Kevin served his mission in Pittsburgh, PA and has always wanted to go back. Now that we are within driving distance it was the perfect opportunity to take a long weekend and head up there. Kevin has always told me how pretty it is there but to be honest I just couldn't imagine it. I thought it would be brown and dingy and full of smokestacks. We headed out late on Friday night, I drove most of the way so Kevin and the girls could sleep but just before we got to the city I woke everybody up when I took a wrong exit and made a 90 degree turn going about 50 mph! It was worth waking up for though, as you drive into the city you go through a tunnel, like the one on Independence Day. Really long and small and claustrophobic but then you pull out and there is Pittsburgh and it was BEAUTIFUL! The city was all lit up and they have 3 rivers that run right through that were reflecting all the lights and these beautiful drawbridges going over them. I think we heard angels singing, it was that dramatic of a moment! But then we hit construction, couldn't find the detour to the hotel and remembered it was past midnight so we got to bed quickly after that.
The next day we spent exploring the city. Our first stop was a school built to look like an old cathedral. It was so realistic that Berkley told that the bad guys lived in that castle.
After that it was a stop at Heinz Field! Kevin could finally go home. I am pretty sure he heard a choir of angels again. He couldn't get close enough so he tried to walk through some tunnel and we got chased out by a security guard. I was so embarrassed but it was really great to see where the Steelers play up close and in person.
Then onto lunch, we ate at Primanti Brothers. They put the fries right on the sandwiches and I have heard Kevin talk about how much he has been craving one of these for 8 years. He wanted to go right back again for dinner.
Then we explored a city square that had fountains for the kids to play in, cobblestone streets and an entire building made of mirror glass. Kevin must have just kept in the nice parts of the city, but I thought the whole place was clean and well-maintained and had lots of really interesting buildings to check out.
Our last stop in the city was the Duquesne Incline. It is this trolley car that goes up and down a ridge. We could see the car all day and thought it looked really exciting. It was not. I haven't done much in my life that was more boring, but the view from the lookout above and the crazy little roads leading up to it were lots of fun to see.
That night we stayed with the Eichenmillers, a family Kevin got close to while serving in their ward. I could write pages about how wonderful this family is but you will just have to take my word for it. We are always very excited when we get the chance to see them, but we got to see the entire family this time so it made it extra special. The Eichenmillers had 2 daughters on their own and after they weren't able to have more they adopted a boy. They found out he had special needs and were later approached about adopting his brother and sister who were also dealing with disabilities. After they settled in with 5 kids, they were again approached about another special little girl who hadn't been able to find her family yet. They opened up their arms and I can't imagine the work and faith that they had to put into raising their family, but they did it all with a smile. Then well into their "later years" as they say, after their oldest was at college, they found out they were having another little boy, with one more to follow a year later! Wow, talk about busy. So I got to finally meet all the kids and it was a blast! They had a huge backyard with a trampoline and swing set and dog and toys and it was exactly what the girls needed after a day of travel and sight seeing. We spent the afternoon and late into the night talking and laughing. Their second daughter had her mission farewell the next day and it was great to be there to support her. We headed to our next stop that evening and there were certainly tears when we finally had to go. I don't have one picture from their house on my camera!! I must have been too busy playing, I will have to pull some off Kevin's phone.
The next stop was Bridgeville, PA. This was the area that was probably nearest to Kevin's heart and we were off to visit another great family. Kevin met the Danz when he started playing ball at the park across the street from their house. He got to know their kids and Richard, the dad, liked to talk with them. They started to help them with some work around the house but the mother, Lydia thought they were strange. She finally asked if they could get the gang members that hung out at the park to stop swearing, and so Kevin and his comp bet them that if they won at bball they would have to stop and it worked! Kevin found out later that Danz family was on the verge of breaking up, Lydia was very homesick for her family in South America and they had been struggling for some time. They were grateful for the missionaries and the gospel being brought into their lives. Shortly after Kevin and I got married we traveled to Washington DC and were able to be with them as they went through the temple and were sealed together as a family. And man, they sure took off from there. They are such a stellar family, 3 great kids, and they seem to be really happy. We had so much fun spending the day with them. They rolled out the red carpet and did anything the could think of to make us happy. Richard was very taken with Berkley and told her that if she didn't get what she wanted from her Mom that she could come ask him. They have a beautiful old house that they have restored and they let the girls run wild through it. I have never felt so comfortable walking into anywhere besides my own home. They even put us up in a hotel and when they asked if we wanted to stay a 2nd night we quickly answered, "Yes!" We spent the next morning with them and there were more tears again when we had to leave.
We had one more stop before we hit the road and that was the Bridgeville Chapel. When Kevin got to the area they were meeting in a small, run down little building and he felt like they could get them a new chapel addition. That meant literally doubling their attendance and having it stay that for quite some time. I am sure it felt like a very lofty goal but he and his companion and the local members felt like it was something they could do, and with lots of hard work they did it! They hadn't started the addition before Kevin had to leave the area so he hadn't been able to see what it turned out like. It was a breathtaking chapel now, on a winding country road, with immaculate grounds covered with all kinds of flowers. Kevin just stared for quite some time. I am sure it was an overwhelming feeling to actually see a physical manifestation of hard work, and to know what a difference it has made to the saints in that area.
It was a long trip home that day, but this was an absolutely unforgettable trip. I can't believe I had not been more excited to actually see this place that Kevin had told me about for years. I am so glad we did, it is a beautiful (have I used that word yet? :) city but it was spending time with these people that made it all the more fulfilling. Besides being with my family I have never spent time that has been more enriching to my soul. They had loved Kevin and for whatever reason in their eyes that meant they loved me and I am so lucky for that. They were so generous with their homes and their time and we had such a wonderful trip because of that.
When I was little I used to drive my parent's crazy because when they would point out something from the car, like Strawberry Reservoir, I would say, "Where!? I don't see a lake." It is sweet revenge because Berkley now does the exact same thing, and as we drove through the city we asked the girls what their favorite part of Pittsburgh was and Berkley exclaimed, "Where?! I didn't see Pittsburgh!"
