Crandell Family reunion/vacation New York Part 1

As i previsously posted...or did not post. In July, the Crandell family... well 37 of us, set out on a journey to New York and a few other places involving the church history tour. This trip has been in the works for years now... i think 3 or so and was originally supposed to take place in 2011 but due to other curcumstances it was postponed until 2012:) I can't be more thankful that it was july of 2012 though because my emotional state of mind was at its peak:) I feel like I was in such a better spiritual place then before when the trip was originally planned. I am a new mom and just starting to feel the "mom" feelings and Andrew just starting to feel the "dad" feelings- and finding out what life is REALLY all about as a FAMILY. I want to post each stop we made along the way seperate to just incorporate my feelings of how i felt that day while i was there. One of my most favorite things about the church is the history or what some call back there, its heritage. The trials and persecution the saints went through is incredibly cruel, but the faith and testimony that was gained outweighs all the death, hardship and ridicule that anyone could have ever placed. For a few moments I stood in several different places putting myself as a pioneer, a sister in the relief society in the days of Joseph Smith. I cried like a baby, I laughed,  I felt anger, I felt pity, deprivation of what and how we should be living, and even shame, for what i take for grantid everyday;overwhelmed with so much emotion, needless to say I was filled with the spirit for almost 5 consecutive days and it was exhilerating.