September 11

Eight years ago the worst terror attack in US history occurred in NYC (as well as the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania) Most of you know that Todd and I were in NYC for our honeymoon and experienced it first-hand. While not actually on site (or even close) but still in the city, we were a part of history that changed us forever.

Here we are looking so young (who am I kidding - we were young) one of our infamous one-handed pictures! (i scanned all these pictures in - sorry for the quality)
Tuesday night September 11th we had tickets to the Yankee Game. We were so excited to be going to Yankee Stadium - it is like the Holy Grail of baseball. Unfortunately - all professional sports were cancelled and we missed out. We decided we would still go and just look at the outside. In our naivete - we thought we would walk from our hotel (at 61st and York) to Yankee Stadium (161st in the Bronx) WRONG!! We walked about 35 -40 blocks and decided we would try to hail a cab - there were NO CABS AROUND. ( you should know that the city pretty much stopped that day - no people, no cars, restaurants were closed - it was crazy) so - we tried our hand at the subway for the first time that night. (Our entire honeymoon we only took the green number 4 subway which runs up and down Lexington ave. - we now are completely proficient in the subway and use it all. the. time. we love it) we did finally make it there and walked around for a bit - but there were police everywhere because we (the country) weren't sure what else lied ahead in regard to threat level and we were shooed away.

Throughout the week we walked all over the city. Many of the parks became make-shift memorials. It was very moving. There were signs posted everywhere searching for loved ones and it was amazing how many people were comforting complete strangers and everyone was a friend. (sort of the antithesis of what we believed New Yorkers to be) Here is a photo in Union Square Park - one of the memorials (they were on every light pole).

Times Square was unusually empty the entire time we were there. The Toys R Us store was under construction and by the time it close for our time in NY to end - so many people had attached American Flags to the scaffolding and this is what it looked like - it is so cool - it still gives me chills to see.

anyway - I thought I would share a little about what we were doing on this day eight years ago. I know that no one will forget where they were on this day and we definitely will not. We came to fall in love with NY for many reasons - the biggest is that we experienced history and that is just incredible. We have only vacationed in NY since we have been married. We meaning Todd and I - as a family we have been other places - but Todd and I have never vacationed anywhere else alone since we have been married.) We always go there - we just love it! It is almost like our second home!

A

p.s. - HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY!