Realization.

New York City is quite the place. Between all the buildings, horns honking, and a traffic line of taxi's non-stop-- there is a certain amount of comfort here. For the first month, I couldn't feel it. I found my mind racing from one thing to the next and my feet walking faster than I ever knew was possible. I gotta make the subway, I gotta catch the bus, I have to keep up with the pace so I don't get trampled by the herd of businessmen behind me that are late for work. How do I carry all these groceries home with no car? How do I cook in an oven that can't fit a cookie sheet? How do we get the couch in through our tiny apartment door? How do we get rid of the couch that couldn't fit through our tiny apartment door? What are we doing here? This city is too big for us. And how do I pretend to look comfortable so that everyday I don't get...miss? can I help you? you look lost.

Well today, I realized that somewhere between all the racing thoughts and running feet, I found it. I found comfort in this city.

I had to journey down to the bottom of the Island today to the Social Security office to officially change my last name. (Yes, I am officially a Marsden :) )  A month ago, I would have been terrified to have to navigate myself from changing subways 4 different times to buses and into an area of this huge city I wasn't familiar. But somehow, I felt .....comfortable. In fact, not only that but not one but TWO people asked me for directions. Sadly, I couldn't help them, but I felt flattered that I must have seemed to look like I knew what I was doing. It was during this little voyage that I realized that we have found a home here. We are finding comfort in the people, the restaurants, the noises, the smells, the cars, the transportation, the friends. Not because it's not a crazy place to live, but because we are making our first memories being married, and I'm realizing that ...home is here. I never imagined being able to call the Big Apple my home, but for now--it is. And we are embracing every moment we spend here.

This is not to say that Scot & I aren't country people at heart. We miss the sky, the mountains, the grass, the tress, and the beauty of nature. Neither of us see us staying here for a long time, but for now....it IS home.Our home. And home feels comfortable :)

Here are some photos and events from this week: 

 We went to a Met's game! .....dedicated Red Sox fan. But hey the Met's were a fun switch up! :) Anything but the Yankees. Yuck.

Our good friends Thais and Tyler from our ward joined us for the game. Thais is 30 weeks pregnant! :) So happy and excited for them. 

Citi field :)

 Rainy days in NYC. I pop in my headphones, throw on my raincoat and make my way around the puddles.Sometimes rainy days are nice, I said it.

Last but not least....yup. I let my good friend Shayly (who has never done this) highlight my hair. I was brave. She was brave. and surprisingly...I think we may have found Shayly's secret talent--it turned out great!

What a great week! :) Happy almost weekend.