A New Yorker Day

I'm wrapping up my first week in the city. It seems like I never left the place. Today we finally got around to making our apartment defense ready. We purchased both attack and defense mechanisms against our new nemesis: the roach. We've only seen one, and since we live on the sixth floor they'll be few and far between, but we don't mess around. Those bugs are done if they step on my turf. The war has begun. I also got around to buying a lock for my window bar. Just in case anyone finds me so memorizing that they must climb the six floor fire escape to come get me.

I ran along the East River today, and I'm not sure if I was more excited about the fact that I ran mostly pain free for the first time in what seems like a very long while, or if I was more excited about the great view and amazing weather. It's hard to believe i'm lucky enough to live just ten minutes away from that beautiful stretch of land. It's great.

The soccer team seems to be shaping up nicely. We have a good new batch of kids coming in this year and they seem good both technically and personality wise. I think we're going to have a great team. We had lunch together today, and the team seems really comfortable already, which is a great thing. The NYU soccer team always seems to defy what used to be a normalcy for me. It seems like every soccer tema I've played on until college had the cattish cliques, and for once (and for the past two years) the team has meshed well. I'm excited that it will continue.

I was hoping to get to go to Redeemer for the first time tomorrow, but it looks like we'll once again have soccer. Hopefully next week will be my first opportunity to go since right now we're scheduled to have the day off. I'll keep everyone posted on the search for a new church home. For now i'll stick with the ever-challenging Dr. McArthur...he keeps me on my toes (as long as I'm smart enough to pay attention!)

We made it uptown for the first time in a while today. I really love it up there. Central park is my favorite part of Manhattan, and its just blocks away from the greatest ice-cream place EVER. Serendipity. I tried the frozen hot chocolate tonight and was far from dissapointed. I'm so full I could burst. I better get back to running soon.

Tomorrow holds two practices (hopefully some of which I can participate in) and Monday I'll hopefully have a chance to get into the financial aid office before we leave for PDA- i'm in desperate need of a budget expansion...

More to come- including pictures of the new place (hopefully soon to be decorated).

Katie

First NYC storm

My first New York City storm in my first apartment is raining down outside as I write in my first own room ever. A lot of firsts for this third-year NYC resident. And I can't help but thinking...how am I a NYC resident? How is it that I'm sitting here as an almost twenty-one year old in my first apartment, halfway across the country from where I began, in a city a world apart from the one I know and love?

I spent the summer studying Esther with some of the greatest girls the DFW metroplex boasts. We met every monday and I have to say it was one of the best studies I've ever done. Beth Moore is brilliant, wise, and beautiful. She made me laugh every week and taught me a little more about God and myself each time. The overarching theme of the study was providence, which, as I sit here contemplating just how I ended up in this crazy city, rings true to my ears.

God controls this beautiful mechanism that is our world. Each part of it. So even the times when I think i've "messed up" God's in control . It's like this crazy puzzle that none of us can figure out, yet God has already preordained. He knows where I've come from and where I'm going. He has this fascinating life planned for each of us, should we be up for the challenge. And, having moved myself about the country, and gotten myself into more debacles than any one person should, I rest assured that my God has control over every aspect of my life.

My first few days back in the city have been anything but boring. The city has a certain air about it (and certainly distinct smells). Coming back to my soccer team has been fantastic (though I can't play for a week due to a back injury) and I feel like our team is closer this year than any previous year. We definitely have some great recruits coming in as well, so watch out for NYU soccer this fall-we'll be a force to be reckoned with.

My new best friend is craig's list. I found a kitchen table for FREE and we're picking it up thursday night. How great is that? Combined with Marie and I's new hobby of walking up and down streets and picking bits of furniture out of what would be in another state-trash- taking tips from homeless people along the way, our apartment shoud be homy and decorated very soon.

The last few days have consisted of moving in and meetings with soccer, so not too much to boast of yet, but the Washington Square park is revamped with a flashy new fountain- so expect some stories to be coming in soon.

For now, i'm off to watch some lightning and dig into John McArthur's stunningly challenging book "Hard to Believe".

Katie