You want to go to the seaside?

A weekend of love and family in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
This weekend a bunch of us went to Ireland. Flew into Dublin, spent Thursday there, went to the Howth for a nice seaside view on Friday, and to the Cliffs of Moher on Saturday. Ireland has some of the prettiest countryside I have ever seen and my words are ruining it. So I will quit writing and let you look at what pictures only attempt to capture.

And the weekends are flying by.

Last weekend was an eventful weekend and my second to last one that will be spent in London. Crazy to think about right? Thursday a bunch of us went to Old Street and walked around and stopped at a piercing and tattoo parlor called The Happy Sailor. When we came out I had an extra hole in my ear and Kinsey in her nose. Then that night I went to a club with Alexa called Plastic People where the djs played grime music and crowd ranged from hipster to gangster to what? It was so fun! Best part of the night was a extremely wasted guy coming up to Alexa and I asking for a ciggy. The conversation went like this (mind you it the words are to be read in a yelling voice over the music):
guy is dancing hilariously waiting to go outside for a smoke and makes eye contact with Alexa and I who are standing in the back people watching...
dances backwards to us and says:
"Do you have a ciggy?" continues to dance
"No. Sorry."
apparently doesn't hear or understand so repeats louder
"Do you have a ciggy?!" dances.
"No! We don't smoke! sorry!"
"I would really love you right now if you had a ciggy!"
"We don't have one! I'm sorry!"
guy sticks out bottom lip in a sad face while dancing away.

That guy was by far my favorite person in the club, over all the attractive guys- which goes to show how funny he was.

Friday Kinsey, Jessica and I went to St Paul's came back took a nap, ate dinner and then Adilene and I went to help with this youth club at Christ Church Highbury down the street. It was basically glorified babysitting 13 year olds, but the girls we hung out with were really sweet. We taught them ninja and put on fake tattoos (a few of which I stole to bring back to the gang at home). Then we all attempted to go to a club for an indie night, but forgot our ids so just went back home and ordered pizza.
Saturday was Oxford! I feel like Oxford deserves a blog post in itself, but I don't have time for that. It was so fun, but mainly just because we met some really funny people. If that didn't happen I think I prefer Cambridge- it's cleaner and just cuter.

And so this weekend is here and tomorrow brings an early flight to Dublin with Kinsey, Jessica, Adilene, Andy and Harris. I feel like Harris is going to provide some great entertainment, but we shall see. Ireland here we come!

My short and happy life in Germany.

This weekend I went to visit Joana (unfortunately not pictured) in Germany. I arrived Friday evening and left early Sunday morning (or late Saturday night..depending on the way you look at it). It was a very short trip that I wish lasted much longer. I learned new words, met new people, watched a handball game for the first time, and drove with Joana for the first time (which was an adventure in itself at times). Not only did I get to experience all those new things, but I got to hang out with Joana for the first time in two years. It is the sign of a great friendship to be able to pick up right where you left off with no awkwardness, but pure friendship. It was also great to hang out with the people I met the last time I was there -Johannes, Christoph, and Luisa.

I thank them all for spending their weekend with me and I hope to see some of them in Paris in November and all of them at Joana's birthday party if it works out that I can come!

Thoughts and reflections.

If you are reading this to hear about the exciting things I'm doing, stop now. I feel like writing and reflecting, and I've done enough in my journal..and I'm too lazy to get it, while my laptop is on my lap.
If I were to ever write a novel I decided that it would be a coming of age novel- but that's probably just because that is what I'm going through right now. If I were fifty I would say "If I were ever to right a novel it would be about the transition of your children not needing you anymore". There are a lot of those coming of age novels around, so I doubt mine would be ground breaking. It definitely wouldn't be a Catcher in the Rye that's for sure. But it would for sure be in stream of consciousness. I like people to read what I'm thinking. To know what the character is thinking makes the reader feel like they are the character. I think I would also use dreams to show what the character is going through. There are some dreams people have that truly mean nothing, but I think a lot of dreams we have reflect what's going on in our lives- some more obvious then others. I would put in a dream that means something- like Dostoevsky does in Crime and Punishment.
I had a dream two nights ago that I think would work really well. Here it is:
I was sitting watching a wedding be prepared when I realized it was my wedding. The music was about to start for people to start walking down the aisle and I realized that I didn't have my dress on. I ran upstairs to frantically try and get ready. I started yelling for my mom to come help me, but she wouldn't come. "Mom! I don't even know where my dress is! Come help me!"
"It's in the trunk!"
"Mom please I need your help!"
But she wouldn't come. I didn't understand. She helped Amber at her wedding. Why wasn't she helping me? Who am I marrying? For some reason in this dream I could not think of the name of the guy I was marrying. I thought to myself I probably shouldn't be getting married if I can't even remember his name. It made me so mad that I couldn't remember. And then I just sat there with my dress on and my hair half way done realizing that my mom was not coming up to help me get ready. And then I woke up in my dream and told Kinsey about it. She said "It means you want to get married". I told her I didn't think that is what it means. And then I woke up for real.
I would use that dream in my stream of consciousness, becoming of age novel- if I were to ever write one. The character would be homesick or going through a transition of independence. The people they depended on for help before wouldn't or couldn't help them.
That's what I was thinking about all day yesterday. Saturday was a bad day. Sunday was a day of reflection. I had some much needed alone time and some much needed God time.
This morning my Solo Bible told me to get on my face and kneel to God asking him for direction. I don't know about a clear answer I got, but there is something about putting your face on the ground in reverence. It was peaceful? Rejuvenating? I can't seem to find the right word. Maybe it was both. Whatever it was- it was good.
If I ever write a novel I think my character might do that.

Travel travel travel. return.

I found this on the way home and decided it is my new motto for life.
Our week off was nice, but in all honesty by the time it was over I was way ready to come back to London. The best place was the first place: Stratford. It was a great little town and while we were there a big farmer's market and food festival was going on. We got to go to Warwick Castle and see Eat. Pray. Love. also. The place we stayed was a great little bed and breakfast.
My favorite picture from Warwick Castle:

And then we went to Liverpool. I think this city has great potential to be super fun and cool. If I had one word to describe it I would say grungy. But I really liked the grunge factor of it. Unfortunately we were there on Monday and there was really just nothing to do or going on. So it was kind of a failure/ disappointment.
Laurel and I at the docks

Bath was next and while we were there we took a day to go to Stonehenge and some other places. Just like it looks- it is just a bunch of rocks in a field that you have to stay 20 ft away from. But still cool to say you've seen it I guess.

Most exciting part of that exploration out of bath? The little town of Lacomb. Presenting James and Lily Potter's house:

Then we stopped off at Castle Comb a cute little place many things are filmed. Last week Spielberg was there filming Warhorse- a play we are going to see soon actually.

And that's pretty much it. We are back in London not wanting to do homework. At a new place called the Highbury Center. It's nice, but different and I think we all miss Lee Abbey. Number one problem: the wifii in the rooms. We have to go hook up down in the basement library (and I live on the third floor). Problem number two: for four girls we have one small closet and one dresser to keep things in. Problem number three: the lack of motivation to do anything. But that's not Highbury's fault. Coming back from this trip made me realize how much I hate doing school work. Combine that with the stress of being in a new place that doesn't fit your every desire and it makes for a grumpy Kaitlyn. So prayer request: that I 1) get motivated 2) not stress 3) live it up 4) enjoy my time 5) live and love GOD by focusing on all the blessing He has given me on this trip (that should probably be number 1).
I miss all of you.