We made it the first day to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and took a few pictures with Lexi's "Flat Stanley" for a school project. We got the giggles trying to take those pictures!
The next night we stayed with my brother, Tyson, and his wife Natalie and kids in Rochester, Minnesota where he will graduate in May from the Mayo Clinic. We LOVED seeing them SO much and sure enjoyed the short time we had to visit. Ty gave us a quick tour of the Mayo Clinic that night and we were very impressed! Amazing!
The next day we drove through Wisconsin in the pouring rain, then through Indiana. We happened to pull off the freeway to get gas in South Bend, Indiana where Notre Dame is so we drove around their campus. It's beautiful and very neat and trim with big old buildings that reminded me in a way of Hogwarts in Harry Potter with gargoyles carved in the buildings. Dave got a picture in front of Notre Dame stadium.
The next morning we made a quick stop in Kirtland, Ohio. The Community of Christ Church owns that temple and they were cleaning the carpets for the 175th anniversary of the dedication on March 27, 1836 so we didn't get to go in. We were disappointed about that! But glad to see it outside and remember the miraculous visions and things that happened there.
We went inside the Newell K. Whitney store where Joseph Smith and Emma lived when they first got to Kirtland. Such cute couple missionaries there. We really enjoyed our quick tour and would love to take the kids. Kirtland is about 8 hours from New York City so maybe we can take a weekend trip back.
Driving through Pennsylvania we saw a sign for "Kylertown!" So cool! I had to take a picture for Kyler.
And 2 minutes later we passed this semi with "Brenner" tire flaps! Seriously! I've never seen their names on ANYTHING before! Very fun! 
We stayed with my cousin, Jon, and his wife Ashley and their 2 girls in New Jersey. Hopefully we can find a house by them. For now Dave is staying in a dorm near Cornell right in New York City. We moved some of his stuff in to his tiny room and it was one of the hardest things ever! It was a sad day. Here is a picture of the Weill Cornell Medical building as we drove by.
New York City is insane! So crazy busy. We've been there before as tourists and I loved it. But it was totally different going back knowing we are going to live there and that I was leaving my husband there! It still makes my heart hurt. I flew home the next day with Malia and it seemed so fast to fly across the country in 4 hours when it took us 4 full days to drive, and the pioneers months to cross it. Malia was so good on the plane and we made some friends as she smiled and gooed at everybody.My dad was so kind to pick me up in Salt Lake. When I got home I cried and cried. I know I must sound like a big baby because it's only a couple months until we'll be together again, but it wrenches my heart to see his sweatshirt where he left it, or to brush my teeth and his toothbrush is gone. All those little things. They all make me cry. It's times like this that make you re-realize how much you love somebody! And how much you miss them. It makes you appreciate them all the more. So all of you go give your husbands a big hug!
Nearly 3 days down, 60-ish more to go until we join him. He had orientation and the white coat ceremony yesterday. They got badged at the hospital today and learned how to 'scrub in' and then he was on his way to help my cousin's ward do Baptisms in the Manhattan Temple tonight. So many neat experiences. In his class there is only 1 other Mormon that he knows of. And everyone is shocked when Dave tells them he has 5 kids. It is going to be so totally different from Idaho!
Anyway, it was a fun trip. And on the way Malia learned a new trick. She found her feet! She loves to suck on her toes and sometimes pulls her foot up so high she pokes herself in the eye! She's so funny!
Thank you for all your love and support as our lives change! I love all of you and appreciate you!
