(Bad WIFI in Stratford put me a week behind in blogging, so this past week will come in parts! This entry begins a week ago!)
Day # 33: A big check off the Study Abroad bucket list was achieved on Saturday when we took a day trip to the London LDS Temple! It was such a beautiful day :) Wanting to call ahead and double check if we could go, I got to use a telephone booth for real! I woke up early and scurried across High Street Kensington to the classic red telephone and felt like a real local :D Luck was on our side and we got to the temple surprisingly easily! (thats a lot of -ly's...apparently I use that too much! Never! ) I loved my peaceful time contemplating on all the blessings the Lord has given me since being here in London. It took awhile- there are so many :)
We saw another play as a group at the National Theatre called The Children of the Sun and BOY! Was it explosive...literally! I had to buy the script because it had sooo many awesome monologues. If you ever go to London and want to see an amazing play, just make a trip to the National because they always are fantastic! Gah! I love theatre :D
Day #34: So on Sunday I was asked to give a talk and wanted to get there early! Funny thought to try and get to church on time when you have to depend on London Transportation! If I hadn't noticed a random back road we passed on the wrong bus, we never would've made it, BUT we did after a panicked prayer. Running into the building, I saw the relief on the Bishop's face, and then walked right up to the podium and gave my talk on What Choosing the Right has meant to me :) I lucked out again and got to look over the nursery which had three adorable little girls who loved bubbles! Melt my heart! "Jesus wants me for a sunBEAM to shine for Him each day..." Can't wait for my own kids one day :)
Day #35:
This is me in class on Monday: "HARRY POTTER!!!"
My professor: "...and then our final will be a compilation of essay questions..."
Me: "TWO HOURS UNTIL HARRY POTTER TOUR!"
Professor: "Ok, I think that's it for the day!"
Me: "AHHH!!! LET'S GOOOO!"
To say I was distracted and anxious to get out of class on Monday was an understatement. I was FLIPPIN' OUT! #1 on my London Bucket List was the Warner Brother's Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter and it was finally happening! I am a HUGE Harry Potter geek/dork/nerd/fan/whatever you want to call it and have been ever since kindergarten when I finished the Soccer's Stone :) Harry Potter was my childhood and I probably wouldn't have my BFFs Ellie, Kate, and Renee without that common love of HP! ("I see Diagon Alley!" *run into back stop*) When I was eleven, I asked for a Gryffindor cloak for Christmas! I cried when I didn't get my Hogwarts letter! I went to so many midnight book releases and movie premieres! I really am the Harry Potter Generation and proud of it! Read the 1st book in kindergarten and the final movie came out after my senior year in high school. So bittersweet when it was over, BUT! It's NOT over! I got to tour the set of all the movies and was crying the whole time (no shame at all!)
Beside the two cups of Butterbeer, inside look of the Gryffindor Common Room, stroll in Dumbledore's office, walk on the Hogwarts Bridge, petting of Buckbeak, ride in Hagrid's (Sirius') motorcycle, my favorite part had to be the flying on a broomstick...FOR REAL! ;) Enjoy one of the happiest moments of my life...
*Insert video of Brianna flying on a broomstick like Harry Potter in front of a green screen*
(Couldn't get it to load here, so check my FB!)
YES! Its that not the greatest thing you've ever SEEN?! Just when I thought this tour couldn't get any better, it did...turning a dark corner I saw before me the most nostalgic building of my childhood= Hogwart's Castle :') I've never had so many chills at once- I'm so pathetic! But looking at the castle brought back countless memories of growing up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione running around that very place. In the words of J. K. Rowling herself...
"Whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."
Thats awesome Beena!!! Sounds like an awesome week!!
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