ps -

the pictures in the posting below are not in order from the weekend and it really bothers me...but I can't figure out an easy way to get them in order, so just pretend they are if it bothers you as much as it does me...

a lot like Alabama

the second to last weekend in October, our fellowship group from Redeemer went on a retreat to New Hampshire and stayed at Brendan's parents house. We went in order to be able to see the beautiful fall foliage, and it WAS beautiful even though, according to Brendan, we missed the peak. It really reminded me a lot of Alabama in the way it looked. I can't decide if that is because it just wasn't a city like I've become so accustomed to or if it really is similar in nature and look to the Heart of Dixie. On Saturday night we went to Boston to have dinner and then explored the city a little after that. I loved Boston, and especially following the "freedom trail" that led us straight to Paul Revere's house!

                                   Me, Pamela and Carrie in Boston on Saturday night

Pamela and the "freedom trail"

Me and Brendan after dinner

Our group in front of Mike's Pastry...only the best pastries in Boston

(check it out - www.mikespastry.com - you can get it delivered!)

       Trying to lift the heavy chain. (the one the boys could barely lift...)

Our whoopie pie and cheesecake!

Our group at Mine Falls

The girls with the beautiful foliage!

          Brendan's first trip to McDonald's since 1991. (I'm trying to break him...)

Pamcakes and I snuggling before she left from New Hampshire to head back to NYC

a few sporadic

a few pictures from October from various outings...

Lara's birthday party, hipster style

Picnic in Central Park with my '08 Grads fellowship group

                                                        Welcome back to NYC, Jess!!!

the next several posts are devoted to october and what I did during the month... a lot of pictures to update what a fun month it was!

how did this happen?

In case it hasn't been apparent, I've recently taken an involuntary blogging hiatus. Somehow recently (I have no idea how it's happened...) I've been finding myself going to bed later and later and getting up just as early. And the time in between, I still have no clue where it's all going. But after subtle snide comments posted on my blog from "M" (aka, Mom) claiming that she has no idea what's going on in my life because I haven't been updating my blog, I'm pushing through and getting back to it... I've missed it and hope I'll be back at it full time again. But just as a quick disclaimer, my mom does have a clue what's going on in my life and probably has a pretty good idea why I haven't been blogging as frequently.....

a sore thumb

...that's exactly what I stuck out like on Tuesday night at Rockefeller Center watching the election coverage. I still showed my support for the Grand Old Party, nevertheless, and even got to have my picture made with the Republican elephant.

Me and Kline with the Republican party elephant (not to be mistaken for the Alabama elephant...) This pic's a keeper...

Election Day

yes, sadly these people hail from the city in which I now reside.

Howard Stern - Clueless Obama Voters in Harlem

boo

Monday night my fellowship group had a Pumpkin Carving party. By far the most fun thing I've done in a WHILE...

                                     

                                                  

a picture is worth a thousand words

I stole a few pictures from Mon's winkflash page and there is one that I've been meaning to put up for a few weeks now but kept forgetting. It is from the hospital when Tate was there after he had his stroke. I don't think I've seen anything sweeter than this.

a taste of peace

Sometimes in the hectic bustle of city life, I forget that there are actually people living normal quiet lives elsewhere. And what I even more tend to forget is that some are doing it in New York. Just because NYC somehow has 8 million people squeezed into a space probably big enough for 100,000 people doesn't mean that there isn't peace and quiet in the whole state.

This weekend I went to Mattituck, NY on Long Island with a friend to visit some of his family. It was so relaxing and encouraging to be reminded of still and quiet places. And in a lot of ways, it reminded me of the south. It was a small community with quaint country houses with yards and fences. It actually made me think a lot about Aliceville, AL and the extremely small town feeling that comes with it. It also made me miss one of my best friends Rose Lynn who introduced me to Aliceville and all of it's glory...

For the first time while I was in Mattituck, I got to experience New York beaches...which if you know me, you know made me very happy! The ones here weren't much different than the ones in Alabama, (which was a little bit of a shock) except I noticed that the sand, although still white, was a lot larger and coarser than the sand in Alabama. And, of course, the water was about 50 degrees colder!

What a nice way to be reminded that God created peace and quiet and a time to sit and relish in that!

"See who-who is missing Aunt Perryn!!"

This was the subject line of an email I received from my sister today while I was at work. Those are the kinds of subject lines you hope for all day. And the content of the email was even better:

3 pictures of Elliot, Ethan and Abbey! This one was my fave though...partly due to the owl :)

prima ballerina?

Yep, that's my niece.

I'm not exactly sure what all is going on in this picture, but it is so funny to me on so many different levels, I can't quit laughing. 

On the same token, this is also one of the pictures that made me suddenly burst into tears this morning as I was looking at it because I miss my family so much.

ak calhoun

If you want amazing art, THIS is amazing art. (and she just happens to be my roommate from Auburn!!!) check it out...

www.akcalhounart.com

              
This is one of my personal faves...although, really, they're all my faves!

how well do you know me?

I created this crossword puzzle for some friends in order to test their "Perryn Knowledge" (sounds kinda conceited, but it's a long story...) Anyway, I thought it would be fun to see how well the people who read my blog REALLY know me...?

celebrity sighting no. 3

Today, my roommate, Lara, LA and I were grabbing a late lunch at the Hummus Place (yes, that's the actual name of the restaurant) when this couple walked in and sat one or two tiny tables over from us. I noticed the man and thought he looked really familiar, but I just glanced over so I didn't even take the time to pay attention to who it was. Then Lara leaned over to LA and I and asked if we saw the guy who just walked in...and then kindly informed us that it was Kramer from Seinfeld!!!

Then I heard him talk and knew it was him. I was sitting about 8 feet from KRAMER! I was so excited and wanted to take a picture with him so bad, but he clearly didn't want to be recognized or annoyed, as he had on a hat and kept his head down the whole time looking at his digital camera. 

By FAR, the best celebrity sighting I've seen since I've been in New York!

a follow up from my last post

I found this picture on facebook of a friend's twin 5 year old girls. I might change my mind now regarding my Halloween 2008 costume because there is no way I could be as hilarious as this picture!

I especially liked the smocked outfits under Obama and McCain's faces. Priceless.

tis the season

for the presidential election.

You may have already seen this on facebook, but if not, I propose these for Halloween 2008.

from L to R: Katherine, LA, Pam, me

As I was walking to church the other night, I passed a 'party store' that had these in the window. How much more of a party could you ask for than putting these four in a room together?!

a taste of peanuts in the big apple

Last Thursday morning I was walking to the subway to go to work and one of the free daily newspapers, AM NY, caught my eye in a different way than usual - plastered on the front page, I saw a photograph of a green street sign that read 'Dothan City Limit'. I was taken a little off guard and thought "wow, Dothan, like in Alabama." Then I noticed the headline of the newspaper was "Shalom Y'all" and I knew it must be referring to the Peanut Capital of the World where the annual National Peanut Festival is held every year.

Apparently, a very wealthy family in Dothan is paying a large number of Jews in New York City to move down there to help build up the Jewish community. The price was something like $50,000, which I thought that was interesting because at first it doesn't seem like a whole heck of a lot of money. And then I realized that anyone who would be accustomed to living in NYC wouldn't think that was a lot of money, but to move to Alabama, a Jewish fam could be well on their way to buying a house with that chunk of change. 

Click this link to read the full article: Shalom Y'all

you know you're a real person...

when you have your own phone with your name on it at work!

 

prayers for my nephew, Tate

My brother Brent's youngest child, Tate, is going to be 1 year old on September 20. Today my family found out that in the past few days, Tate has suffered from two strokes. Because of this he lost all control of his right arm and leg. My mom said that his arm just hung there and his hand remained in a fist most of the time. The doctors first thought that he had just dislocated his elbow and tried to put it back in place. However, even after this was done, my brother began to notice that if he tickled Tate's left foot he pulled it back, but when he tickled his right foot, he didn't move it at all.

After going to the pediatrician in Tuscaloosa, Brent and Mon were sent to Children's Hospital in Birmingham where the discovery about the strokes was made. After tests all day, they finally came to the conclusion that Tate had indeed suffered from strokes in the past few days, and if he wasn't put on blood-thinners, there was risk of him having a major stroke soon also. Even though this was major news, we are very thankful that it wasn't a tumor or some kind of neurological disease. The doctors determined the reason (they think) for these strokes is because he has a congenital narrowing in one of his arteries in his cranium. This isn't necessarily a good thing because it isn't something that can be fixed and will possibly be something he has to deal with all of his life. The last time I talked to my parents he was being given some type of blood-thinning medicine intravenously. My mom also told me that my brother and sister-in-law are going to have to learn on Monday how to give Tate a shot every day for possibly 6 months, which will serve as a blood-thinning medicine for him as well. 

This would most certainly be devastating news to find out from New York City about anyone in my family. But, it's just so shocking to hear about it with the very youngest, tiniest member. However, I am praying and trusting that God is using this to glorify himself and bring all of us closer to Him and to remind us that we aren't promised another day here. Please pray for Tate, Brent and Monica and for Tate's two big sisters, Mayce and McKay. I know our whole family needs it right now, as we are all in total shock, but they need it especially as a family.