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Well, I survived my trip. It was a decent mix of options 1 and 2 from below's post. We saw and did a lot of the tourist-y things that NYC had to offer, and I wound up with some really cool pictures.

One of the more poignant moments of the trip for me was going to Ground Zero. I was really the only one who wanted to see it, but when the tour bus stopped nearby, I dragged everyone else off the bus with me. You couldn't see much because there were construction fences and trailers everywhere, but the sheer emotion of that place blew me away. I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears standing there, imagining the chaos that overtook the scene some six and a half years ago. I never really realized just how well NYC managed to bounce back from it all until I was down there, looking around at some of the buildings that had been rebuilt. I don't think I truly understood the spirit of the city until I saw it from there.

This is probably my favorite picture from the trip. It's the church where they set up a first aid station during the 9/11 attacks, but besides being a historical landmark, it really is a beautiful building. I loved the architecture, especially compared to the huge buildings situated around it.

Another highlight of the trip for me was going to the top of the Empire State Building Friday night. I am terrified of heights, and elevators freak me out, so I spent a large part of my Friday afternoon debating whether or not to go up and see the view. I'm glad I did it though. The view was breathtaking. New York City is huge!! The vast expanse of lights seemed never-ending...I could have spent all night up there, soaking it in. Here are a few pictures from the top:
Insane, right?

For all the complaining I did beforehand about having to spend so much time with my family, it really wasn't too bad. We had our moments, but all in all I think it was good for us.

Check out more pics on my Facebook account.

Later!