so he came to stay with us for a few days. A few reasons we love dads being here: the first thing he did was walk in and feel how hot it was, and we went straight to Home Depot and got an AC for the den. Awesome. The roommates and I took him to one of our fave spots (Calle Ocho) and then came home and installed the new ACs (Heather got one for her room, so we are officially cool in all rooms now). Dad also installed the great vintage lamp that I saved from my old office. We love the red lighting and neat addition to our living room!

I had dinner with his company on Friday night, and then we went to see the new play Peter and the Starcatcher. The hit play Wicked is the backstory of the Wizard of Oz, and this is very similar in that it is the backstory of Peter Pan. It just won a handful of Emmys and it was awesome! It was lighthearted and funny and I highly recommend it. As Dad loves Broadway, we went to see The Columnist, with one of Dad's favorites John Lithgow, on Saturday. We also went shopping and explored and walked lots and lots. It was fun! Always good to have him here. I have to brag that he just got bumped up to Vice President status at his company too, way to go father.


The next day, Erica's mom came to visit. She took a ton of professional pictures of us in the park, and we are so grateful to have these awesome pictures to have to look back on our time here in 3A when we all eventually disperse back to our different corners of the country!

The next week I spontaneously decided to use my Delta voucher to visit one of my oldest and dearest friends, Kati, in Nashville! She had sweet baby Annie in January and I had yet to get my hands on the kid, which was not cool because I have never missed out on a McCarver big family happening before! It was SO good to get out of the city and spend time with her and her great family!!! I won't bog you down with the millions of baby pictures I took, but let me just say she is the CUTEST baby on the planet. And yall know I love babies. I also got to see my cousin Haley and my other oldest best friend, Shannon. It was an awesome trip, and Kati obliged all of my southern food requests. I'd really call it an eating trip. Gotta get my fried food fix in!!!

Ok, so I got back and it was time for the 4th of July! Erica and I had a low key day and ate the traditional American summer holiday food, hamburgers. The NEXT day (told you this month was jam packed!) my great friends Allison and Mandy came to visit! I nannied for Allison and her (ok, I talk about them as if they are my kids too) 3 boys for 6 years. Mandy was their nanny before me, and we are all bonded for life! We have talked about doing a girls trip for years and I was so thrilled to have them come stay! Mandy had never been to New York before, so we had lots to show her! We shopped and ate and shopped and ate and talked and it was good for the soul. We also saw Once, the new Broadway smash hit. You must go see it. Awesome. They left a few hours ago, and here I am getting ready for my first day of work now! It's always hard to have people you love end their trips, but I feel so fortunate to be able to have seen so many people I love so much this month!!!

There are so many more details I wish I had the time to share! Bottom line: June was great! On to July!!!