GUESS WHAT......we have some news!!!!!!! We are pregn.....um........just kidding, we aren't pregnant. We just wanted to say hi and give you our latest update, as we're sure you are wondering what is going on in our lives and if we are still alive. We meant to keep you updated week by week, and still do, but we've been a little busy with our honeymoon in Hawaii and we didn't think you'd want to be hearing from us on our honeymoon anyway. :) We had a great time in Hawaii though and enjoyed soaking up the sun. Serena learned how to surf and didn't die either. Mat is still alive after surviving marriage to Serena for an entire month :) We enjoyed spending time with Mat's sisters and their families and we are grateful for the time we were able to spend with them. It was a great honeymoon with lots and lots of food, ice cream, time on the beach, food, surfing, shows at the Polynesian Cultural Center, food, buffets, philippino markets, time on the beach, food, rice, time on the beach, food, turtles, waves, time on the beach, food, burgers, camping at a cabin on the beach, bodyboarding, the Dole Plantation, hiking Diamond Head, and I think we forgot to mention that we had lots of really really good food.
This past wednesday night, we got on a plane in Hawaii and flew straight to New York, arriving thursday evening. Our bodies have been confused by the many time changes we have had since we've been married. Mat left for France shortly after the wedding and Serena drove to North Dakota while he was gone, then we met up in Arizona, flew to Hawaii, then New York...so our bodies are trying to adjust. We are getting there. It's sunday night here as we type this and we've spent most of the day sleeping :) outside of church and eating.
Thursday night was our first experience in New York, we purchased our $104 each metro ticket (jaw drop) for the month and used the subway for the first time to get to our hotel. We were impressed by the city and how quiet it is, despite it being the city that never sleeps. It was raining when we arrrived, so we figured that the gangsters and thugs were home for the night on facebook and would come out the next day, but we still haven't seen them. Friday morning, Mat went to school and Serena....well, she was going to work, but decided she needed to sleep till Mat got home :) she's such a hard worker. Ha ha. When he got home after school, we ventured out in search for some of New Yorks finest pizza on Broadway. We got a joint bank account and Mat had fun swiping his new (and first) U.S.A. debit card :) it was like watching a little kid opening his christmas presents. The bank teller told of where to find some of the best pizza and we went to Ben's pizza where Serena is positive that she saw the "Dad" from the T.V. show "Psyche" but Mat doesn't agree it was him because he was too busy trying to hold himself back from chasing after the man who swore at her when she bumped into him. What a distracted hero. We thought the pizza was normal...but expensive. It was $40 for a large (HOLY SMOLY). We just got a slice for each of us and it was still a rip off. We were also able to celebrate our one month anniversary at a very fancy restaurant called Applebees.
Saturday we ventured into Manhattan and visited Wall Street. You would think it's boring there, but it's not. Outside of the NY Stock Exchange, they have exciting places, such as TJMAXX where you can find exciting things like running pants and brown suit jackets. Now we can say we are fancy and bought a suit jacket on wall street (and we'll leave the TJMAXX part out of the story, ha ha). We walked up and down the whole street and took lots of pictures. We wanted to go visit Lady Liberty next, but by 3pm, all the boats had closed up for their daily visits. So we said Hi to her from afar and took more pictures and decided to go to ground zero where the world trade center used to be. As you know, there is nothing there anymore, so we left. phhhhhttt. It was cold and we needed more pizza so we got some from a better place at a steal of a deal and they even gave us some pop and buffalo wings, we had a great time licking our fingers from that food.
Sunday, today, we were able to move into our apartment and go to our new ward. The church building is a 100 years old this month. The members are from all over the world, North Dakota, Tahiti, Utah, France, Caribbean, Arizona, Africa, Asia. There was one other lady there with blonde hair, many women wearing hats, or wigs and it was fun to see the variety of people. We got our membership records and are ready to serve and become a part of the ward. We are home now in our tiny apartment in Brooklyn.
We made a fancy dinner on the stove top that was meant to be heated in the microwave, because our landlord doesn't believe in microwaves, he he. But she left behind many yoga videos and books, essential oils ALL OVER THE HOUSE, lots and lots of inscense and candles and told us to enjoy the "Natural Lighting" inside (meaning, good luck with the one dim lightbulb in the corner of the room). We are buying a lamp tomorrow :)
We appreciate and love all of you so much and miss you guys. New York is beautiful and exciting, but very far from all of you and we hope to keep in touch as much as possible. We hope you are all doing well and have a great and happy week.
