how did i end up here?

I went back to New York this past weekend. I truly fell in love with the place back in September and I knew I had to see it drenched in Christmas lights. Let me just say...the place was breathtaking!! I've never seen such absurdity (outside of my parents house) anywhere. The entire city goes glam for the Holiday season. It was amazing to see! I drove up with Lisa and Chris. They were attending a wedding in New Jersey and they dropped me off to spend time with my friend Adam. Adam found out the night before I got there, that he had to work on Saturday. So, I had to brave the big city on my own. I have to admit, I had a mini panic attack on Thursday night when he told me the news. But when it came down to it, it was really no big deal. And it was kinda nice to be able to do my own thing without having to worry if anyone else was having fun. Also, it was extremely crowded and I was glad I didn't have to worry about keeping up with someone else.

I went to Rockefeller Center three times...yep, three times. Once in the morning, once at dusk, and finally at night. It was beautiful!! I couldn't stop staring at it. And it had sooooo many lights on it. It would've made my dad very proud. I walked all the way up and down 5th Avenue...went to Times Square a few times...Macy's, Tiffany, and The Plaza Hotel, Central Park, Chinatown and even Little Italy. The window decorations were amazing too. Every place had elaborate window displays. And the lights...oh, the lights!! They covered the city and almost no place was left untouched. It was amazing to see. The weekend was a blur of lights and tinsel and it still seems very surreal. I can tell this though, I'll never watch Miracle on 34th St. the same way again. The holidays have made me especially lonely and homesick. Being in New York was very bittersweet. I loved seeing everything, but I know my parents and siblings would have loved seeing it all too. I just wished I could've flown them all out to wander the city with me. I saw things that I can't describe and things that I so desperately want to explain to them. But words, and even pictures don't do the place justice. My poor brother, Trevor, got the brunt of my lonliness. I called him about every half hour to tell him something new I'd just seen. And if I wasn't calling him, I was texting him. Thanks for playing along, Trevor! I think I'm gonna make it a goal to go to NYC once every December. It's just too beautiful to miss.

It was good to see Adam again too. He's so different than my friends here in DC and it's nice to get a different perspective on life. Plus, he's a little slice of home and he's very easy to talk to. Sometimes you just need a few people who you can say anything to, and they won't ever judge you...Adam is one of those people for me. It was a great weekend and I have no complaints...well, except for my back hurting from all the walking I did. But it was worth it!