Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Traveling east...

Instead of just writing a post about every single thing I was grateful for in the last few days, 
I will share my iPhone/Instagram photo diary of my trip to NY/NJ this past weekend. 
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Even though it was planned months ahead, I wasn't 
even sure I'd be going after the mess of the hurricane, 
but at the last minute it worked out. 
So I hopped the Megabus...$10 for a round trip ticket to NYC. 






Coming into NJ, it was obvious that the hurricane has caused a lot of hassle for millions of people. 
Every open gas station had a mile-long line of cars and a long line of people waiting to fill their gas cans. There were a lot of people along the shore who lost everything. Very sad.


People wait in line to fill their gas cans.


The far right lane was a gas lineup.

NYC in the distance.


Below is a tree right next to my brother's first-floor condo. 
Trees are still down all over the area, which is a reason 
there are so many people still without power.


I was there was to hang out with my brother and his family. 
Who wouldn't be happy seeing these faces in the morning?

(Mollie eating her apples and Caroline, my sister-in-law, in the background.)

(Bill, my brother, getting morning cuddles from my nephew, Ben.)


A while back, Bill was able to get tickets to the Steelers/Giants game, 
so we had been planning this trip around football for months. 
Despite the train/traffic issues related to the aftermath of the hurricane, 
it worked out for us to head to the Meadowlands. 
Brother/sister time is always good, especially if it includes the Steelers!

Bill pretending to be pensive on the train.


Sidenote: Kudos to the NY Giants organization for providing 
shuttle buses for all fans coming from the train station. 
Train schedules were limited, but the shuttle buses were 
quick to board and get moving.It was obvious that the 
bus pickups and dropoffs were well thought out.
Thank you, NY Football Giants!


On the shuttle to the game, we met some fellow Steelers fans 
who had come all the way from the UK. 
They love American football and they consider the Steelers their team. 
They come to the US every year to see the Steelers play in different cities.


Tailgating at MetLife Stadium. 
We got heckled by Giants fans and cheered by Steelers fans.



We got there early enough to see the Steelers warm up. 
Pretty cool that the team decided to come in on the day of the game 
and give up their hotel rooms for people who had nowhere to go after the storm.



And below is the view from the $200 (free to us) seats. A-mazing. 






Great view...AND WE WON! Boy, did that feel good.


The next morning, I spent some time with my brother and his family 
before I headed into the city for a few hours before 
I hopped back on the Megabus for the long ride home.

Here are a few random shots from my time alone in Manhattan, mostly Times Square.



I kind of liked this photo of the guy alone in a crowded city.


 I made it on the big screen. I knew it would happen someday!

Me, on the Times Square steps.


The Fashion District

The Javits Center...across the street from the Megabus pickup location.

The view coming out of the Lincoln Tunnel into New Jersey.


It was a great trip. I had fun seeing family and enjoying another Steelers football experience.
I'm grateful for every moment of this weekend and I'm so thankful that it happened, 
especially because it almost didn't.
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Please keep praying for those who will continue to live with the effects of the hurricane, and find a way to help out if you can. There are blanket drives, blood drives, food drives and many other ways to lend a hand, even if you can't be there in person. 

Be a blessing, and be thankful for the love you have around you.


Thursday, November 1, 2012

November begins...

I'm grateful that a cloud has lifted. 
 I'm grateful for the love of my family. 
 I'm grateful for my husband who makes me feel pretty, even when I'm in my PJs for a full day (like today).
I'm grateful for blue sky. I know it's there behind the clouds and I'm beginning to see it.



I'm grateful for this song. I won't say where I heard it (wink), but I loved it instantly. I'm being still.