4th Anniversary

DISCLAIMER: This is a super long post, so hopefully you can hang on and get through it all.

March 13th was our 4 year anniversary and we decided to go back to where Niels served his mission. We stayed in the two places he was at the longest which are Fresno and Modesto, California. It was beautiful weather there, mid 70's and everything was blossoming. We got to Fresno on Wednesday evening and it was nice to finally get there to be honest because it was a 12 hour car ride. Well actually we stayed in Clovis (at Comfort Suites), which is a couple miles from Fresno. We took a little walk to the restaurant where we ate and it was just beautiful and nice not having to wear a jacket.

Thursday was our anniversary and we were going to go to the temple first thing in the morning. Well, Niels realized before we got up that he left his white shirt at home so we wouldn't be able to go to the temple. The Fresno Temple is a small temple and you can actually only go certain times during the day. We went to the mall and it we had to wait an hour before it opened, so we decided to drive around Fresno a little bit to pass time and Niels showed me some of the areas he worked in. Once we finally were able to get his white shirt at JC Penney's (which was ginormous!) we still had a little time to pass so we went to the CVS Pharmacy to buy some static spray because the skirt of my dress was clinging on me and I hate it when dresses/skirts cling to my legs. When we walked out of the pharmacy, I looked over and saw a boulangerie (bakery) next door to it, so we went and got some pastries and a baguette from it, the perfect anniversary treat! Once we got to the temple, Niels couldn't find his recommend, that we both just got renewed, and so the worker took his information and went and called our bishop and our stake president. He finally was able to get a hold of the stake president and so we had like 5 minutes to change to make the last session in the morning before they closed for the afternoon. While we were waiting for the temple worker to call, we were asked if we would like to be the witness couple. It was nice for us to do that on our anniversary, we both commented on that and how it was special for us to do that. The temple session was nice and the Fresno Temple is beautiful! It was worth the struggle that we had in making the session. I just love the temple! Here's a couple pictures of us, in our anniversary gifts to each other, at the temple after the session...

After the session, we went to the mission office, which is actually in a church building (so weird to me) to change our clothes. Niels talked with the secretary about how he used to serve in the mission 8 years ago (he's been home for 8 years in May). There was actually a new missionary meeting going on because they had just arrived the previous day. We changed and then walked around the church building. He was really reminiscing about his mission at this point. We actually met the mission president and his wife and the mission president was the rugby coach at Highland High School and the based the one movie, Forever Strong, on. After that, we made some PB&J sandwiches and ate that for lunch and then we drove around some more places and then we walked in an area that was super nice. The street Van Ness was THE place to live in about the 1930's or so, if you lived in that area, you were someone special. The street and areas around it are still nice and you would still have to pay a pretty penny in order to there because the houses and yards are big and beautiful and then if you live there, you have to keep the yard pristine looking because that's how everyone's yard was like. Here are some pictures of the rest of our anniversary day...

This street was lined on both sides with palm trees

This was one of the apartment complex's Niels lived in

 These lamp posts were all over the southern part of Van Ness

Friday, we went to the Clovis Museum, after we checked out of our motel, just to learn a little bit about the history there. Then, we were on our way to Modesto. I took a couple of pictures of the mountains because it was a clear day. Niels said that you hardly see them because of the smog, so here is proof that there are mountains...

We made it up to Modesto a couple of hours before we could check in, so Niels and I drove around Salida where he also served and it's only a few miles away from it. Niels thinks Salida is such a funny town and he showed and explained it to me why he does think it's funny. You see, the town of Salida is basically fenced in by cement walls and then across the streets from it are orchards. I didn't find it strange like he does. We finally were able to go check in to our motel  (Best Western Palm Court Inn) and it was good because I had to use the bathroom really bad, but we couldn't get into our room. The front desk receptionist ended up having to restart the system and then we were able to get in it.

After checking in, we drove around Modesto and got out and walked around in a couple of areas because it was nice. We even knocked on a door of a family Niels knew and taught the husband/father. Nobody answered, but that's probably a good thing because we found out they don't live there anymore. Niels tried calling when we first got to Modesto but all he was able to do was leave a message. Then a while after we tried knocking on the door or maybe even the morning after (I can't remember) that she was out of town and her and her husband aren't together anymore. I think Niels was sad about that a little bit. Anyways, we tried and that's all that matters. Here are a few pictures of Modesto...

This was one of his apartments in Modesto

 Walking on the canal path and there was an orchard

 Up close of the orchard

 Just a couple of mallards swimming in the canal. They would stop and when we got closer to them, they would both start swimming away from us.

 This gated community has a big man-made pond with a fountain, it was crazy! We did get funny looks while we were staring through the gates from the people entering them.

 This is right after eating dinner at In-N-Out Burgers, which verified why I didn't like eating there the first time I had In-N-Out Burgers. Fries aren't good, and the burger is just another burger. We can make better! Niels on the other hand was let down because he thought they were good when he was on his mission, but this time around he realized I was right that they aren't good.

Saturday, we went up to Yosemite National Park and it was beautiful (both weather and scenery). There were people up there wearing jackets and coats because it was low 60's up there, but Niels and I were wearing short sleeves and it was nice. We hiked up to Vernal Falls which was ridiculous. My legs and hips were sore up to 3 days after I hiked, and the reason why it was like that was because it's mostly a steep incline all the way with some plateaus and declines, but mostly inclines. And at the end we were going up steps they made out of the rocks and they were steep stairs. The whole thing took us about 3 hours round trip because I had to go slow, otherwise I wouldn't have made it to the top. It took about 2 hours up and then about an hour down. But I'm telling you, going down was harder than I thought it would be because it was a decline most of the time and my legs were like jello, I had the hardest time walking with the downhill slant verses when we went uphill a couple of times on our way down. Here's some pictures of that hike...

There's the falls, but we weren't even close to them, we were probably about half way there or a little under halfway.

 We're closer to the falls, they're harder to see right here, but they're right behind us. We had already started the nasty stairs section.

 On the top of falls

 See, we're really on top of Vernal Falls

 This is at Emerald Pools (I think) which goes off the edge and because the waterfall. Niels said that about 5 people per year end up going over the falls and dying because they try swimming in the ponds even though you're not supposed to do to undercurrents being worse than you think since it looks like it doesn't really move much.

 Resting at Emerald Pools before heading back down.

 Going down the stairs were scary because they are steep and there isn't much to hold onto.

The next, and last stop, we went to was to Mirror Lake, which it was really low. When we got off the bus to walk the mile to the lake, I almost fell down because when I stepped off, my legs collapsed underneath me. Luckily I was able to catch myself and luckily the walk to the lake was mostly level. It was a really pretty area and was just nice and serene. Here are some pictures at Mirror Lake...

Can you see why it's called Mirror Lake?

 This is Half Dome

 This isn't the best picture, but that's Half Dome behind us.

It was such a nice day and I'm so grateful we were able to go up to Yosemite. I don't think I would want to go up during the summer because it was already hot, so it would be horrid later on in the year.

This is the tunnel that Niels and I could barely hold our breath all the way through going up and going back down.

Sunday we went to one of the wards Niels worked in on his mission, but we were only able to be there for Sacrament Meeting because we had a 10 1/2 hour drive back home. After church we grabbed a change of clothes and changed in the bathrooms at church. There were some women out in the hall and Niels saw this lady and asked if she was Sister Stewart, and it was. Niels taught her and helped her to finally realize she needed to be baptized. She believed everything and was basically a member, but not baptized. She was baptized the transfer after he left. He had this big smile on his face and she was smiling too while they talked with each other. I'm happy he was finally able to to see and talk with someone he taught and knew. Unfortunately, we didn't get a picture taken of him and her. But here are a few more pictures of our trip home...

Right before we left for church

 That's the sidewalk area where Niels fell off his bike and broke his arm.

 There were several parachuters

 These next two pictures are at the rest stop we were at in the Sierra-Nevada's Mountains near close to Lake Tahoe. Also, when we got out of our car to go use the restroom, we heard this crunch. Well, we turned around and saw this car backing out between two semi's right after running into one of the semi's and then he sped off. Well, a little later on our drive home, we saw cops and this car on the side of the road and the guy was handcuffed. He was caught! He had to have been drunk or high because who in their right mind would run into a semi on purpose and then speed off? He wasn't walking very straight either, so I think it's one of those two reasons.

 This sign says no playing in the snow, but if you look closely, you can see families playing in the snow.

 A beautiful sunset in the northern Nevada.

I'm so happy we had such a fun and safe trip. But I'm most happy about being married and celebrating our 4 years of it. It was such a great celebration and I wish I was back there!