The Lion and The Lamb

Last Friday, I decided to work from home, as it was going to be a slow and quiet day in the office, but forgot that I had a marketing meeting planned for the afternoon. So, I quickly improvised and invited the girl from marketing to meet me for coffee on the upper east side instead of in the office. Fortunately, we have a great relationship and she happens to live just a few blocks away. Perfect!

We meet and go to DTUT - a really fun coffee shop on the UES. We get our coffee and I think we are about to dive into planning our conference and going through our to-do lists, when she asks me how long she thinks we'll be here and how long I'll keep working. I give my usual answer, "I know God has us here for a reason, so we really take it a year at a time. If it were up to me, I'm not sure this would be somewhere I would raise a family, but it's not. We'll see what God has in store for us." At this time, I didn't know where she was spiritually, but I did know she was randomly invited to our church by another common friend for Easter, so I assume that she is another fellow "Southerner"in NY shopping for a good church. She then tells me that she just renewed her 1 year lease but still doesn't know why she is here. She feels like God is telling her to stay but she really is struggling with friends and isn't here for work and is truly searching for why she feels led to be in the City.

I give some encouragement of how lonely it can be in the City and that I feel blessed through the connections and vision we have through our church, and that's when the real point of our "meeting" was revealed. She said that she had been to our church a few times with a friend, but that she really didn't understand who this "Jesus" person is and why our Pastor always referred to Him and our sins. I took a few sips of my iced decaf sugar-free vanilla skim latte and prayed for the Holy Spirit to start speaking, because Shawna was SO not prepared for the direction this conversation was headed.

3 hours later, I realized how I was able to share with her who Jesus is and why He is so important in this story of our lives. That we are really only able to have a relationship with God through Him alone, otherwise we would just be checking legalistic boxes and feeling like we were good people - capable of making it on our own. We even got into Sin and where good and evil came from, and even why we have to talk about it so much in church. I mean - every theological discussion I've ever had came rushing through my brain and out of my mouth.

I brought up a popular "pastor/ motivational speaker" and said there are pastors and churches who tend to focus more on the power of positive thinking and the scriptures that only relate to "God is Love"; we need to help others and take care of ourselves to be better people. However, we lose the full picture when we don't talk of God's justness, His power, His wrath, and His overwhelming desire for us to be Holy. He is the Lion and the Lamb...and if we only focus on one of those figures - we miss the big picture, don't we?

I never thought my marketing meeting would turn into such a powerful conversation. We ended up sharing dinner that night together with David and Dan and had a great time! Walking home afterwards, I realized that God had truly ordained that conversation because it was in telling her who Jesus is and why God has her here in the City, that I was affirmed again why I am here. Funny how that happens isn't it? I'm not here for David, I'm not here for our church or a job or a cool City and fun memories. It's about conversations like this and people like her who are seeking and searching and just need someone to share with them about this "Jesus" person.

Let's not forget why we're here and let's not forget to share the "full" person of God in Jesus. Most people can accept God - it's the "Jesus" part that takes the extra step in faith - but how powerful that can be when you help someone "see" Him as he truly is...the Lion and the Lamb.

Memorial Day in the City

I think David and I were one of the few who did NOT leave the City for Memorial Day weekend. He is busy studying for the CFA exam (next Sat) and so I tried to be a good wife and not distract him as much as possible. It's pretty much a good time to stay in the City b/c everyone leaves, but it really feels like a ghost town compared to the day to day hustle-and-bustle you would normally expect. So, I decided to do a Top 10 list from my weekend.

You know it's Memorial Day weekend in the City when:

10. Your favorite stores are closed, which means even the retailers got to get out of the City!
9. You can walk right in and get a mani/pedi without having to wait.
8. You can cross the street even when the red hand is up b/c there are no cars and even more amazingly....NO taxis!
7. Central Park is full of families, picnics, softball games and dogs.
6. The taxis that are here are trying to flag YOU down! (not kidding - it happened to me today)
5. The smell of dog urine and every other unimagineable smell starts to hit you as you walk to and fro - NOT a lovely thing (especially when your 8 months pregnant)
4. The Monday morning news shows only EMPTY lincoln and holland tunnel lanes - why even do a "traffic" report?
3. The delivery man arrives to your door in 5 seconds rather than the usual 5 minutes b/c there is NO ONE on the street and probably no one else ordering.
2. The extent of an outdoor BBQ consists of delivery (see above), store bought beer, and a trip to the park. Grills - what grills?
1. The speedo is sported at Central Park (and there's no water in sight). I saw several today - NICE!

I hope you all had a good long weekend! :)

Babymoon in Puerto Rico!

Last week David and I got back from our Babymoon to Puerto Rico and had an absolutely amazing time! We could not have asked for more while seeking after sun, fun, time together, good food, and relaxation. We flew out of NY on Friday morning - early early - arriving in PR around 12pm, due to a small delay. We went straight to the Ritz-Carlton hotel (see above), which luckily was only a few minutes away from the airport. Once we arrived at the hotel, we felt like we walked into a true beach resort. After dropping off our bags, we went to grab a bite to eat and then we hit the beach.

Something you may not know about me is that I really want to be a beach person, but I'm just not. I can appreciate the salt water and pretty beaches from afar. I think it always sounds fun to go the beach, and I still have to get my "fill" every year, but the truth is I would much rather be on a mountain somewhere - fully clothed - overlooking breathtaking scenery. So...now you know how huge it is when I say that this was my favorite beach experience to date. Now I can understand why people like beaches....if they could all be like this one. :)

The sand was completely white, soft, and smooth - not rocky, or sand-shell-y at all. All we had to do was walk up to the towel cabana and David would say, "we need 2 chairs and an umbrella" and the guy would take his shovel and go fix a true abode on the beach wherever we requested. David doesn't like to be in the direct sun - while you can't get me away from it - so he usually stayed on the shady side in the umbrella and I was in the sun until I got too hot. The ocean was turquoise and calm...a few waves (much to David's dismay), but nothing too crazy that made me feel uncomfortable with the belly. It was like a swimming pool - just miles and miles of it. The water was clear so you could see if anything was going to get you. It was perfect for Shawna!

My other favorite part was that people would come and wait on you while you were on the beach and bring by free sorbet and cold towels scented with lavender. I mean - does it get any better than that? On this earth - I think not.

The next day I started out my morning getting a massage that was heaven while David spent a few hours studying and then went to the casino in the hotel. (oh yes - fun times for all!) We literally spent all day at the beach. When David got tired, he went to the casino while Shawna stayed out by the pool (after the beach) to float her belly. Everybody was so happy! The best part is that we actually made some money on our vacation - way to go, David! :) Sat night, we went to this fabulous restaurant on another beach - where we literally were barefoot with our feet in the sand eating fancy amazing food. It was AWESOME!

To make that night even better, we decided that we wanted to head back to our hotel and eat at BLT for dessert - a progressive dinner, if you will. So, we sat in the lounge area and ordered coffee and 2 of the most divine desserts - ever! We savored every bite. Our waiter was the nicest man who had 5 children and he paid for our entire bill. How nice is that?! I think it was my belly. :)

Sunday, we got out of the hotel early and went to Old San Juan, which is built on a hillside on the opposite end of the island from where we were. It was great to see what was out there. It had these amazing historic castles and views along the beaches, followed by the narrowest little cobblestone streets lined with colorful and quaint houses and stores. We had a great time but grew tired and very hot after a while. So, we decided that the beach was where we really should be for the rest of the day.

That evening for dinner, we went to Il Mulino, which is one of our most favorite Italian food restaurants ever! We have been to the original one in New York and I have been to the one in Vegas, so this was fun to visit the PR location which happened to all be at the Ritz. It did not disappoint. I can't say enough about this food but that you have to try an Il Mulino experience at least once in your life. I don't joke about food. Afterwards, because everything was located in our hotel, we took a walk through the casino and I even got to play a little bit. We had fun people watching and playing and then we called it a night.

Monday, we flew out, but we were still able to make it to the pool one last time. I have to say, I didn't want to come home to my to-do lists, but they were that much more manageable after having some time away to reflect on our marriage and our lives and all that God has blessed us with thus far. Wow - it's really only the beginning, isn't it? There are just so many things in store for us and we are excited to welcome Baby Kate and tell her of our great Babymoon when she was just in my big belly. :)

April snow showers bring May flowers

Can you believe it's May already and can you believe I haven't had one new post for the entire month of April!? I can. It's been nuts here. Here's my April recap and I will work much harder at providing more updated info - real time during the month of May.

April started off with Jonathan's (David's older bro) surprise 30th birthday party, where David's dad and Grandmother flew in from Dallas and stayed with us. Here's a pic of the Sullivan boys at the party! They were here for Easter, which was extra special this year to be together in NYC of all places! It actually snowed on Easter this year (not cool) and no tulips were to be seen on Park Ave. Sad!

The next weekend, I went with a group from Junior League on a walking tour of Harlem. You would think it might be scary, but on the contrary - it was very fun! It was a fascinating tour, full of history and fun facts and of course, great food! Here are some pictures of our tour and some of the girls outside a great famous restaurant called Amy Ruth's . They are known for serving Fried Chicken and Waffles together! Not kidding. That was the best chicken and mac & cheese that I've had in a while and it was in Harlem of all places. You Southern girls would be oh-so-proud!

The very next week I went to Austin for a recruiting dinner and got to spend some bonus time with my mom and my dear friends, Allie and Matty-D. Here's a picture of Allie and I at a GREAT breakfast taco place called "Juan in a Million". Love the name but loved those tacos even more! Afterwards, my mom and I drove from Austin to Dallas, stopping over in Waco for some girl time with Steph. We shopped, ate at a darling place for lunch, and then headed back to Dallas to meet up with the boys. Saturday was my TX baby shower, given by some good friends and their moms. What a blessing to see everyone and get to catch up!

My sweet friend, Kimber-Leigh, came early to stay with me. She was a HUGE help during the shower and helping me sort through the gifts afterwards. She is preg-o again with her 3rd!! Yay! We can't wait to find out if the baby will be Kate's girl friend or boy friend.:)

I ended April with a trip to Miami for work. South Beach is a crazy crazy place! I stayed at the Loews Hotel tried to relax as much as possible in between client meetings and the conference sessions. It was beautiful and perfect weather the entire time. One night, we had a client party at what was formerly known as the Versace Mansion - AMAZING! Check out the pics - I felt like I was in a movie. After long walks on the beach, I really felt ready to come back to NY and work on getting ready for baby Kate!

SO...Stay tuned for more updates in May, including: fun community service projects with Junior League, our Babymoon to Puerto Rico this weekend, Shawna and belly in her 7th month (as I am now 31 weeks), and MORE!!

P.S. The bright yellow tulips along Park Ave. are exquisite! It just took May to bring them. :)

March Recap

As many of you know, March has been an exciting month for the Sullivans with moving into the City and having week long visits from friends and family all over the country. It has been action packed and fun-filled and so, well, I thought I'd blog about it and include some fun pictures.

Timeline of March events: (Move-in date: Feb 23rd)

March 2-6th: One of my fav friends, Jes Looney, from Dallas came to visit. She helped me get settled, SORT, and actually throw things away that I couldn't quite part with to date. Jes even stayed in one day to paint picture frames for my wall collage. We went to see "I love you, You're perfect, Now change" on off-broadway together and shopped at Pookie at our fav store! It was excellent! What a friend, Jes, thank you!

March 9-13th: SPRING BREAK time! Stephanie (my sis), her boyfriend David, and my cousin Taylor (known furthermore as "the crew") all came and stayed with us on their break from college life. My uncle was also able to join in the festivities one night, while up in CT. We initiated "the crew" on the upper east side at Brother Jimmy's - an awesome southern BBQ place across the street with some good Texas basketball. While they all enjoyed a beer...I had sweet tea and loved every minute of it! I loved my time with Steph - she helped me with ideas for the nursery and we hit a jackpot at Pookie too! The highlight of this trip was Steph's friend, Caroline, had access into a Baby Market with booths from every Children's designer known to man - and at wholesale prices! We had SO much fun and spent a little money in that place! Thanks, Steph...I SO treasure each time we get to be together. I can't wait for you to be back when the baby is here in July.

March 13-18th: Yes, you see the dates right. Steph and crew left Tues morning and my mom flew in at noon on the same day. Mom and I headed straight for that Baby market and spent even more money - it was a blast! There is nothing quite like having your mom visit and help you process things and get settled. My doctor was kind enough to schedule an appt. so she could see the baby, which was very special. She swears that Kate looked right at her. We talked and talked, registered at a cute NY store, ate great food, drank great wine, and just enjoyed being together. The hardest part was saying goodbye, but we are focusing on the next time we'll be together in April! Thank you, Mom!!

Also the same week, Jonathan and Adriana flew in from Australia with our nephew, Joshua. So, with their 16 bags…David helped them get settled in Brooklyn for the few months that they are in NY. It has been SO fun to have them close by.

March 17-18th: David's dad also flew in for St. Patrick's Day, which is also coincidentally his b-day. There was a blizzard on Friday, so there was snow everywhere and yet the parade still went on as planned. The boys watched basketball, we enjoyed our time with our nephew and all the family.

March 21st - 25th: My dear friend and college roommate, Stephanie and her husband Frank flew in from Alabama. It was so fun to catch up and to watch them experience the City. They are pros now! Steph and I went and saw Anne of Green Gables on off-broadway - so fun!, while the boys watched basketball. The picture of us is at a yummy French bakery near our apt. where we got to sit by the fire. AND...the find of the century was when we left breakfast ... there was this adorable antique dresser out on the curb. So, the boys brought it up to our nursery and we will probably be using it for a changing table for baby Kate! Thanks to the husbands for carrying it and cleaning it and Steph for talking me into it.

Overall, I'm SO thankful for all of our March visitors…we have had such a good month and feel very blessed. Our guest room has gotten a lot of use and is definitely ready for more visitors! Just let us know when you are coming!!

Have a great weekend!

Elephant Walk

Every year there is a tradition in NYC where the Circus comes to town...well, Madison Square Garden to be specific. Evidently the tunnels into the City are not designed to allow the large trucks that carry the elephants and there is too much weight, so they have to take them out and physically walk them through the tunnel.

It has become a huge event in the City and people get together to drink and then watch these animals walk through the streets of Manhattan at midnight. WELL...we went last night. We lined up at 34th street and the parade began. It only took a few minutes, surprisingly, and sure enough the elephants showed up and marched on proudly to the Garden - trunk to tail.

How hysterical is that!? People were cheering so loud, you would have thought it was a celebrity or that they were going to be on TV...nope...it was all for those 8 elephants (i think that's how many). What a memory!

And...I would not be fair to the horse lovers out there if I failed to mention that the stallions and ponies and even the miniature ponies trailed behind the "stars". Police were lining the streets and were prepared for a riot to touch the elephants, I guess. This will for sure go down as one of our unique New York memories!

Legacies and more

Thank you to those who voted on baby names in an earlier blog! David and I have talked a lot about it and thought through everything. It wasn't until one day last week, after reading the below article, that the name was solidified. It is an article by John Piper talking about the death of his father and the legacy he was for the family.

Here is the link:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2007/2013_Hello_My_Father_Just_Died/

(Side note: If you don't know John Piper, I would definitely recommend that you check out his books and his online sermons and just taste of his God-given wisdom. He is a modern day apostle. Someone that generations will speak of for years to come and yet we have the privilege of living in the same day and time with this man.)

If you read the article, then you will know why we are going with Kathryn "Kate" Marie Sullivan. One day David and I will sit down with our daughter, with tears in our eyes, and tell her proudly why she was named after both of our grandmothers. I have to say in reading that article, I couldn't help but think about my Grandma Martin and all that she meant to me and our family. Her kindness and gentleness, and yet her boldness about Jesus and His love, is what I will most gladly pass on to my little girl. I can't wait to tell her all about Grandma.

On a completely different note now (and for those who know me well - you know this is really how I think)… we decided on the bedding last night. I have a picture here for you now. Tell me what you think! I think it will be really cute and I am very excited about it. :)


Have a great week, friends!