Sunday, April 25, 2010

Start Spreading the News....

So, I've been home from New York for a week and I'm just putting up a post about it. (Manhattan)
Why you ask? Because it has taken MeMaw the entire week to catch up on sleep. (Times Square)
I went on the trip to be a chaperone for a choir trip for a private school where I used to teach. (Sidewalks of New York.)
I had taught many of the students years ago. (Ground Zero)
Now they are in high school and able to pull off 6:00 am-11:30 pm days on this trip. (Central Park)
I kept up pretty well while I was there--it was just the return to a normal schedule that laughed at my sleep deprivation. (Saw Broadway shows "Mary Poppins" and "Momma Mia".)
Some favorite parts of the trip? Finding my great-grandfather's family names on Ellis Island where the immigrated from Sweden.
Seeing the memorial for 9/11. (Foreground graphic shows where the twin towers used to be located.)
"Give me your tired and poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free..." (Teaching fifth grade curriculum drilled that poem into me years ago.)
Being a teacher also caused me to have my picture taken at FAO Schwartz next to a life sized statue of Chewbaca from Star Wars fame. I was the star of Show and Tell upon my return to first grade.
The teacher in me also could not resist visiting The Plaza, setting of Kay Thompson's Eloise series.
There were so many great things about New York. (View of the Empires State Building from the top of 30 Rockefeller Center.)
But the greatest? Getting to spend it among old friends: Quality Friend Connie who has been a constant throughout this roller coaster life, and three former students. I taught these girls in kindergarten and then third grade. They are now 17 year olds who drive, and are about to become high school seniors in a few weeks.  One of the greatest joys in life is watching children grow up well in the Lord. (Thanks R, C and G: you are all still such a blessing to me!)

5 comments:

Lynn said...

It looks like you had a fabulous time. I'm so glad you got to experience it will those precious young women and a good friend. The sleep deprivation I can understand:o) I can't seem to burn the candle at both ends like I used to!!

Buttercup said...

Great pictures and what a great week. You got to see and do so much. I hope you come back to visit us soon!

kstein said...

Im so glad that you went and had so much fun! You couldn't have picked a better group of former students to go with! My favorite part of this post was that you found our family at Ellis Island! So proud of you- you are becoming quite the little traveler! Love you momma

Locketts said...

Josh kept trying to talk to me while I was reading this post, soaking in every detail. Finally he asked what I was so engrossed in, and 'got it' when I explained. You will have to come as my tour guide when I finally make my NYC trip. Thanks for sharing!

Dawn said...

Sounds like a fabulous time - you got some great pictures. And "found" family - that's really cool!

It sure was fun to run into you between services on Sunday, even if it was just for a moment.

How was the girls' weekend shopping? The CBC women's retreat was very good - the Summer's Mill property was gorgeous, there was chocolate and God showed up. Doesn't get any better than that!