The day before Scott and I got married we took a get away day trip to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. We felt that it was fitting to go back there during our 20th anniversary celebration.
We took the ferry from Liberty State Park (the NJ side). Our first stop was Ellis Island. We couldn't believe how busy it was. I never thought that there would be so many school groups and tourists visiting that day. Even though it was crowded, we were able to see most of the museum. Sarah did the "Junior Ranger" program they offered. That really helped us see key points in the museum. I told Scott and the kids that we need to go during a time of the year that schools wouldn't be taking trips so that we could focus on the things we didn't get to see.
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| Ellis Island - Great Hall |
Next stop was The Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, because of so many school groups and tourists we couldn't get inside The Statue of Liberty to the museum. That was a real bummer because there is so much great information about Lady Liberty in that museum. Yet another reason we need to go back! But, you know the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." And, lemonade we made. We enjoyed walking around Liberty Island together. We took it all in. The sun. The magnificent view of the NYC Skyline. The grandeur of Lady Liberty herself.
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| The Sheldon's and Lady Liberty |
From the moment we arrived at Liberty State Park, my heartstrings were being tugged at. You see, the last time Scott, Noah and I were there was on September 10, 2001...the day before that terrible day in our nation's history we all know was "9-11". At that time, Scott's dad was visiting us from California. We took him to Liberty State Park that day, and did this same exact trip. As we stood on Liberty Island, my father-in-law kept saying how magnificent the Twin Towers were, and that the last time he was in NYC they weren't even built. After he said that, I said, "Well, then we should go there tomorrow." That was our plan leaving Liberty Island on September 10, 2001; to head into the City on September 11, 2001, and go to the top of the Twin Towers. The next morning, as we were getting ready to embark on our trip, we saw the attacks first hand on television. And, the rest is of course history. Being a Jersey Girl, born and raised here, the NYC Skyline is burned into my mind's eye. Since 9-11, it has been difficult for me to see that iconic skyline any other way.
When we arrived at Liberty State Park, we were face to face with the new Freedom Tower, which stands in place of the Twin Towers. As we walked into the park, I was jolted by a memorial that we saw. It was two beams from the Twin Towers, and two walls that resemble the Twin Towers. This memorial is affectionately called "Empty Sky - New Jersey September 11th Memorial", and on those walls are engraved the names of all the people from New Jersey who died on that horrific day. The moment I saw it I burst into tears, and just quietly sobbed as the emotions of that day (and days after) came flooding back. This memorial was so beautifully done. It was literally breathtaking.
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| Empty Sky - New Jersey September 11th Memorial |
This trip was so amazing! I am so grateful that we were able to share all these experiences together as a family.
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