Finals and a volcano.

Hallelujah finals are over. This is the best feeling in the world, I have never been so relieved. I think those were the worst series of finals I will ever take in my whole life. Now I'm on vacation for two days with no classes or reading or tests to worry about.

It looks like I'll be stuck in London while my family stays in America now because a volcano in Iceland decided to erupt and spread ash all through the airspace that planes are supposed to fly through. Stupid Mt Eyjafjallajokull is ruining everyone's plan and everyone is stranded. That means all flights to and from Britain are cancelled until the ash stop blowing this direction. My family was supposed to fly over Friday and get here Saturday morning but who knows what will happen now...this is so ridiculous it's amusing. I mean, really? A volcano canceling flights from London?! What the heck.

Good news is I am free from school and am officially a sophomore in college! I feel so old. And wise.

We had pizza and Ben's cookies for dinner tonight.

And we got a roommate picture in front of the centre.

And then we went to see the play 39 Steps. We tried on London hats at the Cool Brittania store. I realized I have a really big head.

Curse you finals.

Everyone has snapped here in the centre. Finals are making us all go crazy...that's what happens when you're supposed to take five in two days. I think I've seen four people tonight have emotional breakdowns...oh boy. Usually you'll have a week to spread them out, and you can do this:

1) Study for one final

2) Take the test

3) Forget about the test

*Repeat*

But that's not how it is here...All forty students are frantically trying to cram for all their tests at the same time because they're all one right after another. Which results in chaos. The worst part is trying to find a quiet place to study. Not possible. Me and Alyssa were studying in the little hallway by our dorm and this is what ended up happening. We hit a wall...

Good thing is...I made it through three finals today. I was originally supposed to have four, but luckily BYU has a policy where you don't have to take more than three in one day, so I'll be taking my last two tomorrow. Studying next year will be SO easy...I'll have a quiet library, time and a regular routine.

I'll move on from finals though. I'm done thinking about those tonight. I just used my British Literature study guide as a gum wrapper. It felt good to know I will never have to look at that document again. I've spent too much time with it. Now we're watching The Holiday in our room because we needed to watch a movie. Anything that doesn't require thinking. It reminds me of watching it at Josiah's house around Christmas...that makes me happy.

These make me happy too: Daffodils!!! Everything is blooming here, finally! This is what I run past when I go to Hyde Park...a sea of daffodils! We read in literature a poem of William Wordsworth that spoke of how happy daffodils make him. I understand now.

A couple of days ago I went to the park to get away from the centre and found a bench to sit on (because that's what benches are for) and studied some. This is the bench I found, I sat on it because it said this on the back: "Do sit and enjoy life". I liked that. No idea who this Pam Weisweiller is.

So I've been going to the park as much as I can during finals week. Which is not as much as I want to but what can you do! So this is my rambling blog just saying that it's finals and it's been insane and I will be so relieved when they're over and that I love parks.

And here's me and Sarah at dinner. Mmm soup. It'll be weird not having dinner at 5:30 every night in the servery. Okay bye!

Abbey Road

I forgot to say... yesterday morning I woke up at 5:30 am so I could go to Abbey Road. Again. Because this time I took a picture with the three girls I'm rooming with next year. We wanted to have a good roommate picture...pretty sure it will be the coolest one out of any apartment.

Ballet

Today was the day I went to one. More specifically, I went to the Royal Opera's rendition of Cinderella. Our program had extra money, so we were each given 60 pounds to spend on a show that was considered by the faculty educational or culturally enlightening. I have been wanting to see a ballet since I've been here and didn't think I'd get the chance since all the tickets I've look at have been 120 pounds, but we found tickets for 60 pounds and knew it was meant to be. Our seats were straight on facing the stage and we even had "fixed seats" that were like barstools, but padded and with armrests. I actually like them...a lot.

The actual ballet was absolutely amazing. I was sitting next to Laura and Jenny who were both equally as excited as I was, so we were all ecstatic as the orchestra started to play and the lights dimmed and the curtain pulled back...oh what a special moment that was.

I think my mouth was hanging open the entire time, the dancers were incredible and pretty much floated on air. The ugly step-sisters were played perfectly by two men, and there was a jester who could jump about ten feet in the air. I think his secret was that he froze midair a few times, beat his feet together and then unfroze for his landing. The costumes were just gorgeous...and very sparkly.

I didn't think the three hour production would go by quickly but it did. It was so sad when it ended. But not really, because Cinderella and the Prince walked happily towards their ever after while gold glitter fell from the sky. It was a happy ending. After this, I think I can consider my London experience complete. As complete as it will be in the time I have at least...there's too much to see and do in this city. You could live here your entire life and not see half of the things it has to offer, and I'm sure a lot of people do just that.

Lately

It's been busy around here...we only have one week left. When I think logically, I should be spending my time studying for finals and out seeing London instead of sitting on my computer blogging...but I can't move on with life until I know I'm not behind on recording it. So here's what has been going on this week:

I discovered Whole Foods on High Street Kensington. It's like heaven...actually. I think it is heaven in grocery store form. How did I not go here earlier in the semester? I vote Olympia gets one, it's the most liberal greener city-we should have a Whole Foods.

Let's see... Saturday April 3rd, our room went to Hardrock Cafe to celebrate Margaret's birthday, the big 20. Since there were a million other Americans who wanted to eat there, we looked around the shop and museum while we waited for our buzzer to go off. I saw this guitar and thought of my brother Dave...it's Steve Vai's.

Here it is, in all its glory. There were a ton of others...like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimi Hendrix and Queen and Kiss. Shveet.

On Tuesday April 6th we went to the London England Temple (the official name includes England...) and it was exactly what I needed.

It is the most beautiful little temple, about an hour outside of London. That makes it nice because it's away from the city. The daffodils were in bloom and there were gardens and a reflection pond, as you can see, and it was just gorgeous. I love going to the temple, it is the perfect escape from the stresses of school and busy schedules and just being overwhelmed. That happens a lot when you live with forty girls and share a room with seven of them. Every time I go to the temple I just feel the strongest sense of peace and relief; I'm so thankful we got the chance to go.

We had an early start on Wednesday April 7th so we could go to the Houses of Parliament...Home of Parliament! Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the Houses, built in 1099...pretty old. It's the best example of a hammer beam ceiling! Thanks to Classics class, I think that's pretty interesting too...Anyway. Our tour guide was a funny old British man who told us a ton about everything, and we went through the House of Lords and more rooms. I liked it. Moving on.

The Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum! These were actually my favorite part of the day. And I think in the top three for museums I've been to here. The Cabinet War Rooms were an underground bunker and headquarters for Winston Churchill during WWII. And when the war was finally over, they turned off the lights (for the first time in six years-crazy, right?) and left everything as it was...and years later they turned it into a public exhibition. So everything is as it was during war time. Churchill is one of my few heroes-he pretty much saved the world from Hitler and without him we probably wouldn't have the freedoms we do today. He was sent from God to help the world. So of course he's my hero.

After dinner we celebrated Sarah's birthday... we went to Frog. It's our favorite place to go-they have really good frozen yogurt.

Sarah's mom had sent her a package with birthday presents and she even put in something for us roommates ...sticky hands, the things where you blow into them and the paper uncurls..no idea what they're actually called...and spongebob armbands. I think everyone could tell we were American. It was a good night.

Then on Thursday April 8th I saw Legally Blonde...the musical. After sitting through a long day of classes (the last of them!) it was nice having something fun to look forward to. And fun it was, oh boy! The music was annoyingly catchy and the UPS guy was hilarious. My favorite song was "There! Right There!"...they were trying to find out if a guy on trial was gay or European. That was pretty funny considering we're in Europe and it really is hard to tell if most guys are gay or just European. I was really happy that I went...I didn't want to leave London without seeing it.

And alas, we have come to the point of our last London study as a group. On Friday April 9th we took a boat along the Thames to Greenwich. It felt like summer outside, it was actually hot. Not just sunny...but hot. It was probably only sixty degrees...but it felt soooo warm.

I picked the wrong day to wear black...oh well. If we had spent all day on the boat I would've been so content. Only I would have turned off the speakers that were right behind us that broadcast the driver's voice telling us about all the sights. We passed the Tower of London and I realized that it had been so long since we had been there for our first London study. That was the very first week and now it's the last...time has disappeared!

In Greenwich I stood in the Eastern and Western hemispheres at the same time. That's right, I found the Prime Meridian! I can check that off of my list of things to do before I die now. I was in two places at the same time.

The market in Greenwich was cute for a lack of better words. Everyone was so sweet who worked there and in the food section there was a stand of Argentinean cakes! That made me happy...maybe that's weird. But it did. There were alfajores and I was so excited to know what they were. (Alfajor: a traditional confection that is found in some regions in Spain and countries in South America. Its basic form consists of two round sweet biscuits joined together with dulce de leche or jam, and covered with powdered sugar) Now that we all know what an alfajor is, I saw them and you know what I'm talking about now.

We took the DLR overground train back to Notting Hill, which was really fun for some reason. Oh wait, I know what reason that is. Because there is no conductor's box at the front (I wonder where the conductor is then...?) so if you sit in the very front seat it feels like you're driving a car. Or going on a ride at Disneyworld. Either of the two, they're both fun. I spent the rest of the night doing homework because beloved finals are coming up fast. I should be stressed and really scared because I have all of my finals on one day. This will be my schedule:

8-10 am: Classic Civilizations

11am-1pm: Religion

2-4 pm: International Relations

*Break for dinner*

7-9 pm: British Literature

That means I have eight hours of test taking to look forward to on Wednesday...yikes. At least I'll get it over with in one day I guess. I'll be optimistic even though I think I'm going to die.

Pure Joy!

Today is a good day for three reasons (there are more, but these are the main ones)

1) Easter

2) General Conference

3) Josiah

It's been a glorious Easter Sunday! I woke up early and got started with the day...there was even breakfast out this morning. We had an Easter devotional in the classroom and I think everyone appreciated the thoughts that were shared. It was different being away from home and with a group of students and faculty to celebrate, but it ended up being a really spiritually uplifting day with everyone.

General Conference was so wonderful and inspiring. We watched the Saturday afternoon session at the Hyde Park Chapel...I've always watched it at home on our television so I really liked getting to watch it at the church. It was a different experience. We streamed Conference into the classroom and watched the second, third and fourth session in there. Eight hours never passed so quickly-all of the thoughts and counsel given by the apostles and prophets of our Lord was so inspired and so motivating. They don't compile ideas and work together on their talks, but they all seemed to be perfectly orchestrated. Each message complemented the others; there was a lot about the importance of families and just about the importance of having hope while dealing with adversity and keeping a positive attitude in today's pessimistic world. It was all just exactly what I needed to hear and it made me so thankful for technology. I'm sitting here on another continent and I can hear the same message as my family back in the states. And Josiah in Argentina. And everyone else in the world. It was weird listening to it from 5-7 pm and 9-11pm since it's broadcast live from Utah. I've never felt so uplifted after watching Conference and this weekend was just an affirmation and strengthening of my knowledge that this is the true church. I'm just so happy and my heart is full. I think I took about 25 pages of notes in my journal from Conference...my hand was pretty shot by the end of the night. Plus I wrote a letter to a missionary. Non-stop writing for me this weekend.

*Insert a segue here into the most exciting part of this entry. Please note: For the full effect, the next part has to be read in a very sincere manner. It's heartfelt...*

I'm in love I'm in love and I don't care who knows it! Josiah has been my official favorite boy for two years today! What a wonderful day it is. Oh yes, the fourth of April holds a special place in my heart and his. It's our anniversary of being in love. Because even though I didn't know it yet, two years ago I sat by a campfire with the boy I was destined to love...and so it began. It's true. And now he's my best friend and we get to share all the adventures of this crazy life together. I don't know what I did without him before, he is my favorite part of every day and knows me better than I know myself. Weird I know.

I've decided I need to let the world know just how wonderful Josiah is. We have the best times together (and apart) and I have pictures to prove it! But I don't need to prove anything...I'm really putting these pictures on here so I can feel productive spending hours looking through my albums of photos. Some people may call it a photo album...

April 18, 2008. We always drive around looking for comfy chairs in a little cafe. But they're always closed. So we end up taking pictures in his car...I don't know why it's so fun.

May 3, 2008. He came up with a plan to ask me to prom on my birthday...I kind of ruined it by taking my sweet time to get ready that day.

June 7, 2008. Prom...oh high school dances. So silly and so fun. We like to dance together and take pictures by the Capitol fountain

July 10, 2008. We go to markets together...including Pike Place! This day was so much fun. We went with our friend Dorothy and just laid in the grass being happy.

Oh, and we like to sit on bronze statues of farm animals while we're at these markets.

August 4th, 2008. He took me surfing and now all I want to do is live on the beach so we can go every day.

August 16, 2008. Road trip to Eastern Washington for Warped tour at the Gorge. What could be better than getting to see your favorite bands on a stage that overlooks the Colombia River with your best friend..and getting a wicked sunburn?

August 31, 2008. Eating at some burrito place after finding cool stores in Portland. We like to explore big cities and not get lost.

Oh, and we also like to climb on exotic animal statues...I wonder what people think of us when we do this.

September 29, 2008. We like Top Foods Chinese food, big cookies and coconut icecream bars from the little Mexican grocery store. We're culturally diverse.

We like to eat our food on our dock on Capitol Lake. I like to use chopsticks as much as possible ever since Josiah taught me how to use them correctly. I'll be forever thankful for that lesson. Very important skill to have.

Then we launch the melting icecream bar into the lake and throw peas in too...we have fun doing weird things.

October 4, 2008. General Conference was better with Josiah there too.

November 14, 2008. Umm...maybe I shouldn't be publishing this in a public place. Now you know that we like to wear wigs in our free time.

December 13, 2008. Snowball attacks in my neighborhood. Look at that huge puffy coat...how can someone not love a boy who has that puffy of a coat?

January 3, 2009. He taught me how to snowboard...pretty much the best Christmas present ever.

January 16, 2009. An early morning on the Puget Sound. We like to wake up early and hike to the beach and eat breakfast.

February 14, 2009. We found a zen garden downtown...and when I say "we" I mean Josiah.

February 16, 2009. We went up to the mountains again...I think this is my favorite place to be with Josiah. But I have a lot of favorite places I like to go with him.

May 2, 2009. Another prom with Josiah, don't we look so much older? And wiser? Sure we do! We ate at Mercato and Josiah's sister Jenisa was working there so we got to see her. Twas a fun night!

May 3, 2009. We spent the afternoon sitting on the dock, Josiah played guitar and I happily listened to my song. Okay, my real favorite thing: listening to Josiah sing (and you know that it's only one of the many favorites I have)

June 4, 2009. We had a romantic dinner on my porch...hahaha. He pulled up to my house after he got done with work and this candle lit surprise was waiting. How sweet right? (If you didn't catch it, this was a joke...)

June 9, 2009. I'm all graduated and Josiah was there to share this momentous occasion...I got to wear a cute blue robe and funny hat.

June 19, 2009. The awaited mission call finally arrived! That's his excited face.

June 24, 2009. We had the beach to ourselves! Another favorite thing to do with Josiah: be out in the surf with nothing but the sound of the waves and his voice.

July 1, 2009. Josiah and I are frequent painters at the Painted Plate! We even have a punch card...

July 4, 2009. Watching fireworks at my sister's house was the perfect way to end the day after going to Westport. Doesn't Josiah look good in stripes? Yeah he does.

July 8, 2009. Ferris wheel first timers! This was a magical moment...let's just say that much.

July 18, 2009. I got to go hiking with Josiah's family in Forks and it was the best two days. Really it was. It was so beautiful. We were wandering along the beach and found a trail up a mountain and found this at the top! Our feet were free and bare and happy to feel the mud.

There was an old wooden swing at one of the campsites...so we swung on it!

And we played sardines as it was getting dark...somehow we managed to fit eight people behind a tiny bush.

July 19, 2009. Fireworks at Lakefair, I got to watch these with Josiah two years in a row! I'm lucky.

Everyday. I got the front seat. Sometimes I even got to drive. I always liked getting to drive Josiah around in his car.

July 21, 2009. We rode our bikes over to the lake...you can't see them in this picture but I'm sitting on a bike and he's standing next to me. There's a bike next to him. And we took them down the road to the lake and rode around the trails.

August 6, 2009. We went to the Hearthfire on the water and ate ribs. Then he let me take pictures of him sitting on this rock. I quite enjoyed it. This is the background of my computer. It's a good one.

August 15, 2009. Ocean shores trip...these mopeds were the best part.

August 16, 2009. We like to wear matching outfits.

August 19, 2009. I love just walking around the Temple grounds especially if it's with this boy. This is the Portland, Oregon Temple.

August 25, 2009. Right before we left for Utah to drop me off at school we went to the lake and found Josiah's favorite tree and carved our love into it. The 'Jo' missing from the front is intentional...I didn't forget anything.

August 26, 2009. He helped me move in to my new apartment...what a good little helper.

August 27, 2009. We like to eat Salvadorean food together. I just can't believe how cultured we are.

August 28, 2009. We sat outside in the grass...Josiah recorded songs for me to listen to while he was gone and I listened. And now I can listen to him sing whenever I want...which is always.

August 29, 2009. Sad to be apart for two years, but that means after that we never have to be separated again! I think that's a good trade off.

Now he's in Argentina and I love him even more because...

He's a dork.

He doesn't have to try to be cool...he just is.

He eats the peanut butter I send him.

He can catch chickens.

He has a pink umbrella.

And he has a jersey that looks like IKEA.

We're both having adventures in different parts of the world and are getting to talk to each other about everything we're seeing and doing and learning. I'm so happy.

This is officially the longest post I ever have and ever will write (until another big event...like on September 2nd perhaps?) This was mostly for me...I just wanted to look through pictures and document them somehow and this is it. The scary thing is, I only chose a few of my favorite pictures. So...happy Easter/Conference/Josiah day and goodnight!