“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made
them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to
his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one
flesh. Therefore
what God has joined together, let no one separate.”-Mark 10:6-9
Above
all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.—1
Peter 4:8
My husband and I have been married for nine years now. Hard to believe; it seems like time has just flown by! I can't speak for the hubby, but the nine years have been happy for me. Not all of the circumstances that we've faced have been pleasant, but the life we've lived together has given us the strength to persevere through some tough times and stressful trials. Add to that the faith in God that we both share, and you get a constantly growing and changing (for the better) relationship. I have no doubts that it will continue to strengthen and deepen as we both age. This year for our anniversary, we decided to travel back to Gettysburg--we both have such fond memories of the place, and I'd been longing for another trip back to the beautiful eastern Pennsylvania countryside ever since my first trip there in 2010. My husband has been there at least five times now--he used to go out there with some college friends before we ever met, and he always enjoys it, especially touring the battlefield. Me, I love the battlefields too, but I especially love the historic architecture.
 |
| Culp Farm |
 |
| Stone wall and wildflowers, north side of Gettysburg battlefield |
 |
| Great 1700s/early 1800s stone and brick house near the battlefield |
 |
| Old farm in the haze--it was hot like summer while we were there |
We also decided to take a trip to Sharpsburg/Antietam and Harper's Ferry while we were in the area. I was new to Antietam, but hubby had been there once before. It was our first time to Harper's Ferry and well worth the drive. Absolutely gorgeous countryside through the mountains, and Harper's Ferry was nothing like we expected.
 |
| Antietam battlefield, from the Visitor Center |
 |
| Dunker Church--this building was in the midst of the battle |
 |
| The Bloody Lane--many died here |
 |
| Monuments like these are scattered around the battlefield depicting where a general died--three died on each side |
 |
| Burnside Bridge |
 |
| At Harper's Ferry-Church on top of the cliff |
 |
| Mural painted on the cliff above the old Harper's Ferry Armory remains (the building is gone)--the words are hard to read, but the bottom word is "powder" |
 |
| Streetscape, preserved by the National Parks Service--looks the same as it did during the Civil War--buildings are shops, restaurants and museums now |
 |
| Another streetscape, looking down from a hill above |
We ate dinner on our anniversary in the upstairs dining area of the Dobbin House, and the food was superb. We both had a seafood dish...there is nothing like real, fresh seafood, something those of us in landlocked states don't often get to enjoy (no, Red Lobster doesn't count).
 |
| The Dobbin House, built in 1776--see the British flag? |
It was another great trip to Gettysburg. On a sad note, the Boyd's Bears store in Gettysburg closed a few years ago, which really saddened me to learn. I was really looking forward to going there to get an Abraham Lincoln bear. Oh well, I was able to get the four Civil War bears from our innkeepers!
Praise to God for the wonderful nine years of marriage that He's blessed us with, and prayer for many, many more!
I went to Gettysburg as a 23 year old and drove around with a tour playing on the car tape player. It was an absolutely chilling experience because as an Australian we have no true battlefields in our country. The loss of life over those days in Gettysberg is astonishing and hard to fathom. And the fact that the trenches, walls, barbed wire fences are still there preserved is a bit surreal. What a defining moment in the history of your country. I was proud to have the opportunity to visit.
ReplyDeleteHi Fiona, and welcome! It's really great that you were able to see a bit of US history when you were here. To me, it's a fascinating part of our history. It's really interesting that people in other countries find interest in it too! The first time I visited the battlefields I was amazed that people so long ago had the foresight to realize how important it would be to preserve these places around the country. There are still several that I hope to see someday. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDelete