Rumos 2.5%: Hungary Day 3

This morning we adventured to the Buda side of Budapest.  Isn't it quiant?

We took another "go-to" photo.

We visited the St. Mathias Coronation Cathedral.

It had a SWEET roof...

...and pretty stained glass windows.

We were lucky to have Laszar Katalin show us the archives
of the Institute for Musicolgoy and Folk Song research:
where few American eyes have ever been!

We met our new best friend Bela who was our personal tour guide.
We then had a yummy lunch at the Market.

After lunch, we visited the Zoltán Kodály Museum.

And to our surprise, we had apple juice with Sarolta Kodály...
Zoltán Kodály's WIFE!!
It was probably the most exciting experience of my life.
We just chatted and talked about her life.
It was amazing.
She told me, "You talk quick and you think quick... you need to slooooow."  :)
I cannot believe we met a world-known composer's/a national hero's wife today.
If you don't know the significance of this, you should probably wikipedia Zoltán Kodály right now.  

Then we met up with Bela again and he gave us a Hungarian history lesson as we walked around Budapest.
Dr. Jaccard was REALLY excited to finally meet Ronald Reagan.

We toured the National Basillica.

It was absolutely gorgeous.

We had dinner at Olivias and celebrated our awesome day.

To end our night, we decided to get some ice cream.
After our first bite, we were all our discussing the weird flavor of it.
When Dr. Jaccard arrived, we inquired as to what was in the ingredients
and he translated them from Hungarian to English.
Turns out, it had 2.5% Rumos in it, so we threw it away.
WHOOPS!  Funny times.
Luckily Bro. Jaccard is the best and later bought us safe ice cream.  

p.s.  I woke up to this engagement video Anna Gleave was awesome enough to make for Brett and I.  It made me miss him even more than I already did.  If you haven't watched it already, here it is!  I love him.  I could watch it over and over and over.

Thanks Indeed: Hungary Day 2

Today, we woke up and went to church here in Pest.  It was a multi-lingual ward.  We wore little ear pieces to hear a girl translating Hungarian to English in the back.  It was a great experience.  I love how no matter where you go in the world, the church is the same and the spirit is the same.   Everyone was so kind.  

Later we got dinner at a little corner restaurant called Huszár.  Let's be honest, it was probably my favorite part of the trip yet.  It was just a small, inexpensive place run by the nicest guy ever.  He was so kind and fun.  He gave us great opinions on what to eat and even chose our sides and desserts for us.  Every time he said thanks he would say "thanks indeed."  Let's be honest, he said it A LOT and at times where we were probably the ones who should be saying thank you.  He was wonderful and how he would say "thanks indeed" was the cutest!  As we were finishing up, the live musicians arrived for dinner time. We got to be serenaded by an accordion player and a fantastic violinist.  They were awesome!  

After dinner, we went to the Duna River and took millions of pictures by the Parliament building and walked across the Chain Bridge.  The architecture here is beautiful.  I'm falling in love with this place already.  

It was a wonderful day.

Video of the day:

Picture time!

Church in Pest.

Pretty alley.  

The BEST restaurant.

Awesome violinist.

Quality.

Did I mention we loved this place?

The Old Train Station facade that we pass to get to the Metro.

The Parliament Building.

Flowers.

Ethnography Museum.  Cool architecture, right?

Sunset on the Duna.

They must love lions... they're everywhere.

Happy girls walking the Chain Bridge.

Bethany.

The "go-to" pose.

A beautiful old motel.

Simmer Down: Hungary Day 1

Guess what?   I'm in Budapest, Hungary!!!   

We left Provo at 7:45am on May 4.
We arrived in Hungary at 12:10pm (4am Provo time) on May 5.
I've gotten only 5 hours of sleep in two days but it's great!

Let me tell you why it's been a great trip so far.
1. They fed us well on the flights.
2. We were able to mostly sit near each other on the long flights.
3. We had a great movie selection on our long flight from Seattle to Amsterdam
4. In Amersterdam, I was supposed to have a 12 hour long layover.   I thought I might take a risk and ask to be switched to an earlier flight with Bethany and Christy.  As I was talking to the travel agent, she said, "Let's see how much this is going to cost you in convenience charges."  And I'm thinking: Oh great, I'm not going to be able to afford this.   After a few short minutes she says, "This is taking too long. I'm just going to put you on the flight."   SCORE!!!  Not only was I able to fly out ten hours earlier than planned (I wouldn't even be in Hungary yet), but I didn't have to pay any extra.   Thank the Lord.  It was definitely a tender mercy today: to not have to sit in a foreign place, by myself, for 12 hours.  Prayers are answered.  Even the silly ones.
5. On the shuttle from the airport to the hotel, there was only one other tourist who was also on our trip and he was from Denver!  Not just Denver- but Littleton.  Not just Littleton- but the Ken Caryl Area.  Not just the Ken Caryl Area- but graduated from Chatfield Senior High in '02.  What are the chances?  Crazy small world sometimes.
6. Karissa arrived a few hours later and we both had the same matching hair do.
7. Chocolate.  Tell me, why can't we make our chocolate this good in the U.S.?

HUNGARY.
Although we haven't seen much of it yet, the old architecture it beautiful.  As we were flying in, there is a large percentage of red roofed houses and it was cool to see as we were landing.  I forgot what it was like to walk around in a place where smoking is allowed everywhere.  That's going to take some getting used to.   Most people speak English and Bro. Jaccard speaks Hungarian so there has been no language problem.  It's been awesome to be in the minority though and listen to others speak.  The public transportation is a little old but super efficient.  We've already mastered the metro.  These are just my first random impressions.  I can't wait for what the next few weeks will hold.

Getting dropped off at the Salt Lake City Airport.
We're psyched.

Many hours later in HUNGARY!

Twinners.

Scary Metro escalators that are SUPER fast,SUPER steep,
and yet SUPER awesome.

Loving the wind blown hair
along with the guy's stance in front of us.

Waiting for the Metro.


Life is Wonderful.

   
 

Love

I believe in love.  

For a long time, I had a hard time believing in love.  The drop-everything, cry when they're gone, Romeo & Juliet kind of love seemed ridiculous, impossible, and overrated.   Of course I believed in love for mankind and the kind of love I have for my friends and family, but romantic love seemed fabricated, commercialized, and lustful.  Let's be honest, I'm a realist.  I needed evidence that love, romantic love, is really out there.  Looking at divorce rates wasn't comforting.  My own personal experience with love was zero.  

What I did believe in, was the love I saw between my parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, leaders, and many other couples I hold in high regard.  My favorite kind of love to witness is an old couple that has been together for many long hard years.  It brings me to tears to witness that kind of enduring love. I knew romantic love somehow existed, but I wondered for a long time: Where do I find it? 

Then it hit me in the face.


My world has been completely altered in just a small amount of time.  Love found me.  I was staring at it for 5 and a half years not realizing the precious gift that was waiting for me so close within my grasp.  Once I had it, everything has been a fairy tale.  I fell.  It was fast, but there were soft arms to catch my heart.   Never did I think I was a romantic, but here I am writing a lovely-dovey blog post about love.  This isn't the only "lovey-dovey" thing I've done either.   I'm also making decisions.  ME!  The girl who can't choose what to have for lunch in fear of missing out on something better. 


I believe in love, romantic love.


It isn't the fabricated love you see portrayed in books and movies.  It's 100,000 times better.  Everything in my life has led me to where I need to be.  Right here, with Brett Mecham.  I honestly believe he is the greatest man.  He makes my heart soar and my soul sing.  I don't know how it happened but I'm so glad it did happen.  He has changed my world completely.  Every night I wonder how I could be so lucky to have found such an amazing guy and then every night I thank my Heavenly Father for such a blessing.  I can't wait to grow old into eternity with him.


Love exists.  Don't lose hope.  "T.T.T. - Things Take Time," as my 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Martin, would say.   Be patient.  Love is waiting just around the block, you just can't see it just yet.   

Bailey Ann Golding

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BAILEY!

You see, I have a sister named Bailey Ann Golding.

She is my second younger sister.

She is very amazing in so many ways. 

Today she turns 12 and I honestly cannot believe it!

I can still remember packing up my Nintendo 64 games and going to Natalie Capener's house at the "butt crack of dawn" because mom was going to the hospital to have you.  What an exciting day it was: to have a new little sister!!  What a blessing it is to have you in my life.  

Bailey, you are kind, smart as a whip, and a great example to me.

I love the way you are not afraid to speak up for what is right.

I love how you are so computer savvy like Penelope on Criminal Minds.

I love how when I look through my church notebooks, I have many of your testimonies written down from all the Fast Sundays you wrote down your testimony before you bore it over the pulpit.

I love how funny and quirky you are.  Your bubbly personality brightens my day.

You are beautiful, inside and out.

I love you Bailey Annie.  

HAPPY 12th BIRTHDAY!

Make it wonderful.  :)

Cute Cousins Back in the day

We love her a lot as you can see.

We learn to laugh even during temper tantrums.

Funny times Then

Funny times Now

Beautiful:  Inside and Out

A New Kind of Wonderful

Sometimes, life happens.  Disappointment is crippling.  You cry because of the blackness that has filled a place in your heart.  

Yet, in the midst of all of the heartache a different kind of light fills your little heart.  A new kind of wonderful that you have never experienced before takes hold and helps you smile through the hard times.    Although things aren't perfect right now, I can't stop smiling.  It's exactly what I need and it's amazing.   I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for something so wonderful. 

My Forever Family

I am so grateful for my family. We're not perfect but I know that they love me no matter what.  My family means everything to me. Their love, their support, their encouragement, even their silly facebook messages brighten up my day and fill my heart with joy.  My Mom and Dad have comforted me and held my hand through all of my baby tears, teenage mood swings, and adult mini-crises.  They have taught me to always keep a smile on my face-even in life's saddest moments.  Their examples show me how to live up to my full potential as a Child of God.  

Although I'm the oldest, I look up to my little sisters in a way that they'll never understand. Their innocence and pure-hearts humble me.  Knowing that they're watching me has pushed me to keep going when things get hard.  Those sweet girls inspire me to be the best I can be.  Without their precious hugs, notes, laughs, and witty remarks, I don't think I'd be who I am today.  

Not only am I blessed with such an incredible immediate family, but I have an extended family including grandparents and a plethora of aunts, uncles, and cousins who also inspire me with their examples of faith, love, and service.  I love them all so much.  

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I believe that my family has been sealed together for not just this life, but for eternity.  I believe with every fiber of my being that there is life after death and that we will be able to live with our family again in a place more beautiful and glorious than we can imagine.  I look forward to that day with a sincere longing.   What greater blessing is there than to be able to be with those you love, for forever?  How truly wonderful it will be.