Holiday

it has taken me a few weeks to re-group myself to even get the motivation to blog about my holiday to Ireland. Here is goes...

About 2 years ago my mom started talking to me about genealogy. We went back to Delaware and did a small trip to different cemeteries and old farms where my ancestors lived. This really got me excited to learn more about them. The LDS church has some really good programs for helping with this stuff so it was easy getting started. Once I found all their information, I discovered that their temple work needed to be done. It was pretty tedious trying to make sure all the information was correct, but once I was confident with everything I got to do the baptisms and confirmations for many of them. After that I sent them with people to have their other ordinances done, and finally after I got married Layne and I were able to take them to the temple to be sealed. Standing in for names that I had researched was an amazing experience. I actually knew who these people were, and somewhat of the things they had done while they were on earth. While in the temple, I felt peace, and knew they had accepted the Gospel.

My mom decided that Delaware was not far enough to learn about these people, so she set off on an 8 week trip to Ireland. Hayley, and I decided that we would join her at the end of July. I felt like the trip would never come, but after 16 hours we finally made it! We spent the first few days not far from Dublin right on the Irish Sea. We saw gardens, national parks, and more small roads then I could ever imagine. It was wonderful. This was the place that I felt "at home" in Ireland. I enjoyed every minute of it.
After a few days there, we made the long trek to the Ring of Kerry which is clear on the other side of Ireland :) This was a long day.
We arrived at the Ring of Kerry and I fell in love with all the little villages. Each village had its own special feeling to it, but they were all good feelings. We spent these 3 days touring little fishing villages, meeting a man who makes amazing candles, driving on more cliff sides, standing on the edge of Europe, Killarney National Park, and listening to live Irish music at the local Pub. After 3 amazing days, we headed back to Dublin.
In Dublin we saw Christs Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, and the Irish Film Festival.

They say that you go to Ireland for the scenery, and go back for the people. This could not be more true. We laughed with locals, picked up a hitchhiker, and discovered that even though they speak English you still can't understand them!

It was so fun to have a girls trip. Hayley and i actually got along most of the trip :) and my mom was such a good driver the whole time!

I may never make it back to Ireland, but I hope to be able to travel abroad again!