NEW YORK CITY 2013

This adventure was not in the plans for a few years, but with the exciting circumstances and awesome in-laws we were able to make it back to NYC to spend 4 day where Mitch served and loved his mission for 2 years.  We took a red-eye flight and arrived at JFK airport at 6am and the Velligeas (Members in the inwood ward- aka- awesome family) picked us up from the airport and took us to their apartment. They let us sleep there our entire stay... Squishy living quarters- we slept in bunk-beds :) but it was definitely fun to live like a New Yorker for a weekend. Kirt Davis came along with us, which made it even more fun!

New York life is FAST pace. My first time in the subway (underground transportation) was a larger black homeless man sprawled on the cement... I had to step by him to go through the gates. I was a little taken off guard, and maybe held my breath a little bit because he was kind of stinky. Mitch just watched my reaction to the typical Subway everyday scene and started to laugh and with a smirk he said, " Welcome to New York Becca!"

 so...Day 1- We hadn't slept for 48 hours but we didn't care we were off to sight see! Our first destination was 9/11 memorial. This was a very special place. I was in the 4th grade when the 9/11 attack happened. So to be in the very place where such a devastating event occurred in our nation's history was very humbling. There was two large water falls in the place of the 2 towers foundations. The  names of the individuals lost in the tragedy were written on the side of monument. The mood was quiet  and sober. There was only one tree that survived the attack and is still standing today.
After 9/11 we headed down the famous Wall Street and Financial District area. We  were able to see where George Washington our first President was inaugurated- then I got to tell Mitch I shared the same birthday as that great man. I've always been pretty happy about that interesting fact. We got to take a picture with the famous Bull... pictures to follow. All during this great tour we also got drenched by the pouring rain. Just warm enough to not be miserable. So we got wet. But we liked it and still continued our tour. We headed to the Statue of Liberty. This was such an awesome tour around this huge Statue- which was actually a gift from France. I learned a bunch of cool facts as we toured the " big lady" - in Mitch's words. We took a ferry to Ellis Island to where the Statue is mounted. It was fun to see the city from the Hudson River. Lady Liberty was pretty awesome. After Lady Liberty we went to eat some food at a famous hamburger joint Shake Shack- it was pretty delicious! Then we kept on bookin' it we then went to CHINATOWN- This place was literally China. Asian people were everywhere- it was like we had taken a flight to china. We  did some shopping/bargaining with the Asian population. It was a hoot trying to get them to lower their price from $48 dollars to $20bucks. We had fun! Then after chinatown we headed to Times Square- yes if you are curious my feet were hurting about this point. We entered the most WORLDLY place I have yet been. As we walked around times square there was so many many people and so many many stores. It was a crowed happenin' place to be and things to see. It was fun to see all the people and see all the big billboards, like big movie screens. Everything was giant. It was quite a day. I think we got to bed around 3am. exhausted.

Day 2 Woke up at 10am... we hadn't slept for 48 hours so it was well justified. We woke up feeling much better and ready to get-up and go have some more fun. Friday was filled with Central Park. Mitch and I rented bikes for a total of 4 hours.. got lost.. fought about which direction to go.. found our way.. and had a blast all in the mean time. Mitch even managed to sit on some gross red gum some child had left behind.. behind.. Mitch got the gum on his behind. Central Park was so much fun. Everything in Central Park is on a grand scale. nothing is little.. Big play grounds, big Fountain of Love. It's the coolest park in the world. There is so much to do and see. We witnessed a few lesbian and gay couples gettting married. Such a weird, sad and confused sight to see. We explored all around. We were also entertained by a black rap/acrobats/wewantyoumoney group. They were very entertaining and got a $1 from us. By the time we hoped off the bikes and our legs felt like jelly we headed to Times Square once again. We headed to the TOP OF THE ROCK. The Rockefeller building is very tall- so tall we could see all of Central Park and the entire city. WE could even see the Empire State Building. It was a very breath-taking view. It was so neat to see so many sky-scrapers with this giant park in the middle of all of them. Everything smaller then a building looked like tiny dots and ants from our view point..We grabbed some dinner close to where we had been exploring. While eating some delicious food, we noticed Kirt- My cousin, Mitch's former Mission companion had some how managed to sit on some gum as well. Mitch and Kirt both had gum bums... No wonder they got along so well... :)
We met up with Trish and Health (Mitch's Oldest Sister and Brother in-law, Who were also in New York celebrating their 10 year anniversary)
How fun right?! Well we all went to NEWSIES a spectacular Broadway play. Mitch's family grew up watching that show and I had seen it 4 or 5 times. It is definitely a classic. We loved that play! I kept waiting for just a little mistake and there never was one. Broadway Performers are so talented and so dedicated to what they do. It was incredible and so fun to enjoy the songs we loved and the dance scenes they performed so well. It was great. We then continued to explore Time's Square laughing and giggling  because people watching is sooo entertaining in New York City.
... For example a few things we witnessed... Excuse me for the vulgar scenes..
1. A couple kissing for 10 minutes consecutively right next to a homeless man snoring in the subway- hilarious.
2. A woman breast feeding her 3 year-old child with a sign that read- "help feed us"
3. A homeless and obvious roughed up woman going #2 on the steps on the Public Library in Times Square..
Extreme examples... but I found that everything in New York City is extreme that is what makes it so unique such a popular and crowded famous place.
Back to Friday night.. We headed to the Cake Boss shop- The famous TV show with Buddy who makes extravagant cakes or deserts for any possible occasion you can have a cake. We all indulged and ate 1,000 calories, but it was sure delicious. I felt like I had walked 10,000 miles that day anyways so I was justified.
Time for bed.. 2am..

Day 3 We spent this day in a place called Washington Heights. Mitch and Kirt served here and absolutely love this place. It is mainly populated with Dominican Republicans and they live the New York life style. We ate some yummy New York Pizza at a place called Pizza Heroes. It was delicious and the slices are the size of a medium size pizza you would order from the Rexburg Domino's. We did some shopping with street vendors and just enjoyed walking around and sight seeing. Mitch had plenty of memories flood into his mind and he told me stories of walking down the streets of Washington Heights.
4:30pm came and it was the time we had truly been waiting for and main reason we came to New York, to go to the temple and participate in a session with 5 recent converts... all of which Mitch knew very well while serving as a Missionary.
It was a special day. Milagros and Jose were a very special couple that Mitch and Kirt grew to know and love. So to see these two people who had completely had a change of heart, except the gospel and now enter into the Lord's house was a major missionary pay-day! It was so neat to  meet so many people in the temple that Mitch had served. I found it very humbling that the majority of them were telling me how great of a missionary Mitch was. I loved hearing stories and seeing them so excited to see Mitch and Kirt. They loved the people of New York and the People of New York loved them.
That particular temple session was very special also because Mitch and I were able to take through family names. Marianne had found through family research on the Patrick side- which is very rare and has taken a lot of time. My heart was just so full and filled with loved. The spirit was so strong and everyone in attendance could  feel the sweetness of being at the temple that evening. This made the trip completely worth no sleeping. I hope I can always remember the way I felt in the Temple that day. I was so overcome with love for Mitch and for all those surrounding us. I can only image what it will be like when we someday can be all together in a beautiful place after this mortal life.
After the temple we went and spent time at the home of Milagros and Jose. We had Pizza and spent a fun evening with each others company. Milagros showed me her 1.5 bedroom apt. which houses 5 people. It is a small place, but largely filled with love. We had fun spending time with Milargros, Jose, Stephanie and Jason. Mitch and Kirt spent some quality time playing the Xbox with Jason since they finally could play. No more missionary rules.
We went to bed late, but very happy.

Day 4- Sunday, We went to church at 10:30 at the Inwood Ward. Everybody was so thrilled and happy to see the return of these two great missionaries and I might add it was super fun being the wife of Mitch. Everyone was so excited and happy we were married. There were plenty of "Next time we see you, you'll have 3 kids Elder Merrill" type of jokes. But we loved it.
The church is true all over the world. As I was sitting in Relief Society and missing my ladies in our 32nd married student ward at BYU-Idaho I still felt the spirit and  I could see the power that relief society offers to sisters whether in NYC or Rexburg.
After the meetings- there was a Linger- Longer. Everyone brought some yummy food and we spent some time getting to know the members. Mitch introduced me to everyone in the Inwood ward and the Spanish ward.. haha a lot of people, but awesome people. Milagros made some delicious ribs- her cooking is very good.
We said our Good Byes- and we were off. Back to Idaho around 7:30pm our flight took off.

We had a fabulous trip.
Someday we will go again.
NYC 2013