Italy? Yes. For Real? YES!

Yes, I went to Italy and Yes, it is one of the most gorgeous places on the earth! It was so amazingly fab to see Kats and it was well worth the buttload of money I paid to go. Like, when's the next time I'm going to have a week off to visit Italy, one country over? That was my thinking. So to tell you about Italy I shall proceed to tell the story of my life while I was there. Here goes:

Day 1- I set off on a plane at six in the morning on Sunday. I was sad cause I missed church again, but Vanessa said a prayer before I left and reminded me it was the sabbath and I didn't forget. I flew from Birmingham to Amsterdam and from there to Rome. They were short flights so it wasn't bad. I also bought Dear John to read on the way as well and that was a great idea. From Rome I flew to Pisa and that whole trip took about eight hours, in which time I started and finished the book. :) I was slightly disappointed in the ending but oh well. So I got to Pisa with little incident but panicked as soon as I got to the airport. A- I couldn't read any of the signs and I had a vague description of where I was supposed to go. B- I all of a sudden realized "what if my phone doesn't work here?" C- I didn't have any way to contact Kats so I just had to wait for her call. Panic! So I wandered around for a bit trying to find my way to the train station. Feeling worried, I prayed that Katie would call soon so that I would be saved and no joke, like three minutes later my phone rings. Relief rushed through me as I said hello and was then guided to the train station by Kats. Once at the station, I was still thoroughly lost but I did my best to understand the signs and asked people what to do and got to Siena no problem. I was rather proud. At Siena I found Kats and we ran and embraced each other whilst screaming and attracting loads of attention. So great. It was so so good to see her and I was immediately sure that what I was doing was right and totally worth it. I met her group of ten girls and two boys who are all absolutely FABULOUS! I love them all! and the best part is that they go to BYU, have American accents and I will see them again after I leave! Fantastic! I also stayed at their apartment and you wouldn't believe how fabulous it was. It was straight out of a movie flat with four bathrooms, six rooms and two kitchens. Just like any film you see set in Italy or France with the cool couches and windows. Oh! I forgot to take pictures but I adored that place. I won't go into to much detail about the rest of the trip, I just show you.

Day 2- After I settled in no problem, me and Kats went out for a little day on the town of Siena. She showed me all the cool sights and the GORGEOUS views and the blissness that is Italy. I had real Italian pizza and gelato and sweat about ten gallons. It was about 30 degrees Celcius and so humid. I loved it though.

Pizza in the Piazza!

Typical view of the city

Unreal!

Every street looks like this! Bliss! I kept waiting for the director to come out and yell "Cut!"

They have escalators to get from the bottom of the city to the top! I know! Amidst all the ancient stucco and bricks there's randomly some super modern escalators.

El Duomo

Cutest truck I have EVER seen!

Large bread we're having, isn't it.

Piazza del Campo, the main Piazza in Siena. Huge and spacious and everyone just sits on the ground there and chills.

SO CUTE!

Kats and Kari and Jerom and an awesome fountain.

That night we had Chinese with the gang and just hug out.

Day 3- We go to Monterigionni. A typical, beautiful Italian city on a hill. Oh and an abandoned castle on the way. Oh and a church. :)

Reading some J-14 mag in Italy before setting out.

You wouldn't know it but we risked our lives climbing on beams three stories up to get these pictures. :)

It rained and we got soaked but it was even better for it!

Gorgeous flowers left and right.

Monterigionni from a distance. City on a Hill I tell ya.

I could easily be happy living in this house.

Day 4- BEACH!

Unreal beach in Fillonica

Sydnee, Me, Kats and Hil.

Playing in the sand.

Eating Gelato. We did this multiple times a day.

Oh my goodness! Everywhere in Italy you have to PAY to go to the bathroom. Exhibit A.

Just a gorgeous view from the plane to Italy.

On the way home I got to see the leaning tower of Pisa and the Eiffel tower in one flight! So cool!

I had to say goodbye on Thursday but it was easy because we are now confident, experienced, courageous women who live on our own everyday. Although Kats' experience is so much different then mine, seeing as she's never alone with her twelve American fellows and I am alone all the time (don't get me wrong I do have friends but it is completely different to Kats), they are perfect for each of us and we are so much better for them. SO AMAZING! That's my trip in a nutshell and I had a blast. I shall sign off with a video of Kats and me in Monterigionni. Ciao!

Don't You Worry Bout a Thing

Now I have noticed that some of the reactions I have gotten from my latest posts have been emphasizing my need to not forget home, Jill. :) Let me just announce that you have ZERO need to worry! It is physically and mentally impossible for me to forget home-Alpine, UTAH! Every spare minute I have is filled with dreams of my homeland. I am more comfortable here in England now but that doesn't mean I wouldn't still come home in a heartbeat, I'd just miss the people here more than I would have earlier. Like I've told some people, I'm sick of feeling sad and lonely and am ecstatic to reach such a comfortable state. With that disclaimer, I shall proceed.

Last night I had the opportunity to go to a birthday party for a kid from a neighboring stake. His name is Chris and he is a cutie. He had a trampoline and everyone was amazed to see my every-single-one-of-my-neighbors-has-a-trampoline-and-I've-jumped-on-them-for-years trampoline skills. They were awed at my ability to do brownies and back flips. :) It was great, but there is still something separating me from them. It's not bad, it's just there and no matter how much I excel in athletics and niceness, I just don't quite fit in. I think it is just a matter of getting over the wall that separates our completely different and yet same lifestyles and humor and cultures. It's weird how you can tell the difference. Hopefully I'll reach the status of a true Brit before I leave.

Chris has a five year old sister named Alice who couldn't be cuter! Her little accent and the things she says are just adorable! The only thing cuter is the way Chris treats her like an angel. It was the sweetest thing to see! The cutest moment of the night was when I was sitting on the swing bench with Chris and Alice and they were all cuddled up and they were talking about how their parents love them and Alice says, "I love Heavenly Father more." I almost cried. The little children are so close to heaven and know how the world is supposed to be. They have a perfect, simple and beautiful perspective that I want so bad. Chris then re-enforced this idea and I was so happy just watching their older brother-sister interaction.

I love the tender mercies like that that Heavenly Father gives me to remind me of how much he loves me and what really matters in life. Being in England makes me feel slightly inferior to the intellect and the humor everyone has here but in the end, it's my understanding of the gospel that matters and what makes me happy. IT REALLY IS SO SIMPLE! I like to say that the gospel is simple but that doesn't mean it's easy. I love my Heavenly Father so much and that love grows with every person that I meet and grow to love because I know they're a gift from him. Sheesh! I'm a lucky girl. I love all my gifts from Heavenly Father. (That includes all of you readers. :)

Heavenly Father's "favorite" child

BIG P.S. I just bought tickets to Italy this coming week. I'm going to visit Katie! AAAAHHHHH!

Pikchas!

I just wanted to post some pictures of my most recent adventures for ya'll. :) Here goes:

Let's just say that I am going to miss the parks here so so much! They're blissful!

Hayley and I after our "one mile" walk to Anne Hathaway's cottage that we didn't even enter. Longest mile ever!

Shakespeare's grave. Weird to think he's just under there.

His grave is in this gorgeous Trinity Church Chapel.

They have nice prayer pillows. :)

The river Avon

In Shakespeare's garden there were all these statues representing his plays. So cool. I think this one is Hamlet or something.

Cute hide-a-way in the garden

Shakespeare's garden. It was completely Pride and Prejudice gorgeous! I could just stroll round and round for hours.

Shakespeare's Birthplace!

Me and this nice old house in Stratford.

Did you know my second name is Shakespeare?

We watched Wild Child and they do this really wimpy white girl Hakka- us re-enacting.

Ha ha ha ha ha like I said... thrusting!

NEW FRIENDS! Chris, Dave, Me, Amanda and Kendall