country girls go CITY...part 2

i don't know if you want to call it mommy's day out, or certainly mommy's day off might fit the bill, but a bunch of us girls headed to NYC for the day, yesterday. megan was so gracious...apparently she was so excited she got up at 4 am because she couldn't sleep, and made us all egg sandwiches and cinnamon rolls...so at 6:30 am we loaded up the mini, with food and coffee in hand, and headed to "the big apple". (we actually drove to Jersey, and took the path train into the city)...what an experience. the people hopping on and off trains...i sat there taking it all in, noticing children, and i had to step out of my own sheltered little world...where i worry about what kaden sees on the bus at my house, and had to start praying for the littles that live THIS life EVERYDAY while their mommies and daddies are working...i almost cried...but i pulled it together...


we hopped off the trian right at ground zero. i had never been here since 9/11 and what an experience. eyes filling up with tears, as a man obviously noted that i was a tourist, showed me a book of pictures...i love pictures...cameras capture a lot...except in this instance...they didn't touch it. it was so crazy, so surreal to be there, and still see this huge hole in the ground, in the middle of the city...it took the breath right out of me...


this is the church across the street from where the twins used to stand. we were able to walk in and check out the memorials they have set up around the perimeter of their sancuary, while their sunday morning service was happening...this church was closed for a year following the travesty set up with memorials, etc. the fence around this church was covered with memorials and pictures of people who died in this monstrosity...

when i read that the twin towers were 110 stories high, i thought i knew how high that would be. i had no idea how high that was...shivers...way taller than any of the buildings in these pictures...much, much taller...towering over the city...

we then headed over to see the statue of liberty...

we tried to ignore the cold, freezing day...thankful for no snow or rain...but it really was freezing. some of us were a little more discreet than others. :) we then went to chinatown...how neat...but that's a whole nother story...we found a place that had a wee little bit of english on the sign, and prayed we would not choke on what we found on our plates. i must have been so nervous, i forgot to take pictures over lunch. we then booked it across the city...me in my heely, but warm, boots, and 32 wk pregnant rhonda...who was SUCH a trooper...to catch the highlight of my trip...lion king on broadway...catch a glimpse on my previous post...

some pictures of the nightlife after our fabulous dinner at Olive Garden overlooking the busy streets...

kim was pretty tickled with her "purse" purchase...

these pictures are out of order, but i have spent all morning working on this post, and it's time to be done...


there is some very rough videos below...i loved the man FREEZING his hiney off playing some music on the street, just to make a buck...it was a beautiful sound...and the other...well...just some city people...there really is something special about the city...after i ignore the honking horns, squealing sirens, and gross billboards...there is something fun about the hustle and bustle. i can certainly understand the way tourists gawk around here...the quaintness of it all...the way i was gawking up there. :)