New York & Pennsylvania vacation

Chris and I returned a few weeks ago from a vacation back out to the eastern U.S. He had a business trip for his working (Imagine Learning) and it just so happened to be held in Pennsylvania. Each time he has returned too that part of the nation, he has ended up somewhere in PA. I think that is a neat thing. It was nice because his expenses were paid by the company (for the most part) and so we only had to worry about the costs associated with me. So, of course, we made a bigger vacation out of it!

Our flight got in to Rochester early in the morning; we got to bed around 2 AM. The first activity was to go to Niagara Falls. It was a majestic scene to behold: the power of the rushing waters, the ever-present rainbow, and the beauty of the area. New York state reminds Chris a lot of Pennsylvania. I'm just so astounded and pleased with all the greenery! That is a draw to go live in that part of the county.

After that we went to Palmyra and the Sacred Grove. The temple was beautiful and it was super fun to see some of the first historic sites of the Restoration. To see the area where a young Joseph was raised and had the experience of seeing the Father and the Son was inspiring and cool. The off-road wheelchair I sat in didn't hurt either! For a few days we stayed with the Wojcicki family - and how the kids have grown! I did get a few spider bites though, which stayed as a nasty skin wound until a few days ago. We love this family and are grateful they were willing to lodge us and keep us company!

We were able to visit Philadelphia and New York City on separate days. Both cities were busy, though NYC was far worse and overwhelming for the senses. We had planned on going to see a Broadway show, but the masses of people and the subway transportation and all the walking was more than we bargained for. Philly, though, was a great place to see. In all the major cities we visited, we saw the temples there. Palmyra, Philadelphia and Manhattan. What a joyful experience it was to see the houses of the Lord in their different locations, and how beautiful they were no matter what. It also helped to visit these cities in a yellow 2015 Kia Soul. Both Chris and I did not like these vehicles prior to our rental - but now we love it!

I did have a difficult time at the resort we stayed out. It was by Lake Harmony in PA (called Split Rock), but the beauty was overshadowed by its inaccessibility. There were too many flights of stairs, hardly any access was available to impaired persons. So without Chris there to steady me, I really was not able to enjoy the lake or much of the resort. He was mindful of it for the most part and tried to make it an enjoyable experience for me.

All in all, we had a great time, had success shopping at the outlet mall in Tannersville, saw some good family friends, enjoyed the beauty of the area (so green!!!!), and visited places we had yet to see before.