walk and talk

I'm stealing Melanie's blog post about our trip to New York. She said it WAAAY better than I could have, so, here you go, a recap of the essence of my girl's trip to the Big Apple...

Mel writes:

vanessa and i have known each other for more than 20 years now ... i suppose as the years increase, that might get a little easier to believe. we began as friends through gymnastics carpool and junior high youth group; grew together through high school mission trips and a college career of roommate-hood and overall inseparability; and have remained close as we have each gone through multiple jobs and moves, met and married our sweet guys, and given birth to two children apiece. what a tremendous blessing, to have a friend who has seen just about all there is to see of my life -- the old, the new, the ugly, the beautiful. so many jokes, so many stories and memories.

i e-mailed vanessa a while back and told her i had a secret dream that the two of us mamas might be able to get away to New York City for a few days and live like the grown-up girls we once were ... drinking coffee, walking slowly, eating at non-kid-friendly restaurants, and talking as long as we wanted to. and a few weekends ago, our husbands each held down the fort at home with the kiddos while we did just that.

we saw a wonderful show, ate several different kinds of special desserts, rode subways and walked all over the city. we spent time with a college friend and were so blessed by her hospitality (thanks, kristen!). but what characterized our weekend, more than any other activity, was genuine conversation -- a precious commodity for moms. just like in our college days, we found ourselves struggling to keep our voices down as we lay in bed chatting away long after we meant to go to sleep.