In about a week, it will be seven years since we moved to Manhattan. Seven years ago, we just a couple newlyweds driving across the country - driving to the West Coast - to say goodbye to Wife's family and temporarily leave our vehicle while we moved to New York City for a nine-month journey. The purpose of our journey was so that I could get one final academic degree, and as soon as I had that piece of paper, we would get back to the civilized world as soon as humanly possible.
Our plan was never to stay in New York City. We were only here a few days when we realized that this place was so crazy, that we needed to start a blog to chronicle the crazy experiences we would endure during these nine months. Hence, we started this blog to both share the experience with our friends and family and, more importantly, to create a way for us to remember our nine months in Manhattan.
But God has a sense of humor. We're still here.
Not only are we still here, but we've multiplied. Seven years ago, we were a typical young married couple concerned about ensuring our careers were on the proper trajectory. Now, we're a little family with two beautiful, smart and creative little girls. I can't even remember life without them.
Not only are we still here, but the realization has begun to sink in that we will probably be here for a while. The blog has evolved since our time in New York transformed from a crazy temporary experience to just our normal lives.
Our little girls are New Yorkers. They are REAL New Yorkers. They aren't those "B & T" fakers who claim to be New Yorkers. For those who aren't snobby enough to be familiar with the terminology, B & T refers to the bridges and tunnels that those who don't reside in Manhattan need to take to get to all the action. Those who live in Manhattan are absolutely convinced that the only REAL New Yorkers are those who live in Manhattan, and perhaps some of the trendy parts of Brooklyn. We hear rumors that some claim that there are five boroughs in New York City, but we know better.
Wife and I have done quite a bit of contemplation lately. We have had opportunities to leave New York. Good opportunities. But we don't want to.
I fully recognize how blessed we are, and it continually amazes me.
If anyone had told me when we flew out to New York that if looked ahead seven years, my career would be where it is today, that our family would like it does and that all of this would have happened in New York City, there is absolutely no chance I would have believed it. No chance. Zero. None.
But I wouldn't have it any other way.
