NYC!

Although we weren't able to catch up with all of our sweet and amazing NYC friends, we had a glorious weekend and it was the perfect way to try to forget about what was around the corner - Christi's favorite day of the year - THE START OF SCHOOL! Shayne drove us out of the city at 7:30 PM last night and we arrived home at 4:30 AM. The man is incredible! Shayla and I went to sleep around 10PM while he safely drove us home. (It was Christi's preferred way to travel too. "Just wake up and I'm there!" Only with her "one in a million daddy" was that all possible!)

August 2007 (GIRLS: Age 8)
June 2005 (GIRLS: Age 6)
The girls saw each other, screamed and then RAN to each other and hugged. I quickly sighed relief that they didn't knock each other down, then tears pour down my face. It's amazing how Christi's journey gave us so much! Good friends!! While the girls talk on the phone, they had not seen each other since Shayne ran the NYC marathon in November of 2005! They were so cute with their comments, "You look different, yet the same - just bigger." "You're so much taller than I remembered; I guess we both are." New Yorkers get such a bad wrap. This beautiful family helped us many times when things were really tough with Christi's health by taking Shayla to their apartment after preschool and keeping her entertained while we tended to difficult challenges at the hospital and wanted to both be with Christi. People are good!!
Only in NY! A "floating" pool (on a barge). Sand hauled in on a parking lot to make a "beach". Check out the NYC backdrop - amazing!!
With the ABSOLUTELY AWESOME - BRILLIANT AND BEAUTIFUL Nitza, back to where these two girls first met - at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere) where the girls were in a free preschool art program together Nitza taught. "Start with Art" Nitza, as always, was beyond delightful and compassionate. She kept the two girls (and all of us adults) mesmerized as she shared various parts of the museum on our "private tour". What a great friend!! Shayne was a bit late in joining us. First he went to Central Park to view "Angel" Penelope's memorial plaque, after he donated platelets at MSKCC. I knew I wasn't that brave. I sobbed as I walked to the Met by myself and walked past the "Ancient Playground" where I vividly remember Christi playing on that great playground after enjoying the art museum on many occassions.
June 2005: Nitza, Shayla & Christi at "The Cloisters" - part of the Met.
While Shayla was "living it up" at her friend's apartment, we had a romantic night in midtown. He bought me this beautiful white dress. We ate pasta at an Italian bistro, on a small table, at a sidewalk cafe. In Times Square, we saw a funny and delightful musical and after the show we enjoyed walking around, just taking it all in! I won't say we didn't spend some time in tears throughout the evening as we reminisced about all of the things Christi loved about "the big apple", but we did have an absolutely lovely night together. I am so blessed.
Subway Surfing
Afternoon Tea on Sunday. Our beautiful friend, Olivia - who also went to MSKCC to donate blood Sunday morning, met us at the American Girl Store! It was GREAT to see her too!!
What a hoot! Can you believe this? Yes, it's a "doll holder" for the bathroom. Only at the American Girl Store!!

Welcome to the World Sweet Evan Thomas. Our congratulations to a very sweet couple in a neighboring town on the birth of their new baby!! This couple had their wedding dollar dance for "Christi & Alex's Lemonade Stand" in 2006 and drove the money over to Christi's stand in June. We were incredibly touched. (Dani met Christi when she was an ice skating instructor in 2004 and was very moved. She later told me how she sobbed upon learning Christi's cancer was most likely terminal.) When Dani emailed me recently that she was pregnant, she said we were going to love the name. Well, when the baby boy was given "THOMAS" as his middle name, we knew who that special name was from and we know she'll watch over him VERY carefully from Heaven above. May God richly bless him with a life full of good health and happiness! Congrats!!!!