One year ago . . .

One year ago our life in Philadelphia was about to come to a close. I've been thinking about that time a lot this week, especially as Dale's one year anniversary since graduating is today. I can hardly believe it has already been one year! I will always have fond memories of that time in our lives. Several highlights of May 2007 are:

* We discovered we were pregnant with a little boy, whose name would be Andrew

* Dale's family flew out to celebrate his graduation. We had a wonderful few days in NYC and the Philadelphia area. We toured Hershey and Gettysburg as well. We had such a great time chatting, playing games, eating cheese steaks, and sight seeing.

* After 2 years of working very hard, Dale discovered days before graduation that he would graduate from Wharton with honors. This had been a big goal of his, but he was not sure it would happen. I was so proud of him because he worked hard to achieve this goal. Not only did he excel in his school work, but he really put forth a huge effort to spend any extra time he had with his family. Yes, I'm bragging, but I'm proud of my guy and he deserved it!

* My dad flew out to help us pack our crates (and I mean crates). After some tears from me, we were able to tightly pack our belongings into these 4 tiny boxes. We only had to leave a few book shelves behind, which was truly a miracle. We weren't even sure we'd be able to fit our couches in, so we were thrilled when we only had to leave bookshelves behind.

* Leaving Philadelphia behind was difficult. Many of my friends did not really like Philadelphia, but I loved it. Perhaps it's because I lived 10 minutes from the city and enjoyed the beauty of Main Line, PA. Philadelphia was not the first big city I've lived in (I've lived in Frankfurt Germany, Chicago, San Jose/Bay Area as well), but it was one of my favorites. We were in the middle of everything and we took advantage of that fact and saw as much as we could in those 2 wonderful years.

* We toured Kirtland, Ohio with my dad and had a wonderful time. It was so much fun to watch my dad as he was able to see these church historical sights. My dad is very well read in church history, and as a convert to the church, he has a deep love and respect for the Prophet, Joseph Smith. I'm so glad we were able to do that with dad.

So, today I dream of Philadelphia and our time in MBA school. We had a great time and I'm thankful for those memories.

May 2007 - Wharton Graduation

The long awaited day finally came! Dale graduated with honors from Wharton today. Ever since I met Dale, he has always talked of his goal to attend MBA school. Dale accomplished his goal and we are all so proud of him. The ceremony was great. Former Secretary of State James Baker spoke at the University ceremony. He did a great job. It was fun to see Dale interact with all of his friends. We have many fond memories of our time in Philadelphia and we will always remember this time in our lives. I'm so glad that Dale was able to realize his dream and especially grateful that he accomplished his goals while at Wharton. Now we're off to Dallas and our new life.

May 2007 - Phillies Game

We all went to a Philadelphi Phillies baseball game with everyone and had a great time, even though it rained part-way through the game. We enjoyed peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and a great game. Afterwards, we headed to South Philly for cheesesteaks at Ginos and Pats. We had a great day! Prior to the game, we took everyone to Reading Terminal Market and enjoyed a little food and shopping.

May 2007 - New York City

We all headed to NYC for 3 fun filled days. We visited the Manhattan Temple, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, and saw "Wicked" on Broadway. We had a wonderful time touring this great city. Laurel was particularly taken with the Statue of Liberty - you can see her holding the torch in the picture above. One of the best parts of the trip was touring Manhattan and Brooklyn on one of those tour buses. I've always thought those looked ridiculous, but I have to admit that it was the best way to see the city, especially when you're pregnant and tired!

May 2007 - Hershey and Gettysburg, PA

We drove Grandma and Papa Chris out to Hershey and Gettysburg for a day trip. We tried to eat at the famouse Hershey Hotel, but they ended up closing it 5 minutes before we arrived for a special business luncheon. We were really disappointed - it was the second time we've tried to eat at that hotel. We walked around the beautiful grounds and then toured the factory. Above is a picture of Laurel and Papa Chris riding through the Hershey tour. Directly above is a picture of Dale and his outside the Hershey Hotel.