New York

For our anniversary this year Eric told me we were going on a trip, but the destination was a surprise! Then he left a web page 'accidental' open for a national park just north of Atlanta. He left a Six Flags park map (Six Flags over Georgia) in his car when he knew I would borrow it. He wouldn't let me pack more than a carry on. Then he told me to bring comfortable shoes as well as clothes for a nice evening. When we got to the airport and boarded a plane for Atlanta I tried to show surprise and excitement. Half way through the flight he handed me a card with our second boarding pass for the flight to New York and tickets for The Phantom of the Opera! Needles to say, I didn't have to pretend to be surprised. I was blown away! Then then next day I got a card that had "adventure day 2!" written on it. Inside were tickets for Wicked! Wow!!

The next day we went out exploring and saw so many amazing sights.

Some of Eric's favorite places were...

Some of my favorite places...

Two places got to me emotionally, unexpectedly. One was ground zero. I expected to feel the same way I do every time I see it on TV, or hear about it on the news. But this was so much more. There was a poster pined to a building wall, made by a family who lost their husband and father. It would have been his 50th birthday on April 19th. They were saying happy birthday and we miss you! I was overwhelmed with the pain that was still so very raw in that place.

The second place was the temple. New York is so BIG and so Busy. We were constantly being barraged with sights, smells and noise. Then amongst all the huge buildings Moroni pops out!

Can you see him?

We were walking past the door and the man at the desk inside the door saw us looking began waving for us to come in. He was a large man (reminded me of what I imagine a nephite warrior might look like) wearing dark sunglasses. He was sitting behind a desk that resembled a reception area. He handed us a pass along card and asked us where we were from. After we talked to him for a minute he invited us to go on into the main temple entrance. We knew we would not be permitted in with our street clothes on but he said we could go as far as the recommend desk and catch a glimpse of the amazing stained glass that decorated the entrance. After walking all morning all over the not so clean city, we didn't feel like we should. But there were glass doors that we could peek through. As we peered through the glass I was caught off guard by the strength of spirit that I felt. I've felt the spirit of the temple before. But the contrast between the feeling of the city and the feeling of temple overwhelmed me in that moment.

Thank you sweetheart for an amazing adventure! I can't believe that it has been Eight years! I love you more and more every single day.

Eric told me that if I had to blog about this trip, that I should make sure and tell everyone that he used all his hotel and airline points he racked up working for E&Y to pay for the whole trip. He is very frugal, my little dutch boy.