Today I...

...had the busiest and possibly most wonderful day of 2009!

*Had brunch at Balthazar for the first time! A place I have wanted to eat at for a long time. I've waited nearly five years to munch on their Parisian pastries and notorious eggs and potatoes. I wanted to share the experience with someone special. My ex-roommate Sara (in town from L.A.) is that and more! Very worth the wait.
*Went swimming. Yes I'm aware it was thirty five degrees outside. I participated in a volunteer project that I most definitely intend on doing regularly through KEEN New York.
KEEN is a national, nonprofit volunteer-led organization that provides one-to-one recreational opportunities for children and young adults with mental and physical disabilities at no cost to their families and caregivers. Neither income nor the severity of a child's disability is a barrier to joining a KEEN program.
I was paired with six year old Jonathan, who has Autism. He has no fear, no concept of danger, and cannot speak coherently enough to express needs, wants or pain, though he can say a few words and really likes to babble excitedly. He has the biggest grin, and an equally large love for the water. He can kick and paddle but hasn't quite figured out how to do them at the same time. We played chase the dolphin (a floating toy that squirts water) for forty five minutes in between blowing bubbles, jumping from wall to wall across the pool, and counting to ten (he is the best counter!) before I'd throw him up in the air so he could land with a big *splash*. It was one of the most incredible experiences I've had this year.

*Channeled my inner Mrs. Claus and made a trip to Toys R Us in Times Square. Am I insane?! Possibly. Determined? Most definitely. An underprivileged girl in fourth grade wished for the "Hannah Montana Mall Madness" game. Thinking that would be an easy thing to Sub-For-Santa on I signed up to get it for her. Turns out, not so easy. I had put in calls to every store in Manhattan and they were all sold out. I could get it online easily but it wouldn't arrive in time to be wrapped by the "elves" and sent to her home. If I couldn't find the game it was okay to get her something else, but I was not about to let that happen. There was no way I was going to let a child who had probably had a harder year than I had loose her belief in Santa Claus because she wished for Mall Madness and got pajamas instead. Not on my watch! If I had to go to Jersey that girl was getting her board game! At 9:30pm on Friday night a beloved employee of Toys R Us called me to let me know they had just re-stocked the shelves with all kinds of Hannah Montana goodness and the game was there! Of course the only day I could pick it up was today. Saturday. Busiest day in Times Square in general multiplied by about a thousand during the holidays. I braved the crowds, bought the game, didn't fight, slap, or yell at anyone and, after forgetting it in a coat check closet at a restaurant and barely making it on time to the wrapping event, "Hannah Montana Mall Madness" has officially found it's way into that little girl's Christmas dreams.

*Spent a happy holiday evening at The Nutcracker Ballet. Ex-roommate Sara (gosh that "ex" is depressing) came for a weekend visit from L.A.! Last year began the festive Sara(h) tradition of seeing The Nutcracker and we felt it needed to continue. We were joined by Melissa and roommate Katie and the evening was splendid. My favorite part is always be the enormous Christmas Tree rising up out of the stage (*goosebumps!!*), and the candy canes Russian Dance.
*Played the part of Bachelorette for the fourth time in six days. What?!?! If I didn't know better, I'd think I was being punked. This never happens. I basically just made up for a years worth of dates in one week. Oh Santa, you have been paying attention. Miracles do happen, life changes from blink to blink, and The Blind Side is excellent true story proof of that as well. Go see it. Take a boy. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll appreciate.