struggling for normal.

today started out super nice.  PI and i slept in once more, still trying to recover from late nights, stiff drinks and helicopters over our neighborhood.  after a cup of coffee at home, we decided to go for a run.  we don't live far from the masschusetts ave bridge over the charles river the leads into cambridge, which is a very popular running spot around here.  and why not take advantage? 

so we set off, to great sights in our neighborhood such as these signs:

 

it warmed my heart.  but it also really struck a cord with me to jog past boylston street, the sight of the blasts.  it all felt so much more real, as if that hadn't really happened yet, to see one of the streets we walk down on a weekly basis barricaded off by the national guard.

but all the same, jogging felt great.  as we ran, PI was telling me about how he wanted to get out and enjoy our city more, and i agreed.  jogging through the back bay felt like an act of defiance today, as if we were telling the cowards who bombed our neighborhood that they couldn't stop us.  i know it's silly, but it felt really good.  and just as i felt a new connection with my city, as i felt a bit renewed, this happened.

and i remembered that no matter how cool i think i am, i'm still the most clumsy person i've ever met.  i'm still sad, ungraceful alaina. 

i know that some of you may not want to read about the marathon bombings.  but i want you all to know that we are not ready to move on.  some may read about other worldwide events and feel like it's time to get over what's happened here, so in that case you may want to skip over my blog for a bit.  because i feel like we are just now adjusting to the new city we are living in, the one with news crews on our corner by the market, and with helicopters hovering overhead at all hours of the night, and with armed guards outside our T stations.  this is just the beginning for us, and i for one am not ready to move on.

we tried to get back to normal again today, and to go enjoy our city.  it was a gorgeous spring day, and we thought it would be nice to take a walk.  i had to go buy a birthday gift for a very special someone, and as we started walking, without even talking about it we ended up right at the scene of the crime.  and the thing is, it's not that we decided to go check it out.  it's that the bombing was literally that close to us, in our 'backyard' so to speak.  the area that we go when we go out, that we automatically walk to when we want some sunshine and a cocktail on the patio.  i've been walking down boylston and newbury streets for the past fifteen years, when my dad first moved here when i was in eighth grade.  we picked our loft in the south end partially because it was so close to back bay, and it really struck home today when we walked around our usual stomping grounds and saw this.

camera crews on multiple corners.  roads blocked off leading to boylston for bomb investigations.  but it was worth it to us to head out to cafeteria, one of many local restaurants donating all of their proceeds today to marathon bombing victims and their families. 

after some early drinks my brother came over - which was the first time i've actually seen him since the bombings.  i can't tell you how much having that sweaty man on my couch laughing at viral videos with PI meant to me... it brought tears to my eyes, just hanging out with him. 

so we are still struggling to get back to normal here, and we will for a while.  i'll keep you guys posted with all the happenings here, and in the meantime, keep the victims in your prayers please.  i know it's been a few days, but trust me - they still need them.

til next time...