The Big Apple

On Thursday Sept 4 I called Ronald McDonald House is NYC, as they suggested, to see if there was room at the house for Hannah and I.  I left a message but did not hear back.  On Friday Sept 5, 2008 I called again and they said there was space for us. This was a huge blessing.  If you go on to the Ronald McDonald NYC website you'll see what the facility is like.  There are 83 other families staying in the house.  This means that Hannah can build relationship with other kids who are here for medical reasons.  It also gives me a chance to build relationship with others who are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. The house will also provide Hannah with lots of opportunities to play in their well equipped play room, every child's dream.  There are lots of activities that the house puts on as well.  Dance and music classes, tutoring and access to activities around the city.  Today there were four tickets to a play and there are four tickets available for Tuesdays Mets game against the Washington Capitals.

We arrived yesterday afternoon after an amazing flight.  Due to Hurricane Hanna, the pilot flew the Calgary-Newark leg in a little over 4 hours. Fast from what the Westjet staff tell us. We arrived to find it raining and extremely humid.  I have never felt that kind of physical oppression, you can see why folks who don't have a/c really suffer. Anyway it was nice walking in the warm rain, another new experience.  Today Hannah and I set out to the grocery store.  We found out about the privilege of living on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, cost!!! Wow, I obviously had misconceptions about the cost of food here.  I was shocked to see the price meat and other staples.  Ah, but that the cost of the Upper East side, another family told me that about 12 blocks south I will find another grocery store where things are not so costly. I am so naive. 

Today's other adventure saw us take in a street carnival.  We walked about 6 blocks and looked at wears and trinkets from vendors along the side of the road. I will post some photo's when I can get them uploaded.  We went from there to FAO Swartz.  Hannah fell in love with the giant piano there last year when we were here so we had to go back.  Unfortunately for Hannah, there was a birthday party that got priority time to dance on the keys.  We did a long walk around south central park and found an amazing play place. We will most certainly be back there. Lastly, we went to church tonight, a congregation similar to Utown called Origins.  They meet in an old church that while it could use some paint, was spectacular. Build at the beginning of the last century, it had very high ceilings, an old pipe organ and many panels of stained glass.  Oh and no a/c.  So we really cooked.  Origins has a morning service that we will go to next week that meets closer to us and has a kids ministry, but we were too tired this morning to figure out how to get there.

So ends our first full day here in New York.  Please pray for us that we will be able to find our bearings, literally, which way is North?  and adjust to the 3 hour time shift.  Pray that Hannah's day tomorrow is peaceful and she has her first appointment on Tuesday.  I would also appreciate your prayers for the conversation that I have to have with the other organization that we were going to rent an apartment from. When I called on Friday there was no one to answer my call and so Monday am will bring a voice mail from John saying that we are not there.

Love to all.

John and Hannah