Day 36
Today was my birthday! The big 2-1, so exciting. I was really excited for this day because my mom sent me a fun package full of birthday excitement like streamers and balloons and bubbles and presents. So Robyn took the streamers and balloons and went to the bus before I got in and made me a little birthday seat with the streamers and blew up some balloons to throw around the bus. It was really cute, and felt really special sitting under it all day. We drove over to this open-air folk museum type thing in Cardiff after we left the hostel and spent some hours there. It wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, mainly because all the houses smell like peat fire and I hate that smell, but we did see some interesting things about Welsh life.
At around 12 we left Wales and drove toward Liverpool, which was our destination for the night. We stopped on the way at the Gadfield Elm chapel, which is technically the oldest chapel in the church. It was fun because there are not missionaries there all the time so they have this key pad on the door and then a list of questions that if you answer correctly you get the code. The questions are things like “what is Heber Kimball’s middle initial” and “how many books are there in the book of Enos.” Anyway, we looked around and then on a whim Dr. Chapman decided we should have a little devotional/testimony meeting in the chapel part. I loved it! We sang a bunch of hymns and some people bore their testimonies. I loved one thing Dr. Chapman said about the stones of the chapel. He compared this little tiny building with its simple workmanship that was once used as a barn to the spectacular churches and cathedrals we have been touring and visiting, and how even though they are so grand we felt the spirit so much more in this little humble chapel. It was so true. I got to say the closing prayer and was really glad I got to say thank you for the nice experience we had there.
We then drove on to Liverpool. The hostel was once again amazing, and it turned out to be the perfect situation for my birthday. In our room it was just me, Robyn, Mandy and Marissa, and we had our own bathroom! After we got settled in the festivities began! We hung up some more streamers and blew up the rest of the balloons. We blew some bubbles and then played balloon volleyball, which involves hanging up a streamer horizontally and then hitting the balloon over it. Of course during all this we wore our tiaras which came in the birthday package. Then we went down to the kitchen to microwave the little cakes that also came in the package. The helpful man at the reception desk found us a lighter and lit the candles for my cake. The great thing about the candles was that my cake was still really hot when I put them in, so after I blew them out and pulled them out of the cake they had melted from both the top and the bottom. Nice. After enjoying our cake we went back to our room where I opened my presents. I knew that one was a movie and one was a CD because it said so on the customs form on the package, and then there was one other little one. 
My earlier prediction on what they would be: the movie The Sound of Music, the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack, and a gift card for Target, American Eagle, or iTunes. Actual gifts: The Sound of Music, the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack, and a gift card for iTunes. I am so good I kill myself. As I told my mom, it was very predictable in a really good way. After all this birthday fun I called my family so they could wish me a Happy Birthday. It was fun because as I was talking to my mom it was just after 11 but for her it was about 4. But we realized that since I was born in California at around 3, we were actually talking at about the time I had been born 21 years ago! I thought that was really cute. But it was really good to talk to my family for a little bit and I am really excited to see them again in about a week. So all in all it was a good birthday! It was unique, and I have never had to wear a sweater before on August 5th that I can recall, but it will be one I will never forget. Thank you for the birthday wishes and I love you all!
Today was my birthday! The big 2-1, so exciting. I was really excited for this day because my mom sent me a fun package full of birthday excitement like streamers and balloons and bubbles and presents. So Robyn took the streamers and balloons and went to the bus before I got in and made me a little birthday seat with the streamers and blew up some balloons to throw around the bus. It was really cute, and felt really special sitting under it all day. We drove over to this open-air folk museum type thing in Cardiff after we left the hostel and spent some hours there. It wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, mainly because all the houses smell like peat fire and I hate that smell, but we did see some interesting things about Welsh life.
At around 12 we left Wales and drove toward Liverpool, which was our destination for the night. We stopped on the way at the Gadfield Elm chapel, which is technically the oldest chapel in the church. It was fun because there are not missionaries there all the time so they have this key pad on the door and then a list of questions that if you answer correctly you get the code. The questions are things like “what is Heber Kimball’s middle initial” and “how many books are there in the book of Enos.” Anyway, we looked around and then on a whim Dr. Chapman decided we should have a little devotional/testimony meeting in the chapel part. I loved it! We sang a bunch of hymns and some people bore their testimonies. I loved one thing Dr. Chapman said about the stones of the chapel. He compared this little tiny building with its simple workmanship that was once used as a barn to the spectacular churches and cathedrals we have been touring and visiting, and how even though they are so grand we felt the spirit so much more in this little humble chapel. It was so true. I got to say the closing prayer and was really glad I got to say thank you for the nice experience we had there.
We then drove on to Liverpool. The hostel was once again amazing, and it turned out to be the perfect situation for my birthday. In our room it was just me, Robyn, Mandy and Marissa, and we had our own bathroom! After we got settled in the festivities began! We hung up some more streamers and blew up the rest of the balloons. We blew some bubbles and then played balloon volleyball, which involves hanging up a streamer horizontally and then hitting the balloon over it. Of course during all this we wore our tiaras which came in the birthday package. Then we went down to the kitchen to microwave the little cakes that also came in the package. The helpful man at the reception desk found us a lighter and lit the candles for my cake. The great thing about the candles was that my cake was still really hot when I put them in, so after I blew them out and pulled them out of the cake they had melted from both the top and the bottom. Nice. After enjoying our cake we went back to our room where I opened my presents. I knew that one was a movie and one was a CD because it said so on the customs form on the package, and then there was one other little one. 
My earlier prediction on what they would be: the movie The Sound of Music, the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack, and a gift card for Target, American Eagle, or iTunes. Actual gifts: The Sound of Music, the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack, and a gift card for iTunes. I am so good I kill myself. As I told my mom, it was very predictable in a really good way. After all this birthday fun I called my family so they could wish me a Happy Birthday. It was fun because as I was talking to my mom it was just after 11 but for her it was about 4. But we realized that since I was born in California at around 3, we were actually talking at about the time I had been born 21 years ago! I thought that was really cute. But it was really good to talk to my family for a little bit and I am really excited to see them again in about a week. So all in all it was a good birthday! It was unique, and I have never had to wear a sweater before on August 5th that I can recall, but it will be one I will never forget. Thank you for the birthday wishes and I love you all!
1 comment:
Hello
Post a Comment