I AM TWENTY!!!!

It is a little late I know but I have been twenty for three days now. It feels great!!! Honestly the 9th was one of the best days thus far. Oh thanks Mom for sending Rach and I the package of letters and goodness. We opened it yesterday and loved it! I am excited to be twenty. I can't believe the day has actually come. I am no longer a teenager which is so weird to think about. Adulthood is on the horizon and I still feel so young. Although its just another year, there is something different about saying I am 20. I am excited to get past those, "ha your 19 looks" I often received at BYU (especially by those I dated). 20 20 20!!

Twenty Lessons I have learned the past year:

1. My parents really do know best!

2. I love who I am and no one can tell me otherwise.

3. Running soothes the soul! Can you say endorphins?

4. There is nothing like a good pair of jeans.

5. Carbs are where its at-yum!

6.Laughter is the best medicine (the louder the better)!

7. "Seize the day!"

8. Don't stress over things I don't have control over (wasted energy)!

9. Service is the key to true happiness.

10. Brunettes do have fun (almost as much as blondes:)

11. All babies are cute!

12. Stamps can be quite expensive.  

13. Change is constant-embrace it!

14. I LOVE TO LEARN-education is power!

15. "Austin Aimes is a worthy opponent."

16. My family is rock solid!

17. Don't let fear keep you from "botching!"

18. Don't be afraid to love.

19. Live for myself!

20. JERUSALEM IS AWESOME!

I woke up with no expectations...little did I know...

This is Aladdin. We go to him to exchange American money for shekels. He is a darling, old man. I like him SO much. He seems to have created a special bond with Rach and I these few short weeks we have been here. His face lights up when we go to the counter and he says "TWINS!"  When he found out it was our birthday he sang and cheered for the large crowd waiting to exchange money and then suggested we hold lots of money...

no complaints from me.

Anyone who has been to Jerusalem knows who this proud, shining face is...OMAR! We finally took a trip to his place on our birthday. Omar is a very passionate person especially when it comes to wood and Mormons. He sells wood carvings to thousands of people year round (especially BYU students). His wood carvings are absolutely beautiful. Talented is an understatement. He treats every individual wood carving as one of his babies. I love to see people doing what they love. Go OMAR! 

Mint Lemonade. My darling roommates and Rachel's wonderful roommates treated Rach and I to a meal in the Old City. It was just a group of us girls wandering around, laughing, talking and doing what we love-eating!

Yummy Pizza. I have never been so excited to eat pizza. One thing that I struggled with at first was adjusting to the food. The seasonings and overall taste is very unique. Don't get me wrong the food is great. Every meal in the Oasis (JC Cafeteria) is beautifully prepared. Every student here loved it from the start with the exception of Rach and I:) However, I am loving it more and more each day. Though I cannot tell you the joy I felt when my friends told me we were going to get a slice of pizza.

Jess (Rachel's roommate) and my good friend. She was one of the masterminds of this brilliant plan.

The Gang in all their glory. I love these girls so much. We played catch-phrase and ate gummies/chocolate outside the Austrian Hospice. What more could we ask for? I am so blessed to have such great friends. They also gave Rach and I a pair of earrings and a new adapter for my computer because I lost mine somewhere in this black hole we call the JC.

After dinner I did a little more studying because my day happened to fall on midterms. Rach and I were studying with a group of students when I heard "happy birthday" coming from what I thought a small army. Then before our eyes, 40 students piled into this room with two cakes singing to Rach and I. I couldn't believe my eyes. It seems as though there is a birthday every other day here in the JC but never has anyone gone to such great measures to make one so wonderful. We are blessed. I was so happy and I honestly don't deserve such attention and love but I am grateful. In that moment I just felt loved.To preface this, Rach and I got sung to at least twelve times each meal plus a message by Mallory. Earlier brother Muhlestein and his darling family made Rach and I muffins and sang to us in their apartment. They have the most beautiful little girl named sabrina. She has blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes and has labeled us as "her twins." Haha she makes me laugh. I thought being a twin was fun but being a triplet is a party in a half. Man are birthdays great over in Jerusalem. I went through withdrawals on the 10th because of all the attention one gets here on their birthday.

This was the sky the night of the 9th. I just thought it was beautiful.