Day 2: Kirtland, Ohio

After a rough night is a skeevy motel (complete with a bottle opener in the bathroom across from the toilet) we treated our selves that an All-American breakfast that couldn't be beat and headed down the road to visit the Kirtland, Ohio temple. The first Mormon temple.

We’ll have to hit this in the way home too because it wasn’t open to visitors because everyone was at church.

We attended a Joseph Smith Sr. reunion many years ago and we helped plant the lilac bush on this memorial site at the adjacent cemetery. Joseph Smith’s grandmother (my 6th great grandma), Joseph Smith’s infant twins, and Jerusha Smith- Hyrum Smith’s fort wife- he married Mary Fielding (my 4th great grandma) soon after.

 

Day 1: Niagra, NY

This has been in my list since we moved to Boston 22 years ago.

We’ve been within throwing distance a dozen times without going.

I went when I was a weee little lass and was terrified. My grandma held my hand tight and sat in the boat cabin with me until I was convinced that I would not be swept away.

She took me out onto the deck of the boat and it was exhilarating!

The falls delivered again today.

And I got to hold someone’s hand again.

We may have peaked on our first day.

 

Day 1: Palmyra, NY

Abz and Tadpole insisted on Mark's pizza for lunch.

It's directly across the street from the Book of Mormon publication site.

We visited the Smith family farm.

This is where the Angel Mornoi visited Joseph Smith in the night and told him about the gold plates that contained the Book of Mormon.

See the temple above our heads?

This is the house that Alvin Smith built that the Smith family moved into.

The Sacred Grove

Hill Cumorah

Where Moroni directed Joseph Smith to find the gold plates, buried in the hill.

 

Time to Launch #2

All out bags are packed and we're ready to go.

Abizella lingers in bed, soaking up the last few moments in her place. She loves her room. She treasures the time she has spent here creating and dreaming. 

I treasure the time I have spent curled up next to her in her bed chatting and just being together.

Don't worry Abz, we will always hold a place for you. This place.

 

Last Night

This is it. Abizella's last night. 

Tomorrow we head West to take her to college.

Our friends threw her and her BFF a farewell party. It was the perfect send-off. 

Abz is going to miss her band of buddies from church. We have the best ward ever.