Sisters and Brothers...Aren't We Everyone?

Day 4 of driving: Columbus, OH - Philadelphia, PA - 7.5 hours/469 miles

Our time in Philadelphia was perfect! It was so nice to make it to a place where we knew we could stay for a few days, stretch out or legs and enjoy some time with Benson's little sister Liz. She was the greatest host and of course we are grateful to Daryl and Julie who so kindly let us stay in their home while they were gone.

Liz had planned some pretty awesome things for us to do while we were with her. The first day we woke up and drove out to Amish country and it was beautiful. We started off the day at the largest breakfast buffet you could ever imagine, it's so large they call it a Smorgasbord, no lie. The food was actually really incredible and completely worth the $9.95 we each spent to get in. Lots of fresh made delights (Benson's favorite were the sweet potato pancakes) and plenty of anything else you can imagine eating for breakfast. So great.

Eating a whole SMORGASBORD!

All that was done with a straw.

I'm so full I can't even keep my eyes open...

Nice Amish farm. You can't see it but there was a man
pulling a plow through their fields on a horse. So cool!

Just a little tribute to our heritage

Benson loved this.
Keeping it classy in Amish country...

We decided the best way to actually see some of the Amish towns would be to walk. We parked the car and spent a few hours going in and out of little shops full of antiques and handmade goods. I have always been fascinated by any group of people that would choose to keep themselves separate from a world that is so invasive and seems to have an influence that reaches everyone no matter where they are. I think we all have a lot to learn from the Amish people. Their lives are more simple and because of that I believe they are happier...still here I am blogging on a computer and using my iPad to google things I need to know this instant, all the while checking my text messages and Instagram on my phone. It's a problem I am working on.

The rest of our time with Liz was spent in downtown Philly where Benson fell in love with their City Hall building, we caught up on the rich history of the city and ate a delicious meal (or two) at the Reading Terminal Market. Philadelphia is great, it's hard not to enjoy yourself with so much to see and do!

Liberty Hall

Liberty Bell

A Masonic Temple right in downtown Philly.
I thought the detail in the stone was fascinating

Philly is full of interesting art.

Benson LOVED City Hall.
Another building with incredible detail.

nice bum!

Where we ate at Reading Terminal Market.
Their sandwiches are incredible with meat,
broccolirab and aged provolone. Yummy!

The terminal is a fast paced and upbeat place
with LOTS of eating options

Independence Hall was great.
That chair is one of the only original pieces
left from when the declaration was signed.

Everything is bigger in Texas.
Even when you are in Philadelphia.

Thanks Liz for making our trip to Philly so memorable! We wouldn't have been able to enjoy it as much without you there as our tour guide!

Every time anyone said the word, "Smorgasbord" on our trip I couldn't help but sing this song and think of Templeton with his big belly rolling around and singing about all the nasty food he ate.

Brothers and sisters, sister and brothers. Aren't we everyone?
Skip to 2:30 to see the awesome song and dance from "Free to Be You and Me".

You Are Like a Hurricane

I have to interrupt the regular posts about our cross-country trip to write a more serious post about Hurricane Sandy and the effects it took on all of us here in New York. I can't help but be extremely grateful that we were not even without power during the whole storm. Thanks to all our friends and family for your thoughts and prayers during that time. Although we are safe and well that is not the case for so many people here on the East Coast and my heart goes out to them during this difficult time. We have been given the opportunity, through the Mormon church, to go to the affected areas and help people clean out their homes. I have been so grateful for this opportunity and for the people we have been able to meet.

Here are some pictures Benson took in Flushing the day after the storm while out getting gas. Luckily he had a feeling that we should get gas that day, it came in handy while rescuing friends from their cold and dark apartments!

The Wednesday after the storm we ventured into the city. The traffic was bad and the power was out so the intersections were monitored by traffic cops, and if there were no traffic cops in sight it turned into an absolutely crazy free for all. It always tends to be chaotic in the city with traffic and pedestrians, even with the wonderful order the traffic lights bring. Take that away and...yikes. I'm surprised more people didn't die.

Eventually we were able to pick up Kim and Christian in Mid Town and then travel to the Lower East Side to get Courtney and David and kids. Courtney and David live on the 11th floor of a building that lost power. They walked all the way down to the ground floor (with three days worth of supplies and two kids) to meet us so they could go to Brooklyn and stay with some friends in Park Slope. The van was full and spirits were high!

The next day, with high hopes and fully powered electronics we ventured out again. This time Kim and Christian were hoping to get home, Annie needed to report to work and I was trying to get to Brooklyn. Three hours and only 8 miles later we were able to drop Annie off at work and the rest of us gave up and went back to Flushing to enjoy a nice lunch at a cool hot pot restaurant by our house. It was totally crazy, we all got totally crazy being in the car together for so long and I'm sincerely glad it's over. We made the same trek the next day in only 45 minutes and enjoyed a day in Park Slope with Edwin and Eleanor.

Reunited and it feels so good!

Saturday was the first day that we were able to get out and help those whose homes were destroyed. We went with a friend from church to clean out her mom's house. On the block of 40 homes only three had even started cleaning out the debris, her's was the fourth. It was totally devastating.

The water picked everything up and then
dropped  it where it was carried.
The homes were like this in every room.

Sunday we held small church services in the morning and then crammed onto a school bus to go back out to Far Rockaway and find even more people to help. Benson and I are now in charge of disaster relief through the Mormon church in the area where we live. We have been able to meet with other people who are in charge of the same in surrounding areas and from those meetings we have learned a lot. Something I didn't know before is that when we go and volunteer our time gutting out homes after a disaster we are helping save those families anywhere from $8,000-$50,000. We weren't able to do much in the two days we spent out in the Rockaways but our time was definitely worth something to the sweet people we were able to help.

A Shout out should go to the full-time Mormon Missionaries who have put their normal everyday activities on hold and spend everyday out in the areas most affected by the storm working to clean out homes. Their ability to work so hard and help so many people is humbling to me. Not very many organizations have the resources to send a group of over 350 young people out everyday to clean up after a disaster. I'm so proud to be a member of the Mormon church!

A shout out also needs to go to Grandma Larsen for always doing so much for others. She sent us an envelope addressed to a "hurricane survivor" and asked us to make sure it was given to someone who lost everything in the hurricane and really needed it. I wasn't totally sure who we could give it to but luckily the situation presented itself. As we rode home on the subway after work we couldn't help but overhear a mom talking to her four kids about how their home and her job was destroyed in the storm. I approached her and asked more about her situation and she was extremely gracious in accepting our envelope sent from Grandma Larsen. I listened to her story and together we cried and hugged in the crowded train and a nice lady handed us some tissues. Thanks, Grandma, for making that experience possible!

Our ward preparing to go out and work!

Piles like these were everywhere for miles around.

This was an awesome family we helped to
clean our their basement 

The troops heading back after a long
day gutting out homes

Lines and lines of garbage trucks
to pick up debris

No shovel left behind!

Benson finally got a birthday celebration
after a few days of work. Thanks Annie and Yahya!

The boys braving the storm...crazy.

birthday love for a super awesome birthday boy

creepy legs creeping out from a debris pile

The bus was packed!
We stood the whole way...

TRAFFIC!

Happy Birthday Bensonater!
You are a selfless and wonderful
man and I am lucky to have you!

This was a line of cars just waiting to get gas.
Most people waited hours just to
be told that there was none left.

It was amazing to see a busy city turn their energy into helping those in need. Coat and food drives brought in more than enough donations to help those who would be homeless and hungry for the holidays. People volunteered time, resources and money. The areas affected by the hurricane might not be rebuilt yet, but they are definitely on their way. 

This is a long one but it's also a really good one. 

Oh Sandy, baby...

A good shout out to the Mormon Helping Hands