Learning to Love Limbo

It has been over 2 months since Gavin and I joined Steve and Dylan in New York. The transition has been a challenge since the minute we left. We knew we were in for an adventure, but none of us knew how large and how long this adventure would unfold.

“New York Eats its Young”

-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 park in NYC.
• 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. That’s my babe. The reason we’re here.

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:

http://pix.kg/p/405733589310%3A1183062415/scl

Our weekend home:

http://pix.kg/p/503275589310%3A1661849229/scl

Stay tuned!

-Tiffany

Dylan visits the Museum of Natural History

I went to the natural history museum!

First I saw fake dinosaurs. I think it's weird that they are fake. The bones aren't real. There was a T-Rex and an Brontosaurus protecting it's young.

Then I saw the hall of african mammals. I thought it was pretty mean that they killed the animals and stuffed them and then put them in the museum. There were elephants, tigers, antelope and other animals with hooves. I also saw very big lions, alligators, hippos, birds and alot of other animals.

There was a HUGE whale on the top and in the middle of the ocean exhibit. It was 94 feet long! It had ALOT of sea creatures. The whale was made out of concrete. It was just a copy of a real whale. There were sharks, dolphins and even octopi. There was a HUGE clam that I could fit inside.

The space exhibit was my favorite. It had alot of fun stuff. You can even watch a movie about space. As you know, my brother loves space ships, so he was very excited too. There was a cool planetarium too. There was also a big scale where you could weigh yourself on the Sun, Haley's Comet, the Moon, a red dwarf, a gas planet and other planets.

Goodbye guys!

Dylan

Central Park

For my last little story, I will tell you about Central Park. It has ALOT of trees. It has alot of big rocks to climb. It has bridges too. There are seven ponds in Central Park. Every morning, a million people let their dogs off a leash. It,s very cool to watch them run and play. Bye guys!

Empire State Building

And again, it,s me Dylan. I,m in front of the amazing, the cool, Empire State Building! I think it,s so tall. It has 102 floors! Inside the Empire State Building, it,s so cool, because it,s so fancy. The floors are mopped. There are pretty cool models of the Empire State Building inside it. I even saw a Lego one. There,s even a Christmas Tree inside it. I love the Empire State Building.

Flatiron Building

It,s me again Dylan. I,m in front of the amazing, the cool Flatiron Building! I think it,s called that because it looks like a clothes iron. It,s pretty cool because it,s near the Chrysler Building. The flatiron building is 110 years old.

Dylan settling in New York

Hi guys, it,s me Dylan. i,m sitting in front of my new school. I think the red doors look cool, don't you? The tiles on top of the door look awesome right? My school is a little easier. There is one problem about it. They only have one recess.

Slight detour from NYC

Well, as fate would have it, I'm in LA inspecting a massive pre-war era wharf in the port for a couple of weeks. Not in NYC, but since the fam has not
Yet joined me, I suppose the travel is
no big deal. It is a bit of a bummer though to pay nyc rent when you're only in town 10 percent of the time! We did get alot accomplished during Tiff's visit as far as school and apt hunting though, so no big deal to go. After closing out a long week of diving with 6 hrs in the water today, all i want to do is sleep! LA can wait! I find myself really missing the kids and worrying about missing daddy syndrome... Have Sade's "Babyfather" stuck in my head lately. To Dylan and Gavin: I miss you guys and will be home soon. Have mommy play this song for you, ok. Love you, daddy

BABYFATHER - Sade

We were waiting for the bus
No-one much around but us
Then I see this young boy cut a look at me
I'm stunned
In a daze
He had the whole street set ablaze
It's only love they say
Makes you feel this way
She liked his eyes she wanted more
The baby gonna have your smile for sure
He saw a lovely girl
Smelling sweet and soapy like fresh air
She saw him looking acted like she didn't care
That's how we knew
And so love grew a flower
A flower that is you
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Even to the angels it may sound like a lie
For you child
He has the troops and extra backup standing by
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
For you child
For you he's the best he can be
Oh child don't you know
Your daddy love come with a life time guarantee
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Yeah daddy love you child
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Your daddy knows you're a flame
Daddy love you yeah
It's only you he'll say
Made the young boy hungry for the man he is today
It's only love, love, love, love
Can make you feel this way
Your daddy knows you're a flame