New York, New York......

it's a wonderful town!

Last week mom and I packed our bags and flew to Boston, then drove with the kids to New Jersey.  The purpose of this trip was to attend a bridal shower, that was given in honor of Roni and David, by dear friends of David's mother, Jean.

Over sized Scrabble tiles that the girls and David use to note special happenings.

The other word to accompany Bridal!

The shower couple. still in Boston.

And an equally festive banner to welcome us to New Jersey, made by Jean!

But, before the shower festivities, we had a wonderful tour of a small portion of Manhattan with Jean as our guide.  We parked her car in Jersey City and then took the ferry over to the Island.

Manhattan Island from Jersey City, New Jersey

Happy folks on the ferry!

 On the Jersey City side, there was this very sobering 911 memorial made from steel I beams that were part of one of the towers.

Steel I beams from one of the twin towers that collapsed in the 9/11 attacks in New York City.

We walked down Wall Street, went inside the Federal Building, saw the New York Stock exchange, spent a quiet moment in Trinity Church and then took some time to reflect at the 911 memorial.  There is no way a person can absorb the tragedy of that event, and the terrible impact it had on so many.  In my humble opinion, I felt that the memorial did a beautiful job of honoring those whose lives were lost, and extolling peace, that must be so very difficult to come to, after you have been through an experience like that.

Jean gave us the book "The Great Bridge" by Robert McCullough to read.  It's about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and it's fascinating.

Trinity church at the end of Wall street.

Federal Hall, where the first congress of the United States of America met and where George Washington took the oath of office, 

The New York Stock Exchange.

The World Trade Center tower, newly built to commemorate those lives that were lost.

One of the two memorials to the victims of the New York City 9/11 attack.  So moving and powerful.

Lady Liberty, taken from the deck of the passenger ferry we were riding.  

Leaving Manhattan to go back to New Jersey to fix dinner and talk about wedding plans!

I'll post the happenings of our weekend in a few installments so as not to overwhelm, which is exactly what New York City does.....overwhelm!