First Week in New Jersey

To get to New Jersey, we flew from Sacramento to Phoenix and then from Phoenix to Newark, NJ. Our flight from Phoenix to Newark was delayed and kept getting delayed. When we finally got on the plane, Avonlee and I were able to sit together but mom had to sit in the next aisle and a couple rows back. Avonlee and I sat next to Elie, a young girl who we became friends with and who we now Snapchat daily. A little boy named Michael sat in front of us and I spent a lot of time talking about Angry Birds and looking out our adjoined window at the landscape below. The flight felt really long but was fun considering we had Elie to color pictures with and Michael to talk to.

When we started descending, there was a thick blanket of clouds below us. As we got closer and closer to breaking through the barrier of clouds, my heart started racing. We went down and down until we were in the clouds, and then we broke through and all I could see was green. Everything was green for as far as I could see.

It was so beautiful I started tearing up. I knew that I was going to be very happy here. The plane shifted a bit as it flew on and then we could see a large, tall city. I pointed it out to Michael and then turned to Avonlee to ask her if it was New York. I was in disbelief that it was right there in front of my eyes.

NYC

As we headed toward baggage claim, there was a tall man dancing with a sign that read "Janik" with our names under it. This was Drew Homack, the father of the family I will be staying with. We would be meeting Barb (his wife) and Lauren (his daughter) at home. We went to baggage claim, made sure that we had all 9 (yes 9!) of our bags and headed out. We had a lovely dinner with the Homacks and talked for most of the night.

The next day was Avonlee's 17th birthday! So, we went to the train station, took the hour ride into the city and spent the next two days there. I had never been to New York before so it was so thrilling. We found our hotel, which was in Times Square and got everything checked in.

The view from out hotel room

The first day was spent shopping in Times Square and walking around the city. That night we went to Avonlee's birthday present which was Broadway tickets to Phantom of the Opera. We had eaten New York pizza for dinner and then after the show we got cheese cake! Yum.

Times Square

With Avonlee at Phantom of the Opera

Our second day in New York we took a bus tour around the entire city. We went from Times Square to Central Park, down to Soho and then back up to Times Square. We stayed on the bus and took it back to Central park and got off there. While in Central Park we ate hot dogs, watched all of the interesting people, and got horribly lost on a walk that never ended. Then I got dragged into a street performance near the entrance of the park. When they went after Avonlee she ran away and they grabbed me instead. We got food at Ellen's Stardust Diner which is a themed restaurant with singing waitresses and waiters.

On the bus tour

Central Park

Once we got back to New Jersey, our first main task for the week was getting me a car. Little did we know that it would take 4 days to get my car! The first day we found a car that seemed like the perfect one, but when we said we wanted to buy it we found out it had just been bought. The search continued and after test driving SO many Honda Accords from different dealerships, I found the perfect one.

My car!

Besides finding the car, I also spent the week unloading all of the suitcases, organizing my room and bathroom. I went to the Habitat office that I will be working at and met all of the lovely people that I have been talking to for months planning and I saw my desk which was really exciting!

We also drove around one of the towns that was impacted most by the storm. Seeing the homes of people who were impacted by the storm and how they were still in bad shape after all of this time really impacted us.

House in Union Beach

I just got home from dropping mom and Avonlee off at the airport and surprisingly we didn't have to use the entire Kleenex box that I brought in anticipation of a tearful goodbye. I know that I will miss them more than anything and that it will be hard to be away from them, but that we will be ok. Right now I feel blessed to have this opportunity and to be staying with such a supportive and loving family.