Day Two in Pennsylvania.

Did some random things today. Went on a walk. Found a really pretty park. That turned out to be the front landscaping of an office building. We had to have looked like ridiculous toursits. But I'm okay with that. Then dad came home for lunch and then later we took him back to work. Getting back to the hotel, our key to our hotel room wouldn't work. According to the front desk, It became demagnitized (what in the world?). Cellphones and Credit Cards will demagnitize it. You learn new things everyday.

My uncle came and picked us up. This is where the day became interesting. My uncle is a bishop here in Philadelphia. His ward is massive and he has the craziest stories. He began driving us around and showing us random places where people in his ward lived.

I saw some things that I thought only happened in movies. I am more naive then I thought. A group of five or six teenage boys sat on the steps of a house and just stared into the street. Barely talking. And just sitting there. I was appalled. I began to wonder their life stories. I wanted to know if they went to highschool, if they graduated or were even going to. And if they would do something with their lives... I hope that they do. I hope and pray that they do.

A four year old girl sat on the side of the street. By herself. No parents or adults around. I began to wonder once again. Where were her parents? Didn't they care? Did this happen very often?

Two older men sat on the steps of an abandoned business building. Holding a brown paper bag. Obviously covering a bottle of somekind of alcohol. The two men passed the bottle between them. And drank their lives away.

Where am i? If only these people I saw, knew what I knew. How hard it would be to change. But how much happiness they would feel once they did.

Shopping on South Street was our next adventure. The first store we went in was called Repo Records. *Background= there is a store called NPS Market Square located in Salt Lake City. This store was nicknamed "Cootieville" by my sister Jill. Because the place is pretty much diseased - and it makes your nose itch after you've been in the store for five minutes. * Repo Records is the next cootieville. we walked around and looked at a few vinyl records and my nose strarted to itch. Never thought I'd see the day where I found a cootieville in a different state.

We kept walking. Found several cool shops. Sunglasses, art, restaraunts, jewelry, etc. It rained at least twice while we were shopping. At some point I got cold and put on my mother's rain jacket which was way too big for me.

My Uncle recommended a place for dinner call El Tez. My mom and I are trying to eat healthy - we figured this place wouldn't serve the food we were looking for but how do you say no? We submissively agreed and decided mentally it would be an adventure.

We went at around six to put our names on the list - hour wait. Not a biggie. I looked around. It appeared to be a bar/diner. There was a herd of people in the middle of the restaraunt holding drinks and talking to each other very loudly. I've never eaten at a place quite like this. But no way to back out now. And I figured I wouldn't be amongst them - I'd be eating with my family and it would be just like any other restaraunt.

So we went shopping some more. Then went back to check our name and use the restroom. The only way I could to the restroom was to go somewhat through the herd of people. I've never felt so out of place. I walked through them feeling, acting, and looking like each of them held an explosive bomb that was about to go off. I was grateful no one said anything to me. I think my mother's rain coat acted as some kind of a visible sheild because it said "I am too young for this place - I'm just here eating dinner with my family." Thanks Mom :) Finally I made it to the stairs - relaxation.

I always knew the rest of the world was different from Utah - but I never really had to be in that world.

Dinner was enjoyable. Our waiter was nice, no interuptions, and was pretty much like a normal restaurant. I grew to ignore the herd in the middle of the restaurant. I talked with my family and ate some pretty delicious tacos. It also made me appreciate Utah. It was very eye-opening. I became less naive, and more appreciative. My love for my heavenly father and his plan of happiness grew. I felt grateful for my knowledge of the gospel. My faith in Christ. My hope for the world. And my obedience to the Lord's commandments.