It has been over 2 months since Gavin and I joined Steve and Dylan in New York
“New York
-graffiti in the East Village
When we first saw this plastered on a building we laughed. I admit there are now days where I just try to avoid being prey.
Gavin and I had planned on a short detour upstate while we found an apartment in the city to house all of us. More than two months later and we’re still doing the commute back-and-forth. The short stay of two family members in a friend’s apartment in the village has turned into all four of us camping out in his 1 bedroom during the week so Dylan can go to school and Steve to work. We’ve seen over a dozen apartments, been discriminated against as a family, lost two places we loved by about 6 hours each, and finally presented over 200 pages of documents at an hour-long interview of which we have yet to be approved. Getting an apartment in NYC is harder than buying a house. Tables have certainly turned for these landlords.
We keep telling ourselves (and the kids) that we’ll feel settled with a place of our own, but I now why everyone looked at us like we’re crazy when we moved here. This place is brutal. It does one thing for you though: the word can’t has a whole new meaning for our family now. Here are just a few of the “I can’ts” that are now history:
- I can’t have a long distance relationship
- I can’t parent alone
- I can’t let a stranger live in my house
- I can’t find my way around New York City
- I can’t walk another NYC block carrying bags, Gavin, 20 lbs of laundry, …..
- I can’t push my 4 year old in a stroller
- I can’t rely on the charity of family and friends
- I can’t live in 800 square feet
- I can’t share a room with my brother
- I can’t stick up for myself at an inner city NYC school
- I can’t do without my favorite hair dryer, pan, book, computer, picture, shirt, dish, TV, microwave, game, movie, toys, etc, etc, etc,
- I can’t drive in
New York City - I can’t manage one of the toughest projects in NYC transportation history
- I can’t do this
None of us are in our comfort zone, and we each want to go home about 4x a week, but we ARE doing it. We’re at this big wonderful camp called NYC, and we’re surviving.
I’m still not working. Gavin is tolerating me at home all day. Dylan loves her school but hates the bullies. Steve is managing one of the largest Department of Transportation jobs in the country----working with multiple teams and departments on things that are top secret tasks known only by the Mayor, Governor and senators for the state of New York
Who knows where this journey will take us or who we’ll be when we’re done, but we’re doing it. God help us (please)!
“If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere, it’s up to you—New York , New York
-Frank Sinatra
Our city home:
Our weekend home:
Stay tuned!
-Tiffany
