NYC

In less than 24 hours, Greg, Lori and I will be on our flight to Lyon! We've spent the last couple of days on a road trip from NC to Maine. Our last activity before departure will be dropping Lindsey off at summer camp (my parents will fly over with her in August).

This road trip has provided lots of opportunities to create fun family memories. Our first stop was my parents' house in Virginia. We had a great time playing cards and pool, and conversing over cups of coffee. Saying goodbye was sad, but it actually wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, since I know I'll see them again in August.

 I love you, Mom & Dad!

After leaving Mom & Dad's house, we trekked north to New York City. We got there right as the heat wave struck. NYC in 98-degree heat is pretty miserable, but we managed to have a great time anyway. The pictures will tell the story:

Iconic street scenes: A Franciscan church, cabs, and skyscrapers

Central Park. Dr. Who fans might recognize the girls' re-enactments of scenes from the "Angels Take Manhattan" episode. We also enjoyed a free NY Philharmonic concert in the park! (Thankfully, there are many free things to do in NYC -- it makes up for the cost of simply getting around the city.)

Staying cool in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Van Gogh is my favorite artist, and I wasn't disappointed!

One highlight for me was seeing the 9/11 memorial. Very emotional. The tree is the only one from the original WTC site that survived the blast; a symbol of resilience.

Our trip was a great introduction to big city living. Although central Lyon is only a half-million people, it's very compact, and we'll be living an urban lifestyle. I'm looking forward to traveling on foot and via public transportation, people watching, and daily food shopping.

The next photo journal will be from Lyon!