Trek to the East

Well we finally left Idaho and trekked to the east coast. It was a long drive pulling our little u-haul trailer behind the Escape. It took us 4 days. We did make a few stops along the way. First stop was Mount Rushmore which neither of us had seen before. Then we found our way down to Nauvoo, IL. It was Sunday and not much was open. But we did find a nice tour of the Joseph Smith Center that is ran by the Reorganized LDS church (Community of Christ). That was interesting to hear their side of the church history. They were really big on genealogy and body relocating. I have to be honest, I do not know a whole lot about church history- most of his information I had never heard before. Guess I should have went to BYU and enrolled in some Church history classes because I have no idea if what he said was accurate or not! It was interesting either way.
After Nauvoo, we rushed down to Carthage Jail and they were closing the visitors center in 15 minutes- so we begged the missionaries to take us on a super fast tour. A senior sister missionary was kind enough to give us the super condensed version of the tour. Seriously- we went so fast from room to room I didn't even get a picture inside the Jail! But I wish we had had more time there because the 15 minutes I had there were so much more meaningful than the 2 hours I spent at Nauvoo looking at Joseph Smith's old houses.
After Carthage we drove on through Indiana, Ohio, into West Virginia and finally Virginia. There are so many trees here and especially through West Virginia- I didn't even see a sign for those state borders. And if it was there- it was covered by trees so I wouldn't have gotten a picture anyways. So we made it and our apartment is great because it is ours alone and it faces a park instead of the parking lot. I have really realized how spoiled I have been being able to live in brand new apartments and our house. I think I have germophobe tendencies... There are tons of songbirds here that make all kinds of chatter throughout the day. Cardinals and Blue Jays and this pesky squirrel are always scavenging for food out on our balcony. 
Abe is working everyday from 5:45am to 6:30pm. I am not working because I am too tired to even feed myself most days. I don't know how pregnant people keep their jobs when they feel like I do! My morning sickness is it's worst everyday at 5 or 6 pm so as soon as Abe is home I am laying down for the night and I fall asleep by 9:30. Weekends are like work for me because on Abe's days off -we run errands and try to "relax" by going to see something or laying out at the pool. But my relaxing is laying on the couch everyday so getting out to go to a store or walk around the boardwalk is exhausting to me. I am really hoping the next trimester is better. I have felt so unproductive! There doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.

Bucket List Moment

Where IS the Little House on the Prairie?? Somewhere in Iowa I think...

Joseph Smith's House

Joseph Smith's other house. Nauvoo Home. They found some bodies in the rubble.

Can't read these because of the rain- but that is Emma, Joseph and Hyrums graves. Supposedly their real bodies are inside.

Joseph Smith's Mansion. Where Emma stayed after the martyrdom. It had some secret hiding chambers inside...

This old timer is a descendent of Joseph Smith. Can you tell? This is in the upstairs of the rebuilt Red Brick Store where the Relief Society was organized and other important church meetings were held.

In the Red Brick Store. This key is one that they found under the ruins of the old store- they call it "Emma's Key."

I regret not buying this- I bet it is full of useful information.