I'm Back - with a story to tell...

Hi everyone! I hope you've been enjoying your summer! I am ready to get back in the swing of stamping and blogging, and my first card is one I made for an incredibly kind woman named Helen who lives in New York City.

I created a fun little NYC scene using my Hero Arts Cityscape. I had to add the little Studio Calico wood veneer bicycle just because it makes me happy. :-) I was inspired by Kelly Purkey to add the little flag to the top of the building. And the message from Wonderful World is just perfect for Helen - I'll tell you why in a moment. But first, see all the fun dimension on this card:

Now on to my story about Helen. The family and I spent most of July traveling - from Georgia up through Washington DC and on to upstate New York and Michigan. While in New York we took a train trip down to NYC. It was a fabulously fun day, I loved every minute of it!! Until the next morning when I realized my wallet was missing. And the fact that I was supposed to fly out the next morning to Chicago for CHA. Sadly I never made it to CHA - I wasn't comfortable heading there on my own with no ID, no credit card, no ATM card. It was so depressing!!! And of course losing a wallet is never fun. It just makes you feel yucky, wondering what somebody's out there doing with your identity...

Fast forward to when we finally returned to Georgia. My husband went back into the office and found a voicemail on his work phone. It was a woman named Helen, whose boyfriend had found my wallet in a taxi!! She had gone out of her way trying to track me down. She called my credit card company to report my card lost (which I also did, of course!). She finally tracked me down by calling the company listed for my husband on my insurance card!! I gave her a call back and she was so kind, offering to return my wallet, and refusing my offer to keep the cash inside the wallet as a thank you for her troubles. The wallet arrived in my mailbox this week, and inside I found this note from Helen:

It reads: Dear Mrs. Hickson, I hope you have better fortune the next time you are in NYC! I returned all to you - my boyfriend was very happy & the smile & relief in your voice made our day! As human beings we need to help & respect each other! :) Helen

Wow. Just, wow. I truly cannot believe how fortunate I am, that of all the people in NYC, this is who found my wallet! I am one lucky girl.

Now you know me, I can't just end the post there. I have to inflict some of my vacation photos on you!! LOL! We had SUCH a great time visiting with our friends, Niall and Lesley. That was definitely another upside of the whole wallet fiasco - getting to spend more time with these great friends!

We took the train into the city from up near Poughkeepsie, NY where our friends live. The ride down along the Hudson River was really gorgeous - I honestly had no idea New York was that pretty just outside of the city!

The conductor was great, making smiley faces for the kids on the tickets!

The view from the Staten Island Ferry - I *heart* NY!

Lady Liberty. So beautiful.

The madness that is Times Square!

There were people dressed as characters wondering around Times Square, trying to get you to buy photographs with them. The kids were so excited to "meet" Mickey & Minnie Mouse, SpongeBob, Woody, Shrek, Spiderman, Iron Man, Alvin from the Chipmunks... and as Courtney likes to tell everyone, "THREE DIFFERENT HELLO KITTIES!!!" They posed for a photo with Mario...

To keep it fun for the kids we hit both the ginormous Toys R Us in Times Square, and this one... (check it out closely, those are all figures!)

And the yummiest part, sitting at Rockefeller Center, enjoying cupcakes from the legendary Magnolia Bakery. Mmmm.

Such a great city, filled with wonderful people! So tell me, has my story about Helen restored your faith in humanity? You're welcome. ;-)

Thanks for stopping by,

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