The Last of the East Coast

Well, four years have come and gone. Mom, Dad, and Annette came out for graduation. We spent our last days in Maryland sharing with them some of our favorite restaurant spots. After graduation I spent much of my time preparing for the move, while Connie was still hard at work. We were quite successful in selling most of our stuff on craigslist, and only took what would fit in our two cars. Without a microwave though you can see how dangerous warming food in the oven can be. I got so caught up in the packing that I completely forgot about my lunch until it was too late. Once the cars were packed and Connie finished her "last" day at work, we headed North for Palmyra, NY. (I say "last" since she is continuing to work from home much to her dismay).

We hit Palmyra that night around midnight, and by early morning the next day were atop the historic Hill Cumorah. We hiked to the top and read Joseph Smith's account of the events there. We then took a quick stop at the Palmyra temple before visiting the Sacred Grove. There again we found a quiet place to read and reflect upon the wonderful spirit there. On the way out we stopped by the Grandin Building where the BofM was published.

About four hours later we found ourselves within feet of the roaring Niagara Falls. We took a ride on the Maid of the Mist and had front row seats as we ventured into the middle of horseshoe falls. It was pretty exciting to feel the crash of the waves below, and the mist from the falls above while our boat sat idle surrounded by one of the world's seven wonders.

As quickly as we arrived, we were then back on the road toward Kirtland, OH. The next morning we awoke and gathered with the saints at Kirtland for sacrament meeting. We then took tours of the Newel K. Whitney Store and surrounding town sites, ending with the Kirtland temple. We found it quite unfortunate to have the tour headed by the Church of Christ, as it lacked the reverence and spirit that should be present in a temple visited personally by Christ. Nonetheless, it was marvelous to think about the events that transpired within those spiritual walls.

Though the trip was quick, it was jam packed with awesome sites. We arrived home in Michigan the night of our Kirtland adventure, allowing us to have a restful Memorial day following.