the countryside.

Today I fell in love with the countryside. It was the most beautiful day...but I have to rewind because the days started out horribly wrong.

We woke up early, and caught the train for our 1hr ride back out to Hatton Cross so we could pick up our car at Sixt car rental. We arrived showed our booking information, and were told we needed to pay the young driver surcharge because we weren't 23. The only reason I booked with Sixt is because I called them twice and they told me both times they don't charge the young driver surcharge. They advertise that on their facebook page and website, but apparently it is different in Europe. I explained I told the guy when I called I was picking the car up in Europe, but to no avail we were given a 90 GBP charge for the young driver thing. Which just about doubled our entire payment for the car. Did I mention I turn 23 while we have the car...still nothing could be done. We finally agree to pay the amount, and then they check our drivers insurance. We have insurance back home, but because it doesn't cover over some crazy amount they needed to charge us for the insurance which was another 90 GBP. Then there was the VAT tax, british office tax...etc. etc. etc. we were money rapped etc.

Then we discover Kenny doesn't have his credit card, so we have to take a bus back to Feltham where Elder Price lives to find the Credit Card or else Kenny can't drive the car blah blah blah. We get there think it is lost for about the next 40 minutes of searching. I call Doris to see if we've left anything...she wants to know where I am, and isn't understanding my questions.

We eventually find the Credit Card. Call our insurance company to discover Europe requires some ridiculous amount of insurance so insurance from America doesn't cover it so we need to pay that insurance.

Long story short we end up back at Sixt car rental, and pay way over 350 GBP which is like $600 for a blasted car rental. We arrived at the car rental place at 8:30 and didn't get the actual car rented till almost 1. So we were charged like crazy and lost most of our day. We were pissed at this point...in fact I'm still pissed thinking about it. Maybe someday it will turn into something we laugh at, but I'm still not there.

We however got on the road, and I was instantly calmed. I could die in these rolling green hills. They are unbelievable. I was literally obsessing. It was like every period drama timed in England was coming to past right before my eyes, and it felt incredibly romantic. I've been dreaming of this place for almost ever. How can you not picture Mr. Darcy walking up the hill to Pemberley when you see hills like this. I was in a crazy romantic dream world. I think I told Kenny like 10 times how I've been romanticising English countryside my entire life, and it didn't disappoint one bit. I'd like to thank Jane Austen and my mom for making me watch the 6 hour version of Pride and Prejudice for that.

To pay her a tribute we stopped at her house. Absolutely beautiful. I think I could actually write books like hers if I lived under such conditions...okay maybe not, but she really grew up in the most beautifully quaint town.

Afterwords we plugged in the gps coordinates for StoneHenge. We were busy gabbing away not really paying attention, and we came up over this hill in the middle of literally nowhere. Settled in the most beautifully green lush landscape sits StoneHenge. I think I gasped it was so beautiful. I really didn't have any expectations for StoneHenge and I was blown away. I think I was obsessed mainly because of this setting, but I have never seen anything remotely like it. It really does have a spirit about it, and it how those rocks got there is beyond me. I loved the place. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Completely surprised me how much I loved it. I think the sheep grazing around it were just the cherry on top to my obsession.

We started heading to Wales, and we were within probably 40 minutes of it, but decided to not take the rest of the journey because it was already getting dark. I was so bummed and wanted to start cursing sixt car rental again.

We decided to drop in on Juliette so we headed up to Bidford on Avon. Kenny didn't have her number and she had no idea we were in England, but he still had her address memorized from the first day he met her. So we just drove there and hoped for the best. It was completely dark when we arrived, and he was positive it wasn't the right house until he saw a picture on the wall of Rebecca so we knocked, and I wish you could have seen their faces. Juliette and Rebecca both came to the door. Kenny had a shadow over his face, but the minute he stepped into the light they screamed Elder Schreiner!!! It was amazing. They were thrilled, and I was so relieved for a minute they weren't sure who he was apparently he has lost a lot of weight since he served in Redditch.

My heart was warmed to see Kenny's picture upon their shelf from their baptismal day. They said they were talking about him earlier today, and sent a package to us last week. So we came home from England to a package with a union jack tablecloth. So happy about that.

We had been there about 45 minutes when Kenny asked if we could sleep over. ha ha Nothing like dropping in right? It was wonderful to stay up late talking in the kitchen about the growth their family has had in the gospel. I felt so full of God's love listening to her share her story from the day she met Kenny, and the steps to baptism. What a beautiful gospel. God is so mindful of each of us. He picks us up right when we need it most.

Juliette shared of the struggles and triumphs she has experienced over the past 2 years, and she is planning to go through the temple this March. How I wish we could go through with her. She has the most beautiful conviction and testimony.

We finished the with pajamas on, hot chocolate, and laughing together. It felt like I had known her my entire life. What a beautiful night.