Back from Beantown!

If this post does not get written today, it will never happen.  So here it goes; it might win a "longest post ever" award.  And I apologize for typos; I'm not editing this any more!

Last Monday we flew to Boston.

For the record: I love JetBlue and their tvs, free first bag, and free drink & snack.

We spent two nights with the Carters.  This is their daughter Addy below with Elizabeth.  Much fun was had; even the American Girl dolls enjoyed each other's company.  (Sadly, I did not get a single photo of their other two children, Jesse and Mary Ella, playing with Brian.  Nor did I get a photo with Lydia.  Fail.)

Day 1 was spent hanging out with the Carters.  Taking it easy was a perfect start to our visit.

Day 2 we headed into Cambridge, played at the Museum of Science, visited the Cambridgeside Galleria because they have the funnest Christmas decorations, stopped by the library to see our previous librarians, strolled through MIT and stopped in to say hello to Colin's thesis advisor, had a snack at the Student Center Dunkin' Donuts, took pictures along the river, walked to Central Square, to the subway to Harvard Square, and got some new Christmas books at the Harvard COOP before returning to the Carters.  I was very satisfied with our "Cambridge Day."

The infinite corridor at MIT was thoroughly decorated with little green and grey army men
arranged in various shapes, designs, and equations.
Thanks MIT students, you seriously made our day!

Day 3 it was a little rainy, so we went to the Children's Museum and saved our "Boston Day" for Friday.  This worked out perfectly.  Really, the weather cooperated so well with our plans; God heard and answered our prayers.  He's so good.  Getting around town on the T was so much fun in itself.  Boston has the best public transportation, and area where Pittsburgh is greatly lacking.

After the museum, we headed to Westgate, where we lived for 5 years and still have a small handful of friends who are quickly approaching the end of their tenure at MIT.  Gyda hosted a little open house in the afternoon and had invited us for dinner as well.  Brian remembers nothing of his time in Boston, but not Elizabeth.  She jumped right back into playing with Bjarney (the blonde) and Martina (the dark-haired).  In fact, the first hour they were together was SO LOUD as their excitement at seeing each other burst out in joyous screams and noisy chatter.  Gyda, Maca, and I sat in the living room and talked calmly, as good adults should; though we were no less thankful to be together!

Brian's self-portrait

Day 4 began in the home of the Standridges, our second hosts of the trip.  Brian woke early most days and started with some Netflix while I got my act together.  Elizabeth got to see Lucy for just a short bit that morning, before the Standridge clan headed off to school & work and we began our "Boston Day."  On our way into town, we met with our friend Solange and her daughter in Porter Square (no pictures, boo!) before getting into town.  Did I mention how much I love the T?!  In town we started in the Public Garden with the "Make Way for Ducklings" ducks and walked the freedom trail from the State House to Mike's Pastry on the North End.  I marveled at how much parts of Boston had changed since we had first moved there and tried hard to "soak up" the city as much as I could.  I wanted to take it home in my inmost being!  We wrapped up the day at Westgate again; Elizabeth had a sleepover scheduled with Bjarney and Martina.  On the playground we found some old favorites; things don't change that much around there.  At this point I must also mention that Brian and I returned to the Standridges.  In addition to their Lucy, they have three older boys.  Brian called them "the big brothers" and LOVED them.  I think he might have moved in there and never missed our family.  Bummer I didn't get a picture of them together!

If you know how small my hands are, you'll appreciate how small  Brian's  little french fry box was.

what I wanted to get (in addition!)

what we got at Mike's

pre-dinner entertainment at the Standridges

Days 5 & 6, the weekend, were spent with the Mamedovs.  As you'll note, I took very few pictures.  The weekend was pretty calm, a good way to wrap up after several days of go-go-go.  The Mamedovs let me their car and we got to shoot up to Melrose to meet my new first-cousin-once-removed, Katelyn.  She's a beauty and one month old.  My cousin, Brian, married this lovely lady from the Boston area, Lori; it was such a treat to see them!  (And I got to hold that sweet, sleeping child the entire time we were there; lucky me!)  We returned to the Mamedovs to play with some other old friends from Westgate, the Bakers.  The girls all played together a lot when we were all living together there.  In the evening, Rick and T Downs, the pastor and his wife, joined us for a delicious dinner that Nara prepared for us. (no pictures!)  Sunday morning we went to church, saw many familiar faces, heard a fantastic sermon on Romans 14:17 reminding us of the Gospel and what we have in Christ, and then we had lunch at an old favorite post-church locale: the Central Sq Wendy's.  We met up with Colin's friend from high school, Adrian, and his lovely lady-friend, Margaret.

left to right around the circle: E, Farah, Leila, BRIAN!, Leilani, Alana

Our trip ended with a 5:30am cab to the airport on Monday morning.  Needless to say, Monday was a wash; we were all so tired all day!  But it was worth it.  I'm glad to be home with my husband and in Picksburgh again, with my Boston cup overflowing from having seen so many dear friends and places with so many memories.

If you read this whole post, eat an extra Christmas cookie; you deserve it!