The best one yet.

So I’m still a tad bit behind in my blogging, but my goal is to catch up this week. I’m almost there! I would also just like to point out that I’ve been better at writing in my journal the past couple of weeks. Just in case you’re wondering. Yay for me! Anyways, here it is…

The best week yet, other than maybe France, was last week. I LOVED every single thing about it (other than maybe Sunday, when I had to teach the chastity lesson to a room full of teenage boys…but that’s a whoooole other story).  So we’ll just start with Monday.

Monday began with letters from my mom, my dad, and a poem from Elena. My dad is possibly the funniest person that I know (second only to LeAnn) and this is why:

“Olivia, I am writing this card because mom is making me so I am pretending that I am writing something profound and inspirational, so as long as I look like I am writing you something and I seal the envelope I won’t get in trouble. Well I am running out of words and, thank goodness, out of space, and now I can go to bed so I can get up and go to work to pay for your wonderful trip. I love you and miss you and am pooped. Love you, Dad.

PS This is why mom gets the better rest homes.”

Thanks dad, love you too.

Monday night we went to….the BALLET!!! At the Royal Opera House…which is beautiful.  I loved every minute of it. It was four different mini ballets all in one show it just made me so happy.

Wednesday was our day trip and it was fabulous. We stopped first at Sandham Memorial, which is a little chapel filled with paintings commemorating the Great War. I didn’t know very much about it, but the paintings portrayed the love and brotherhood of war rather than horrors, and it was such a good feeling to sit in that tiny room and just appreciate it all.

Next was Jane Austen’s house, and only those of you who know me best can comprehend how happy this made me. I’ll admit, I’ve found most of the houses that we’ve visited to be not terribly exciting…but I LOVED Austen’s. She’s my favorite author, and to see where she lived and where she wrote her books had me giddy. I celebrated with a copy of Emma and a copy of Persuasion straight out of the 50s, complete with colored illustrations. I know I should probably find a better adjective to describe this experience, but happy is just too perfect. After that we made a quick stop at Salisbury Cathedral, which was gorgeous and probably one of my favorites so far.

After that we took off to the one and only Stonehenge, which also was just amazing. It was so incredible to see something that I’ve learned about and seen pictures of my entire life. And to see where Tess dies in Tess of the D’Urbervilles, which was probably my favorite part about the whole thing (shout out to Mrs. Clark…and Ben). So lucky once again for sunshine, but it was still as cold as a winter’s day. My only regret? Not buying a “Stonehenge Rocks” t-shirt. What was I thinking?

On Friday, rather than our regular London Study, we took a second day trip and set out for Portsmouth –home of the HMS Victory—the oldest warship in the world. Also the ship used in Master and Commander. It really was so incredible to be able to tour the ship and see what life would have been like for the people who lived on it back then. Sadly, we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but it really was amazing. Fun fact for the day: When Lord Nelson—captain of the ship during the Battle of Trafalgar—passed away on the ship, he asked to not be buried at sea, but rather in his homeland. So the men stored his body in a barrel of rum, which preserved it perfectly. And then all the men drank the rum in a toast to Nelson. Lovely isn’t it?

  

After touring the ship we set out to find the Cadbury chocolate factory—the true reason for the trip. We all stocked up with enough chocolate to last the rest of the trip, as well as to bring plenty home to our families.

And then it was on to Brighton! Where we played on the beach, ate fish and chips on the pier, and just enjoyed the sunshine. We finished up with some homemade donuts, and got back on the coach to head to our final destination...the London temple. I loved being able to see it and a few of us were able to go inside, so we stayed for most of the night.

Sadly, we ended this fabulous week with a Jane Austen test on Saturday, but the rest of the week was so great that I honestly just didn’t even care. Now tomorrow we leave for a weekend in Wales and lots of more exciting things to see. Yay for London! Cheers!