summer travels: philly

hello, hello, hello.

 let me start off with this: this summer has been one for the books. not even in just a figurative way-- like, i will seriously have a chapter dedicated to the summer of 2015 in my memoir (coming soon to a store near you... in 15+ years). i have had the opportunity to travel quite a few places-- north carolina, d.c., philadelphia, as well as a few day trips here and there. thought i would share with you the story of each of my travels through the photographs that were taken there. though photos can speak a thousand words, they do not tell all of the story. behind each perfect composition and beautifully-edited capture you see on people's social media, there is always more to it. we must remember that. 

as for now, photos will do. here's a little play by play of my time in philadelphia. 

left to right, top to bottom:

i. // neighborhood plants and new shoes.

ii. // steps of cute homes (colorful doors make my heart oh so happy)

iii. // flower petals adorning the streets

iv. // cute philly homes in the neighborhood where we stayed

i. // hershey park! (p.s. i rode my first roller coaster. didn't pee or cry. success.)

ii. // beautiful bridge along the schuylkill river.

iii. // my new vans making another appearance (not pictured: the huge blisters that i had from the smart decision to wear new shoes on a trip. this is where my mom would say "at least you're pretty".)

iv. // some of the youth group hanging out at the park at night.

i. // philly streets in the rain (fun cate fact: big city + rain-- my two favorite things)

ii. // philadelphia museum of art. i may or may not have followed this lady around for a while because i was obsessed with her dress.

iii. // van gogh's sunflowers! ah, what a dream.

iv. // found this cute lil' kitty hanging in a cute lil' bookstore. 

i. // reading terminal market. i had the best burger here (restaurant called 'hunger burger') and not to mention how adorable their space was (subway tile *heart eyes*).

ii. // more park hanging and soccer playing. (no, friends, i did not show my skills this time. had to hold back. couldn't have others feel embarrassed this time around.)

(photos that did not make the cut but equally important: multiple selfies taken, even more photos of my feet [sorry, instagram followers-- you got those], liberty bell & independence hall photos [yay, america!], a photo of some children with tails [oh, the people you see at amusement parks], as well as a multitude of photos at the airport [think: 25 people. 3 flight delays. 3 cancellations. 2 days later, we were all home. see, told you photos do not tell the entire story.])

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my time in philly was due to a mission trip with my church youth group. while there, we worked with a local church planter and his family by assisting him in making relationships with the people in the area. from taking surveys about the community to handing out water bottles, what we did was out of the ordinary for the people in the neighborhood. i have learned that with unfamiliarity comes two choices: to reject or to question. we got rejected multiple times, yet we also had the chance to be questioned about why we are doing what we are doing. due to the curiosity of people, we were able to share the reason behind a mundane water bottle and simple questionnaire: Jesus. our love for Christ should compel us to share. (note i said share, not force.) by opening with a mere action of love, we were able to talk about what truly matters.

so very thankful for my time in philadelphia. a city so unknown to me, yet Jesus is working and moving in the lives of his people who he knows and loves fully. now, that is something to shout about! also, crazy grateful for my youth group-- from card-playing to roller coaster riding to late night talks, we grew together and separately.

thanks for reading, whoever you are. stay tuned for my next travel post focusing on one of my favorite cities ever-- washington d.c.!

yours truly,
cate