Ashlea & Colin

I was only home from New York about 3 weeks and I was on the road again.  Well, actually it was a plane headed to New Jersey.  But at this point it doesn't matter.  I was off and running!

My cousin, Ashlea (Sasha's daughter) was getting married!  After dating for 10 years, Colin finally proposed last Christmas.  Everyone was so excited!!!  They live in New Jersey, and Colin's parents live on the Jersey Shore.  Having spent lots of time there, the Shore was the perfect place for their wedding.

I was privileged enough to help with addressing the invitations -

I absolutely LOVE what Ashlea came up with!  So fitting for her beach wedding.

I have another Aunt and Uncle (Scott & Cindy) that live in New Jersey.  The plan was for me to fly in, meet up with them and all ride out to the shore (about an hour away) for the weekend.  I got to their house, we began making preparations to leave and they turned on the news.

We all sat glued to the TV as we watched this unfold - 

 Seaside Park 

 This was about a mile or so south of where the wedding was going to be.

Soon it became a 6 alarm fire as all of those 100 year old, wooden buildings went up in flames.  We were told that both roads to the shore were closed.  Wow!!!

My Aunt and Uncle decided to risk it anyway and we all piled in the car and headed to the beach.  Fortunately, we were able to get on the island and meet up with the rest of the family.  The only real glitch that this caused was that Ashlea's flowers were delayed a bit.  But once those were finally in hand, everything began to go smoothly again.

 

Flower Preparations

Lovely!

Ashlea putting all the flowers together for the reception tables.  They turned out so beautiful!

I had the privilege of contributing further by working on her place cards. 

She named the tables after some of the favorite places they have traveled to.

Finally it was time for the dress!

Ashlea & Colin

Siblings!  Tricia, Ashlea and Drew - Love these guys!

Tricia & Jimbo

Not only is she my Aunt, but she is a Best Friend  - LOVE this lady!!!!

Drew, Amanda & Max

 Max with Grandma & Grandpa

More cousins!  Me with Darla & Dina - can you tell we are related?  

Uncle Scott & Aunt Cindy

Marcia, Scott, Me, Tricia and Uncle Jack

 With the beautiful bride

Sisters

Congratulations Ashlea & Colin!!!!

We are sooooo happy for you!!!!

May you share a long and wonderful life together that is filled with many happy memories!  Know that you are loved and it was an honor to be a part of this celebration!!!

More of New York

I am seriously so far behind!  I use my blog to document family life throughout the year and to also work things out in my head.  I haven't had much time for either in the last few months.  I've actually been traveling a lot so when I'm home, there is a lot of catching up to do that takes higher priority.

So - where do I begin?
 
Let's go back to New York.  So many things I didn't really talk about.

It was an amazing week.  So thankful that I was able to go and help represent Apparent Project's retail side (Papillon Enterprise).  Having never been to Manhattan before, it was an adventure! 

I was very busy with the Trade Show so I didn't have a whole lot of time for specific sight seeing, but we stayed in the heart of Manhattan - only a few blocks from Times Square.  You really can take in an awful lot in that section of town just by walking a few blocks.

I think I was amazed mostly by how close everything is.  Times Square, Broadway, Park Avenue -

 

Times Square itself is crazy busy.  I cannot even imagine this place on New Year's Eve.

3 story Ferris Wheel inside Toys R Us

Hershey's

Human Statue

Famous Times Square Ball

I walked down to this area two different times and I KNOW I didn't catch everything. 

3 Story M&M World

Building used in Spider Man movies (seen on our bus tour)

 

Empire State Building

Taxi ride through Central Park

That's for sure!!!!

I can now officially say that I have been to NYC.   It is an adventure I will never forget!

The best part of my trip was spending time with these two:

I love these ladies and am so thankful to be able to call them my friends.  God has truly blessed me.

Until next time......

Other related posts - 

September 11 Memorial

New York! New York!

9/11

We can all remember what we were doing that day.  How our country stopped and glued itself to any television in sight for days.

Jarod had just turned 2 and we were living in Opelika.  He and I were traveling to Montgomery for my first day of BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) for that year.  Russell called me on my cell phone to let me know that a tower had been hit.  That there had been an accident.  I prayed for the people involved, turned off my phone and went into Bible Study.  The rest would become known when I got home at lunch.

I sat watching the television, with tears, wondering who and how and why like the rest of the country.  It was surreal.  Our country was changed that day. 




I finally made it to Ground Zero three weeks ago.  Marilyn and I had half a day to "play" and see more of New York before we boarded our planes to come home.  The September 11th Memorial was our goal.

Walking to it is a bit overwhelming.  When you walk down the same narrow streets where you watched people running as the towers fell.  Being covered in the ash - having no where to really go.

You pass the Fire Station.  So many courageous men, who were there immediately to help.  Who never came back.

 Memorial Wall for the First Responders

Humbling

As we continued our walk towards Ground Zero, we also passed St. Paul's Chapel.  This church was built in the 1700's.  It even has a pew inside where President Washington sat.  

Literally across the street from the two towers, this church was un-damaged from the collapse of the buildings.

 It served as a respite for the workers who were helping in the clean up in the months after.  This church provided food and a pew to sleep on.

Amazing to me how God preserved this little building right in the middle of such chaos.

One tree in the courtyard fell.  And it fell in such a way that it didn't damage one headstone.  Everything was preserved.

Incredible.

 Being in New York for the first time ever, I was able to experience for myself just how tall and over powering the buildings are.  And it is quite common to see planes fly over all day with the airports close by.

I know how helpless and vulnerable we felt watching all of this unfold on TV - being there put a totally new perspective on that.  The fear, the chaos, the unknown - it had to be completely overwhelming.  My mind cannot grasp it.

These memorials are beautiful.  They are massive as they are the foundation of the buildings.  There are two of these.  One for each tower.

Engraved forever around each of the fountains, are the names of the men and women who lost/gave their lives when the towers fell.

 Surrounded by quiet visitors, it was a surreal experience.  I couldn't hold back the tears.

Marilyn made the comment that "These are our scars."

How true.

The fountains run deep - and in the very center, they drop even deeper.  No matter what angle you are at, you cannot see the bottom.

John Ogonowski

We will never truly grasp how deep these scars run throughout our country.  People who lost friends, family members.  Most people know someone who was affected in someway.  

I have remained in contact with my 7th grade math teacher all these years.  Her brother, John Ogonowski, was one of the pilots on American Airlines Flight 11 that went into the North Tower. 

We all have a story we can share.



So very thankful for the opportunity to have visited this place.  To see it in a new way.  To remember and yet experience the strength and resilience of our nation as they rebuild.

So many things still yet to come.  They have finished one of the towers, are completing a museum that will open in the Spring of 2014 and are continuing to work on the rest.

Thankful for the men and women who are working so hard to make sure that we will never forget.


Until next time.....