15 April, 2008

Whoa...

Sorry for the incredibly long hiatus but David's return, combined with Susie's visit, has kept me happily overoccupied. Susie was here for almost exactly 2 weeks, and it was a complete joy to be able to hang out with her and talk to our hearts' content, and tour till our feet fell off. What a trip. What a friend!

The main event of her trip was my baptism on the 4th. She even spoke at the service, and I wish she were here to talk every week. Susie, you're a gifted speaker! Here I am, with Elder Anderson, who performed the baptism, right beforehand. The children were deeply amused by the immersion thing, apparently. It was a very moving moment for me, and I was overwhelmed by the emotions I felt afterward.


Between Susie and me, we took over 700 pictures during her visit. Kid ya not. There was much touristic goodness happening. Thanks to David's comp. time and some leave, Susie and I were able to do two trips, one for 2 days down to Salisbury/Stonehenge and then London, and a second trip to London for some additional sightseeing the day before she flew back.

Highlights of the touring? Hmmmmm...Castle Rising castle, Sandringham, Salisbury Cathedral, STONEHENGE, Parliament/Big Ben/Westminster Abbey/Trafalgar Square/Buckingham Palace/Piccadilly Circus, Tower of London, Globe Theatre, Covent Garden...I'm sure I missed some there. Oh yes....and we got to see Les Miserables in the West End. SWEET! We took some Traveling Socks along, and got some terrific pictures at SockHenge, Sockingham Palace, and even one of a beefeater holding my sock at the Tower of London. I'm not sure if I am allowed to publish that one :) - he was quite bemused, and amused, however.

Susie is blogging the trip, complete with pictures, but I am SO overwhelmed by how many photos there are, I'll just post this one of Susie, on a double decker bus in London, with that trademark awesome smile. I have so many pictures now of this smile, on this face. What a gift for both of us this trip was!! Thanks, Susie, from the bottom of my heart.

After Susie left for home, David still had several days of leave, and it was outstanding to be able to just... hang out together, recovering a bit from the kids' term holiday, the festival of touring, and everything. I'm so very, very glad he's home again. My evenings are filled with grownup conversation and time with my sweetie. It's like going from black and white to Technicolor. Very sweet indeed.

In other news, sort of caught up in the madness, Miss Lily turned FIVE yesterday! She celebrated with cupcakes at school and a cake last night, but the big party is this Saturday, so I will be sure to blog more then. She told me, "I'm a bit puzzled. I don't feel any different."

4 comments:

Susie J. said...

Happy birthday Miss Lily-bean!

I have to say, that's one of my favorite pics, too. I am using it as my avatar photo on one of my message boards. :)

Samantha M. Dowd said...

Sounds like you had a wonderful time. That's awesome. I am so proud of you guys getting so many pictures!! =)

Lynn said...

I checked out the other web site and she had great pictures!!! I DO want to see the one with the beefeater!! LOL

Toni said...

Wow, sounds like you had a MARVELOUS time! And Yank that I am, I now have to go look up "beefeater." :)