Goodbye England :(

Well..... I have been avoiding this post as I still do not want to accept the fact that I have returned to America. Hmm. Well anyway. In my last week in England I did some last minute bonding with the people I met there. I miss you all so much already!!!! Its really strange to me that I had no emotion other than excitement when I left America but leaving England I'm pretty much all sad and a teeny-tiny bit excited to see some people. Now, I don't mean that to be offensive to any of my lovely friends and family in America (aka my blog readers) but I'm just very sad to see the end of this adventure. On my last Wednesday, I went to London! First I visited the Tower of London which, as I expected, was amazing!!! I loved just walking around thinking of the other people who have walked there before me as well as of course the extraordinary historical connections. Then I went to Camden Market and haggled with a man over a dress :) great fun, everyone should try it haha me and my beautiful eyes got him down to 8 pounds! I could totally see my mom there twenty years ago!! Hampsted Heath was my next stop, such a beautiful neighborhood! I absolutely adored all the little shops. I stopped at this little cafe there and had the most amazing quiche lorraine tart thing soooo good!!! Then I met one of my friends from school in Leicester Square.We went to this adorable little cafe in Soho... she'll have to remind me of the name sorry :) We then saw..... LES MISERABLES!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me tell you, that was probably one of the most amazing shows I have seen in my life. My favorite character, as I expected was Eponine, I posted a video of her singing On My Own. It was an amazing night and a great way to end my visit however much I didn't want to leave. Thursday I had some people round to say goodbye. It was really sad for me but I guess that's the way life is! As of now, I am just thankful that I had the opportunity to meet all of them and hope to see them again in the future!! Friday, I left really early to get to Heathrow which actually wasn't that busy! My flight went well and I was glad to see my family when I got off the plane :) I had a lovely Christmas with my family in Minneapolis and then returned to good old Iowa. It has been... interesting to say the least. For example while walking to the library, a man yelled at me for being on the pavement haha good times, good times. I did have an excellent time at my baby sister Cora's fourth birthday though! As well as being reunited with some of my best friends in Nevada :) I've been doing lots of shopping, sleeping, baking, and ukulele playing haha so not much has changed. Today is New Years Eve day and I'm looking forward to welcoming in a new year and whatever blessings it may bring. So in the words of my father happy hogmanay and Slainte Mhaith or in other words: Happy New Year and good health :) I do believe this could possibly be my last post so thank you for joining me on this wonderful journey and I look forward to hearing from you all soon. Look out for my potential new blog :) 

xx Emma 

A Cup of Tea Solves Everything?

Yesterday I was meant to go to my friend's house in the afternoon and then go to the cinema with the girls but it didn't happen. At ten in the morning my Uncle Stuart called to tell me that my Uncle Charlie had died during the night (this fact has yet to be confirmed as my family has communication issues). So, as a distressed seventeen year old girl often does, I called my mum. Even though I think it was about two in the morning her time. She, like the lovely mum she is answered :) (love you mum!!!) She then told me that my Great Auntie Moira had had a stroke on Friday and suggested that I ring my Uncle Wally to see if she was alright. So I called him and asked how Auntie Moira was and he said, 'Oh didn't you know? She died last night' So at this point I was quite an emotional wreck and called my mum back wooooohhhh it was well shocking. So then I had to ring up all my friends and tell them I didn't feel up to going out. But one of my friends came round to cheer me up :)  later that night Heather's nephew and neices stayed the night. Today I was feeling much better and went to town with some friends for some last minute shopping and tours of Oxford. Tomorrow I'm going to see Les Miserables in London with one of my friends (Do you still read my blog Rosa??) I'm also going to the Tower of London and Camden Market and Hamsted Heath. yayyyy :) Its ridiculously close to my last day. In moments like these I like to stop for just a moment and think about all the amazing opportunities I've been given over the past few months. Although the loss of my Auntie Moira and Uncle Charlie has affected me greatly, I'm extremely thankful that I was blessed with their presence even if it was a short time. And sometimes, all you really need is to sit down with a cup of tea and look back on what's been truely important...
Love to you all
xxx Emma

Last Days of School... :(

I am coming towards the end of my stay in England which is making me quite sad. On Thursday I went to London with my history class. We visted the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery. It was nice but the bus ride home was probably more fun :) We looked at the Renaissance pictures in the National Gallery but some of us also went and looked at some of the Van Gough's (like the sunflower picture!!!) At the Portrait Gallery we saw the Tudor portraits but also went to see some of the other ones the the mold of the mans head made out of his own blood!!! Friday at school was really sad for me. I had to say goodbye to everyone and it was horrible. But I guess its okay because now its so easy to keep in touch with people. After school ended I went to Cowley with a bunch of the girls which was really great! I'll miss them all so much!!! Then I came home and got ready for my last English party ever! :( It was really great fun though. Thanks to everyone that was there... you know what I mean ;) haha Saturday I went round to my friends house and had a really lovely time. Grrr its so sad that I have to leave!!! :( Then Sunday I went to town and had a lovely shopping adventure :) time for tea now!! more later
xx Emma

I Solemnly Swear I Am Up to No Good....

Made by yours truly :)  

Wow! What a great weekend! I started it out by volunteering at a nature winter event hosted by one of my friend's mums. It was a lot like a Prarie Flower style event (those of you from the Ames area). We helped little kids make star shaped ornaments out of willow branches and then covered them with tissue paper and glue like this one! It was freezing cold though! I swear my toes were going to fall off! But I loved getting to help out and see all the adorable English babies haha. Then I went to South Pacific which was amazing!!!! I've wanted to see that musical for ages. I have inserted my favorite song from the musical which my baby sister Cora just so happens to love as well :) After that I went to a Harry Potter partyyyy whooh! I was Lavender Brown aka Ron's lover in book six! I think I posted about her before maybe? It was my last English party with pretty much everyone in my year (but there's another smaller one tomorrow yay!!!) It made me really sad though :( I don't want to go back to Iowa! Even though I am excited to see all of you. Anyway, in general, it was a great day! Then Sunday, I went to Stonehenge! It was so super! Although, it was horrible weather but I feel like that's practically required for a visit to Stonehenge! Then I went to Salisbury and saw the Magna Carta. I was slightly disappointed though... It was just a tiny bit of paper! But oh well. Then I came home and went to church where we had a little Christmas fun at youth group :) That's pretty much it! By the wayyy, I want a kitten! Fiztig, please don't eat it! I want the one in the picture haha anyway must go!
Love,
Emma xx

Bath Take 2!!!

So last weekend I went to Bath to meet up with one of my dad's old friends Nicola. It was really fun! We went to the Jane Austen house which was amazing. I learned loads about Jane Austen (who just so happens to be my favorite author!!) It was so great to meet Nicola too! She told me loads of old stories about my lovely father :) Then I checked out Bath's Christmas market which was huge! I saw some really good street performers. Then came home and went round to my amazing friend Amrit's house to play some music :) I also thought I'd throw in a picture of me from Thanksgiving :)

Amrit playing me some Jeremy Messersmith :)

Thanksgiving :)

Strikes!

Hiya blog readers!
I've been having a great time! Feeling much better now :) Tomorrow I'm off school again though because the teachers are striking!! It has to do with their pensions being cut. Anyway, I was supposed to be going to London to see the Tower but Heather and I decided it wouldn't be safe because there would be lots of people protesting. So I'm just going to hang out with some friends in Oxford instead :)
xx Emma

Thanksgiving part 3!!!!!!

Hello readers!
Well my Thanksgiving dinner went great!! Thanks to all of the amazing English people who came :) I had roast vegetables, green bean casserole (from scratch!), mashed potatoes, sweet potato souffle, salad, stuffing, squash soup, cranberry sauce, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie!  It went really, really well!!! I was really nervous before but it turned out alright. I'm glad I did it! However, now more Thanksgiving traditions are fulfilling themselves!! I've just missed school because I'm sick!! Which is slightly disappointing but I think it should be okay. I am going to go  back to sleep now though!
Hope you all are well!!
xx Emma