No one to thank but God

There are no words to describe the adventure I've been on the last four months. I've been scared, excited, nervous, anxious, and completely filled with God's love. My time here is coming to an end and I have genuinely loved every second of my time in Europe. Through all the emotions, I have learned so much about myself and the vast world that I live in. I am small, especially after seeing the great masterpieces such as the Sistene Chapel, the Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, or Big Ben. I am small to the people who rush by me everyday. I am small compared to the ocean that separates my family from me. I am small to the beauty and serenity of Oxford. I am not small in God's eyes. He loves me for my mistakes, poor judgements, and flaws. He sees me as a woman of God who constantly strives to be more like him. I am a woman who wants nothing more than to do God's will and live a life that is pleasing to him. I've encountered obsticles not only this semester as I have lived in a foreign country, but my entire life. Through all the heart aches and temptations I have no one to thank but my Heavenly Father. I am grateful for the trials I have faced, because my relationship with God has grown significantly. God has significantly blessed my life this semester. He has shown me that he not only loves me, but the entire world around me. He has shown me that I can be a light to other people, showing God's love and forgiving in all circumstances. I will remember my study abroad experience for the rest of my life. I will never forget the places I've travled, the breath-taking masterpieces I have seen, the friendships I've developed, the romance of Paris, or the walk down city-center Oxford. My pictures will be life-time treasures. My memories will keep the joy of Oxford in my heart. Thank you God for providing my parents the means to support my life-changing experience. Thank you mom and dad for having the courage and the faith to send me over-seas, not knowing if I would make it back. Thank you Oxford for changing my life.

Memories of Paris

Paris... the most romantic city

I can definitely say that I was not prepared for my weekend in Paris. I was not prepared to be completely swept off my feet by the beauty of the Eiffel Tower, the strong friendship and bond the group formed, the laughs that came out of everyone, the smiles that lit up our faces, or the romance that filled my heart. On the bus, I first saw the top of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. A giant smiled covered my face from ear to ear and goose bumps took over my body. As the bus drove closer and closer, my heart beated faster and faster. That night, a grou of us wandered the streets of Paris down St. Germain street. I found The Deux Magots cafe that my parents took a picture in front of when they visited back in August. The next day started off with an early visit to the Louvre. The Mona Lisa was great, but the glass pyramid was my favorite. Once again, I couldn't believe that I was standing in front of such a famous structure. Oh, how blessed I am. After, my group grabbed lunch and we had a picnic under the Eiffel Tower. Then, Ryker took me to see the Arc de Triumph. The Arc was stunning! I loved finally seeing it! Ryker knew how much I wanted a picture in front of The Deux Magots cafe, so we took the subway to the cafe and I got my picture! Next, our entire group went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower! We went at the perfect time.. 7:30. We watched the sun set as we looked down on the most beautiful and romantic city in the world. Just as the sun set, Ryker kissed me. Yes, on top of the Eiffel Tower. Not many people get to say that. Then the two of us took a boat cruise along the Siene River.. gorgeous. The next day our group got the once in a lifetime chance to go to church AT NOTRE DOME!!! The organ was loud, incredible and sent chills down my spine. Another picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower occured after church, followed by a visit to Montmare distric with the Moulin Rouge. Sancre Clur was next on the agenda and then we went back to the hostel to get ready for the Fat Tire Bike Tour. I was so stoked about this bike tour, because I took one in Barcelona and loved it. The bike tour, besides the Eiffel Tower, was my favorite part of Paris. The whole group was together, laughing and having a terrific time. A couple crashes occured, along with me running my bike into a tree.. no big deal. I had the best chocolate ice cream ever, rode down the streets of Paris, and experienced the best weekend of Paris with the best people in the world. My favorite part, a moment that I will never forget, is when we entered the Louvre. As we crossed through the entrance, the surrounding buildings literally glistened in the night's sky. A man sat alone playing his cello, which sent a magical sound around us. As we turned the corner, the glass pryamid glowed so brightly. This was magical. Being the only ones around the glass pyramid, listening to the sounds of the cello, and taking pictures with my friends was perfect. I honestly did not want to leave. Unfortunately, the next morning we left Paris. As the bus drove away from the city, a tear fell from my eye. I left a bit of my heart in Paris. I will never forget the memories I made and the romantic and exciting moments that happened. Paris was the perfect trip to end the most amazing semester of my life.

So Far

language barriers? yes
wierd food? yes
do i stand out in the crowd? yes
am i so thankful for all the current trouble in Greece b/c the Euro is closer to the dollar? YES
mastering the art of airports and security? yes
learning not to smile at strangers? yes
learning to guard my backpack with my life? yes
ready to put on a swimsuit? yes (and i did)
learning to check my room # before trying to enter? yes (story)
was my first time to see the moon and stars in Cinque Terre, Italy? yes
having to walk outside to get to every plane? yes (oh Ryan Air)
thankful for McDonalds? yes

having the time of my life and experiencing traveling, learning and growing around the world? YES.
This has been a semester of a lifetime

One day soon

I know my God has you picked out for me
and you will be all I will ever need.
Just like I pick off the petals of a daisy,
I can only guess who you are.
I cannot wait until you get on your knee
and ask me to be yours forever.
Watching sunsets
taking walks
dancing in the hallway
playing cards
tickle fights
are the little things that mean the most to me.
We will have eternity in each other's arms,
but until then I have to wait and see...

Easter in England

As I spend my Easter in Oxford, England I can't help but think of how blessed I am. Last night as I was laying in bed, I heard the angelic sounds of a choir outside my window. I jumped out of bed and opened the window. To my surprise, I saw a group of people gathered around a nearby church. Each person held a lit candle and worshiped the Lord. I left my window open and the gorgeous singing drifted me to sleep. I woke up with the most peaceful sensation. I pulled the curtains open and the yellow daises I bought the night before shined in the sunlight. As I gazed out the window I thought of last night when I heard the beautiful singing. Even though I'm not in Amarillo, TX, it is so comforting to know that I can worship my Lord no matter where I am. This Easter I am in Oxford, England. Next Easter, who knows where I will be. But one thing is for sure I will be worshiping my Lord and giving him the love and adoration he deserves. Happy Easter to you, wherever you are.

Pictures of Cinque Terre

Pictures of Rome

Italy

With 3 girls and 5 guys, I knew the trip to Italy was going to be exciting! We hopped on a plane and flew to Rome. It took me several hours to grasp the fact that I was actually standing in the streets of Rome looking at the historical sights! I saw the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Sestine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. The Trevi fountain was my favorite and I made my perfect wish! Rome was everthing I expected and more! Then, we traveled by train to Florence. I loved walking the streets with the group just snapping pictures and taking in the beauty of Florence! While in Florence, we saw the Durmo, bought authentic fine leather, and ate tons of GELATO! Our last leg of the trip was to Cinqua Terra... B-E-A-UTIFUL! This was one of the prettiest sights I've seen. Cinque Terre is a national park with 5 small quaint villages scattered throughout the mountains. When we got off the train all 16 our our eyes widened! We could not get over the beauty of the village! Our days consisted of eating pizza, scarfing down gelato, shopping, hiking all the 5 villages, and watching the sunset on our balcony overlooking the Medeterranean Sea... yeah, that's right, there's nothing better than that. I had the best vacation with the best people in the best cities of the world! Enjoy the pictures!

Malta!!!

GORGEOUS. AMAZING. STUNNING. and absolutely BREATHTAKING! I've never been to Greece, but Malta reminds me of all the pictures I've seen of Greece. Little white buildings cover the land with the Mediterranean Sea glistening against the sun and moon. This was a definite vacation for me. The five of us had a legit apartment with a balcony overlooking the Mediterranean. The three days consisted of laying by the rooftop pool, lounging in the sand by the beach, and eating at the local cafes. Also, I experienced my first and best crepe! Nutella and bananas! yummmmoo!! We went back to the crepe place every night! I had so much fun with the girls! We laughed a lot, made hilarious videos, and made memories to last a lifetime.

Spain and Portugal

Portugal was a mix of Brazilian flare and Jamaican spice! The buildings were masterpieces painted with soft pastel colors. It was Fashion Week in Lisboa Portugal, so we tried to get in. FAIL. We ate at Hard Rock Cafe, which was amazing to eat a real American burger! We spent the nights walking around the city and capturing the culture. During the day we layed by the beach and ate authentic food. Spain was crazy! We visited Madrid and Barcelona. In Madrid, we toured the city by foot and experienced the sights. In Barcelona, we did a Fat Tire Bike Tour, which was the best way to see the city! We literally rode in the streets of Barcelona. We peddled through the back streets and flew past the Barcelona citizens, and we had lunch on the beach! Yes, one girl on the tour fell on her face! I have to admit seeing her spack the pavement and her shoe flying off was a bit humorous haha! That night we saw a flamenco show.. incredible! I will post a video. The singing and dancing sent chills up and down my spine! For lunch the next day we ate in a huge market.. fresh fruit and bread yummo!

Malia's 20th Birthday!

My best friend in the entire world celebrated her 20th birthday on Saturday March 6th! She is the butter to my bread and the spark to my flame! (whatever that means). That is extreme exaggeration, but she really is so important in my life. We had the time of our lives on her birthday! I'm pretty sure celebrating your 20th birthday in Oxford, England would be the best way to go. The day and night was full of excitement and we were all pleased with how her birthday turned out! Malia, if you ever read this, I want you to know that you mean the world to me and I do not know what I would do without you. Thank you so much for being in my life and sticking with me! We are just alike and I love that! I thank God for you everyday! I love you girl!

My current obsession: Big Ben

Oh London!

On Friday, the group traveled to London for the day! Dr. Lytle arranged for the group to have an exclusive tour of Lloyds Bank. Did you know that Great Britain only has four banks? Compare this to the thousans of thousans of banks in the United States. During the tour, we each had about 45 minutes to discuss individually with a stock-broker. This was very interesting. Andy, my personal stock-broker, showed me how just seconds can change an interest rate. My favorite part was seeing the exchanged rate of GBP change with every second. Thank you Greece for whatever is going on, because you are helping the EURO go down down down!! Next, the group traveled to Parliament. Once we arrived at Parliament, we were joyfully welcomed by thousands of people rioting on the street corners. One sign read, "We don't welcome racists" with a lovely swastika. I'm joking about being joyfully welcomed. It was literally the opposite. Along with the mass of people, thousands of policemen were around... on horses. The riots were due to the South African Prime Minister being in London. Anyways, Parliament was absolutely wonderful. Dr. Lytle worked his butt off trying to get us inside. We even had VIP badges! The Queen's thrown is breathtaking. Solid. Gold. Everywhere. !!! As part of one of my classes I'm currently taking, Introduction to Global Studies, we have to watch and reflect on the Prime Minister's Questionnaire. The PMQ is every Wednesday morning for thirty minutes. You think British politics are nice and polite... think again. I'm talking brutal and cut-throat! Well, as part of the tour, we got to sit in the room where the PMQ takes place! It was a great tour. AND let's not forget to mention I saw Parliament at NIGHT! It was beautiful, but I'm going back to take a night boat ride down the Thames River to capture an even better view! Cheers!

Adventures in Austria

Planes, trains, & automobiles=$$$ Countless hours of travel=$$$ Hostels=$$$ Shopping=$$$ 5 days in Austria seeing the Alps=PRICELESS. My five day excursion through Austria consisted of eating at pubs, relaxing on the river, shopping, and not but certainly not least The Sound of Music Tour!! I saw the famous house, the gazebo where Liesl and Ralph sung "I am Sixteen going on Seventeen", the fountain where Maria and the children sung "do ra mi", the stunning church where Maria was married, and we traveled through the Swiss Alps. The trip was a hit and very relaxing!

from Windsor Elementary to the real thing!.. Windsor Castle

From walking the halls of Windsor Elementary, attending 'Knights Night', and calling myself a 'Windsor Knight' for six years, I've invisioned Windsor Castle as a child. Saturday, my childhood dream of seeing Windsor Castle came true! I thought Edinburgh Castle was great.. until my eyes saw Windsor Castle! Windsor is massive.. literally. And did I mention absolutely breathtaking?! When I purchased my ticket I didn't realize that I would see the actual staterooms, the ballrooms, the china rooms, the reception rooms, AND the many dinning rooms. It could not wrap my mind around the fact that people still live in this mansion! In my opinion, no single person or family should own an elaborate establishment like that. I mean don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to live in a castle, but it was insane! I'm talking about solid gold chandeleirs, cabinets and cabinets of gold china, yards and yards of solid purple drapery, and numerous nakid pictures along the walls. Oh, and let me just inform you that there was a dinning room table set for 52 people! 52 people?! I'm pretty sure 52 people can't even fit into my house, nonetheless around a dinning room table. Windsor castle was perfect and I'm so glad I got to experience it :)

Football Game

The. Most. Intense. Sporting. Event. Ever!!!

yes.. I'm talking about hooligans, screaming men and loud LOUD chants. I experienced my first football (aka soccer) game in England and it was fantastic! Malia and I got really into the game.. we fit right in with the drunk men surrounding us! haha

Christ Church a.k.a. Harry Potter

Christ Church, where I recorded the boys choir a couple Sundays ago, is home for the famous 'great hall' in Harry Potter. We had a special tour of the church and the famous dinning hall. We even had tea in the dinning room!

York and Whitby

Crawling through ancient graves and walking along the North Sea, I experienced York and Whitby, England. In York, we spent the afternoon walking along the streets. We spent two night in Whitby. Our hostel sat next to a huge graveyard and we spent the nights telling ghost stories, followed by a couple rounds of hide-in-go-seek. It was a great and relaxing weekend with the whole gang :)

York and Whitby