Daddy and LuLu visit London!

My Dad and Lura came to visit this past week. The week speed by so quickly but we had a blast! Everyday we were out and about doing or seeing something new and interesting. It was a great for us to be able to experience all this together. I think they both really enjoyed seeing all the history and excitement that London has to offer. It was great for me to get to see this side of London as well. It made me have a refreshed appreciation of this wonderful city! I really look forward to the next few months, including the changing weather, the upcoming wonderful trips, and all our new visitors!
Here are a few pictures from this week.

A stroll through the park near our house on Day 1. Hoping to see more deer! 

Day 2: London Zoo, London Eye, and River Cruise

Day 3: Bus Tour, Lunch at Texas Embassy, and Bowling with Brandon that night.

Day 4: Tour of the Tower of London and the Queen's Crown Jewels, A visit to the scary London Dungeons, and the play Wicked! All Amazing!

 

Day 5: Trip to Windsor to tour the Windsor Palace and then home to finally relax. 

The entire week was great. I had such a fun week and I look forward to more visits from family and friends! Thanks Dad and Lura for coming to visit! Love you guys tons!!

Appreciating my mid-20s

Sometimes I think I forget how wonderful my life really is. I have the most amazing boyfriend in the world, who loves and adores me more everyday. I live in an amazing place with the opportunity to travel and see the world. Any my family back home is happy, healthy, and extremely supportive of my life.

I've had a somewhat difficult time thinking about turning 25. It seems like once you hit mid twenties there's no turning back, your officially an adult with really responsibilities and obligations. Things start changing fast and there are no more excuses for prolonging young adulthood.

I've always been one of those people who didn't really plan their life out, or make decisions about future family goals or major life decisions. I always just thought, when the time is right, I will know and it will happen.

This year has brought on a whole new way of thinking in me and I feel like I'm finally growing up. First of all, I actually know and have a goal about my career and where I want it to take me. I feel like I can finally relax knowing that I am confident about what I want to do the rest of my life. Maybe that's why I went through so much school, because I didn't really know what I wanted to do and hoped I would figure it out along the way. And thanks to a lot of prayer and research and patience I finally do.

Secondly, I'm finally warming up to the idea of getting married. I've always been so afraid of marriage and the possibility of divorce and disappointment. It has nothing to do with the person I'm with but everything to do with the world around me. I just don't think people take marriage seriously anymore and think if they don't like it they can just get out. I never wanted it to be like that for me. I want to be married because I can't imagine my life without that person and I want them to feel the same way. I want to know that my marriage would be able to make it through anything and be confident that even though me nor my partner is perfect, that we can count on each other to love one another regardless of our imperfections.

I think the biggest misconception about marriage and relationships is that they should be effortless and perfect all the time. (Something TV teaches us!) But the truth is NO ONE is perfect! You'll fight, you'll be disappointed, you'll cry, you'll worry, but you will also, make up, be pleasantly surprised, laugh, and be comforted. I feel so lucky that I've found someone who loves me unconditionally and enjoys doing the little things for me and making me happy everyday. He is truly an amazing person with an amazing family. I feel so blessed to call him mine and I truly look forward to the day when I get to wear his last name.

I think the best thing about him is that he makes me HAPPY! I look forward to seeing him walk through that door everyday and I really miss him when he's gone.

Lastly, and this may be a shock to most who know me but I actually want children. I have always said I will never have kids. I just never really thought that I would be a good mother and I really think I would be an even worse pregnant person. I cringe at the thought of giving birth and all the pregnancy stuff that goes along with it. But, I think going through 9 months of an uncomfortable, scary experience will be more than worth it to have a lifetime of unconditional love. This does not mean I want children anytime soon but I am proud to say that I've actually made the decision to hopefully be blessed enough to have them one day.

Looking back on the experiences of my life I feel so blessed and more than lucky to have the family and friends I have. My family is truly amazing and I love them so much. My Mom is crazy and fun and the best at giving advise and my Dad is supportive and loving and has really taught me how to care for others regardless of their differences. They both support and love me in everything I do. They also have been blessed with exceptional partners. I couldn't have asked for a better step-mom and step-dad. Both are great examples of how great a relationship can be with someone you truly love and I thank the Lord everyday that they found happiness.

I think that turning 25 won't be so bad after all. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends. I am extremely lucky to have all that I have and I thank the Lord everyday for blessing me the way he has. I really look forward to the next chapter in my life. It's coming faster with each passing day.

We leave London in July, which will be the end of our travels and living abroad, at least for a while. By then I'll be opening the door to the real world and taking a flying leap in!

Februrary

This month has been full of fun adventures. January ended with a short trip to Bath, England. It was an amazing and beautiful city. We took a train from London that took about two hours. The country side was absolutely breath taking. There were tons of hills, beautiful trees, and grass for miles. Once we got there we walked throughout the city enjoying the amazing architecture and art throughout the streets. We started our site seeing with a tour through Bath Abbey. There was this giant stained glass window and tons of interesting inscriptions surrounding the walls. As we were enjoying the church one of the chaplains approached us and began chatting with us about where we were from, what we were doing in England, and a little history about the Abbey. She was very interesting to chat with and when it was time for her to do her hourly pray over the microphone she said a sweet little pray for us and our travels. It was very thoughtful and really made me miss going to church back home.

After the abbey we made our way to the Roman baths. Our tour through the baths took about two hours. It was so interesting to see all the history and interesting way people bathed back in the first century. The day ended with a trip to the fashion museum and dinner in the city. All in all the day was wonderful. It was a place that I never really thought about going but very glad that I did.

The first weekend in Feb. we decided to take a ski trip to Val

d'Isere, France. We were there for 4 days. The scenery was perfect and the snow was unforgettable. It snowed about 18 inches the weekend we were there, which made the snowboarding that much better. The first day up the mountain, James, Brandon and I decided to start mid mountain on a red that ended in a blue. The majority of the way down the three of us were doing pretty well. Brandon was still having a little trouble controlling his speed but seemed to be catching on quickly. Once about 200 yards from the end of the mountain James decided to go off by himself and finish on the red while Brandon and I went down a catwalk expecting to finish on the blue. Once we rounded the corner and the mountain opened up again Brandon started speeding down the last 100 or so yards. I noticed he was going way too fast to I started screaming "slow down!" "slow down!" but it was too late. He was completely out of control and going way too fast. His board caught the ground from the front and he started cartwheeling, feet over head about 4 times. My first thought was to laugh because it looked so funny. It was one of those things you see once and know if you tried it 1000 more times you could never do it the same way again. Once he finally stopped and hit the ground, I knew he was hurt. I raced down as fast as I could and skid up beside him only to find him moaning in pain. It took about 2 minutes for him to finally tell me what was hurting because he was grabbing his shoulder, neck, and knees. My first thought was that he either twisted his knee or broke his leg. Long story short I helped him sled the rest of the way down with his bottom on his board and spent the rest of the trip in the room. I felt really bad but he insisted that I not let this ruin my trip too. I spent the rest of the day boarding and half of the next. The second day we made our way to town center and did a little shopping and enjoyed a very yummy cup of tea and hot chocolate.

Both nights we went into town and either had drinks or went to dinner. The town was so adorable and quant. I couldn't have asked for a better end to a not so great start of our trip.

Once we made it back to Kingston we went to the ER. An exam and two x-rays later we found out that Brandon sprang his right knee and broke his left shoulder. One week later he's still in a bit of pain but he's actually able to walk without a limp and move his arm enough to get his shirt off and on by himself.

The trip was still a lot of fun but next time I think we will get Brandon some lessons before we take him up the mountain.

Egypt

Brandon and I decided to take a beach vacation after the Christmas holiday instead of spending the money to go home. We arrived in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt on January 3rd. The weather was absolutely perfect, not a cloud in the sky and perfectly warm enough to lay by the beach. The first day there we spent the majority of our day laying out in the little cabanas on the beach. After some time in the sun we went into town to do a little shopping. We spent a few hours in the old market and going through all the shops along the main road. There were some very interesting people. Everyone was trying to convince us to come into their shop. They hound you till you either give in or just walk away. The next day we stayed pool side for the majority of the day and then went on a camel ride through the desert. The camels were very bouncy, it was fun but I definitely would not want to have to ride one for too long. Once we made it to our destination in the desert we relaxed at the camp site while the locals began preparing our dinner. There was a show of dancers, including a belly dancer and men twirling all these interesting props. After dinner we walked into the dark of the desert to do a little star gazing. We say Sirus, Mars, and several different constellations including the Ryan, the milkyway, and several more.

Day 3 started off the same as the rest but around 2pm we went on a four-wheel ride through the desert. It was tons of fun to slip and slide in the sand but it was definitely dusty. By the end of the ride we were completely covered in a layer of sand.

That night we had to prepare for our trip to Cairo. After dinner we took a little nap because we had to be at the bus by 1am. The bus ride was 6 hours there and 6 hours back, which I was not looking forward to. We slept the majority of the way there but about 5am I started feeling car sick and extremely nauseous. We stopped at a rest stop around 5:30 for breakfast and a restroom break. As soon as I got off the bus I ran around looking for the bathroom so I could puke. After paying one pound to get in, the restroom was absolutely disgusting! It looked and smelled like toilets had not been flushed in weeks, it was horrific and only added to my nausea. I decided to go behind the building instead and as soon as I made it out of site I began puking my brains out. Afterwards I felt much better but was dreading getting back on the bus. The driver was horrific, there were several times I thought we might die!

Once back on the bus I began to feel sick again. Luckily it only took about 30 more minutes to get to the Egyptian museum. Once off I thought that I would feel better but it didn't happen. I really was looking forward to seeing all the interesting history in the museum but I just couldn't get over how horrible I felt. There were several hundred people doing the exact same thing we were so we had to do a lot of waiting. We had a guided tour once inside, which was very interesting but quite embarrassing because I could barely stand and he kept pointing me out and asking me if I was listening. At the point that I thought I couldn't stand anymore, we made it up to King Tutenkhamen's tomb and jewels. This was the part I was really looking forward to but right in the middle of the guide explaining the markings of King Tut's thrown, it just hit me! The puke was coming and I was two flights of stairs from the nearest bathroom. I gave Brandon a look, put my face in my sweater and began to run. Brandon took off after me, trying to help me weave my way through all the people without puking on anyone but I just couldn't hold it in my mouth anymore. I fell to the ground and began puking uncontrollably all over everything. Brandon was basically trying to drag me to the bathroom but the puke was going everywhere! The next few minutes were a blur. I made it to the bathroom sink, only to puke more and then next thing I know I'm laying on a bed in a clinic with a doctor asking Brandon a bunch of questions while she prepared some kind of shot. The doctor gave me a shot to help stop the stomach spasms

and several packages of medicine to take throughout the day. It was obvious that this was not motion sickness because it was not going away. For the rest of the day I was in and out of the bathroom puking more and more. Even on the tour bus I was stuck in the bathroom, which by the way was out of order (no way to flush, no paper to clean my face, and no light). All in all it was a horrible day to be sick. The puking didn't stop until almost midnight that night once we made it home. Even though I was very sick it was amazing to be able to see the Great Pyramids, float on the Nile, and see all the interesting history in the Egyptian museum. Brandon was so sweet and helped me anyway he could. I tried so hard not to ruin the day for him as well, so I spent most of the time sleeping on the bus, while he went to all the shops and sites with the rest of the group. He is the best at taking care of me when I'm sick so I was so grateful that he was there.

Day 5 was much better. We were both exhausted from the day before so we spent the entire day lounging by the pool and just trying to recuperate. Thankfully I wasn't feeling sick anymore but it still took me several days to feel normal and want to eat again. Our trip ended with us just spending the rest of our time switching from the pool to the beach and enjoying the warm sun. The day we were scheduled to leave our flight got cancelled so the airline put us up at the Hilton all inclusive for the day. It was a great end to our trip to be able to spend one extra day in the warmth but we were both ready to go home. We made it home safe and sound the following day.

We both had a great trip and enjoyed spending time lounging on the beach in Sharm and getting to see the Pyramids in Cairo. It was a once in a lifetime trip and we are thankful we got to experience it.

Christmas for two.

Christmas 2009 London.

Bull and I spent Christmas in London this year. Instead of flying home we decided to save our money and use some of it to take a trip while Brandon was on break from school. Christmas definitely wasn't the same without all of our family but we made it special in our own way.

We spent most of the week lounging around at home watching Christmas movies and enjoying just being lazy with each other. Christmas began with us waking up late and opening the gifts that we purchased for each other. After gifts Bull cooked us a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and homemade cinnamon rolls that I had made the day before. After eating we played cards and Wii for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to start cooking dinner. I cooked a traditional dinner with turkey, green beans,

mac-n-chz, and sweet potatoes, and it was delicious!

After dinner we relaxed on the couch and watched a few of our favorite Christmas movies together. All in all the day was great. Spending Christmas just the two of us actually turned out to be a great experience. We really enjoyed our

quaint little Christmas but we look forward to spending the rest of our holidays with family! Holidays are meant to be spent surrounded by tons of family.

The money we saved from not flying home is being spent on a trip to

Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. We are staying in an all inclusive resort right on the beach, called Hauza Resort. We both are looking forward to being in warmer weather and just lounging on the beach. Can't wait!!

Revelations... or not.

Having a lot of extra time on your hands allows you to think a lot about what you want in your future. I love to travel and live the adventurous life that I live but it doesn't come without consequences. I have so many things to be grateful for and I absolutely am thankful for every opportunity that I've been given. I have experienced many things that most people will never have the chance to do in their lifetime and I have the Lord to thank for all my blessings.

But......like I said, it's not all perfect.

There are several things I've realized from living abroad the past several years.

1. Nothing! Absolutely NOTHING compares to being a home with friends and family!! The number one problem with living and traveling all throughout the world is that it can get extremely lonely at times. Most of my days are spent doing things by myself, whether it's just hanging out at home or site seeing around town, most of it is alone. Grant it there are many days that Brandon and I do things together but with his school and the future of his job, it is my reality that we won't be doing most things together.

2. Weather is everything! Warm weather definitely makes the difference in your ability to do a lot of things. I appreciate cold weather but I think 2 months is plenty for me. I'm a warm weather kind of person and would rather live in a place that doesn't have real winters, i.e. TEXAS!

3. I will never be a stay-at-home anything (mom, wife, girlfriend, etc.)!! I have this internal need to always be doing something productive. I need to feel like I'm making something of myself and doing something important. Now, I know that being a stay-at-home mom is extremely important and it can have many benefits for children but for my life I think it would actually be worse. I am happiest when I'm working and doing things I love. School keeps me occupied for now but it doesn't bring in the big bucks! LOL. I enjoy being a multi-tasker, the more stuff I have to do, the better! So I'm really looking forward to being back to a place where I can work and feel like I'm being productive. I want to feel like I'm making a contribution and not being able to make money makes me feel like I have no place.

With all that said, I still want to stress that I am so grateful to be where I am and to be able to do the things I get to do. I love traveling and seeing the world and being around to support Brandon. I miss my family, friends, warm weather, and working but I know those are all things that I can always go back to and will be there no matter what. I have my whole life to work and live in my favorite state with my favorite people but for now I'm content with the way things are. The saying is true, In order to truly appreciate what you have, you have to live without it first.

Swiss Cheese please!

This last weekend we decided to take a little weekend trip to Switzerland. Our adventure began by flying in to Zurich and meeting up with friends for dinner and drinks around the town. The next morning we got up a little early to catch the train to Interlaken. It took about two hours to get there but the scenery was amazing. Once we got into Interlaken we decided to just stroll around town to see what we could find. We stumbled upon a train station that (for a "small" price) would take you up to the top of a few of the Swiss Alps. 200 Francs later we were on our way up! We took two trains and two gondolas to finally get to the top. Of course we stopped a few places along the way to take pictures but once we were at the top the view was out of this world. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it was up there, and the pictures don't do it justice. It was a view I will never forget and something I am very grateful I got to see. After tons of pictures, a snowball fight and soup at the revolving restaurant we headed back down the mountain. By the time we got to the bottom is was dinner time so we decided to try out some authentic Swiss cheese fondue for dinner. Lets just say it was an experience involving way too much cheese!

Day 3 was the day the boys planned to go skydiving in the morning, so the rest of us decided to stroll around town to see what we could find. After a little shopping and thinking we stumbled on a bike rental shop where we rented a few bikes and then made our way back through town. We stopped off at our hotel to drop a few things off and get some advise from the owner on where to go. After a little talking and instruction we headed out towards the lakes and mountains. For some reason "hills" never crossed my mind when I thought about going through the mountains. Hmm funny.

Anyway, the beginning of the ride was amazing, the views were gorgeous the ride was easy, and the weather was perfect. As we made our way further and further down the side of the lake the ride got a little more tough with every hill. It got so tough that eventually we just got off the bikes and walked them up the hills just so we could get a little further up the mountain. The owner of our hotel told us about this great waterfall that we needed to see but that we had to go up and down a few hills before we could get there. A few was an understatement! About 6 hills in and 2.5 hours later we still had not reached the town were the waterfall was located. With our rental time running out we decided to just turn around and enjoy the views on the way down the mountain. We stopped off along the way a few times to just relax by the giant lakes and take a few pictures as well. I can't even begin to tell you how beautiful this country is, it's something out of a movie!

After making it back to town and returning our bikes we decided to stop at a little pastry shop and get a coke and a snack. I have to admit that was the best coke I've ever had in my life! Not sure if it was the fact that we hadn't had anything to drink in four hours or that the coke cost almost $4 but it was amazing!

The rest of the trip consisted of strolling around town site-seeing and shopping and a little chocolate fondue as well as a few other Swiss foods.

This trip was one of the best trips I've ever been on. The views and experiences are something I'll never forget. If you ever get the chance, go to Switzerland, it was amazing!!