Sisterhood of the Travelling Bear

     One day in October the girls of 209 and 206 decided that we wanted to go to the mall. While at the mall we shopped and as we passed a Build-a-Bear we went inside. Why? We do not really know, but on that day Samuel John Winchester was born. He is a very special boy, named for both John Watson for the Sherlock Holmes novels, and Samuel Winchester from the show Supernatural. During the semester Samuel, known as Sammy by his family, found a home in Castle 209; he helped us celebrate multiple birthdays, Hanukkah ,and Christmas. Samuel now though will be taking a big step, he will be going to London with Stephanie and me. He will get his picture in front of Big Ben and Parliament, 221B Baker Street, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and so many other places. Perhaps he will even go to Nottingham, the place that his idol Robin Hood is from. With two days to go all of Sammy's sweaters and khakis are packed, and his Converse tied. I am writing about this because you might see pictures of Samuel on here. You will not be able to miss him (Hint: He is the bear with his mother's golden hair). This will not be Samuel's last time abroad though, if anyone from 209 or 206 goes abroad, they will take Sammy with them. Our little Samuel, not yet a year old, is going to travel the world (hopefully). He will start with London, a good place to start in my opinion. Who knows, perhaps Samuel will visit King's Cross. What I do know is that when we were a Build-a-Bear that day Samuel got a little bit of me, Claire, Madison, and Abby in him. A good combination. He will be kind, beautiful, smart, and a terrific writer. Worry not world! Our child will know how to use the Oxford comma! Samuel is going to see a lot this semester, but to him Arcadia will always be home no matter where he travels, he will always come back home to us. Now...if only we could get his picture next to an Impala...

One Bag, One Castle, and Lots of Clothes

     This is not my first time abroad; I was in Greece and Rome for two weeks, I went to Russia, Switzerland, and Romania for two weeks also, not to mention our two week cruise in the Mediterranean. Packing for three and a half months though is a huge feat. Packing for college was hard enough, at least then I could bring as much as I wanted as long as it could all fit in the car. For London I will only have one suitcase. One. That is not a lot. Last night I picked out all the clothes that I wanted to take, so today I, well, my father actually, put it all in our biggest suitcase and I just prayed that it would be under fifty pounds. Shockingly, it was. I might not be taking everything that I could be; all my beautiful shoes will not be joining me in jolly old London Town. But...what can I do? My mother lost the fight with my father and I on bringing a heavy winter coat and my rain boats. They would only take up space, and space is limited. Despite all this I have no doubt that London will be amazing. It is a civilized city where I will be able to buy things I have forgotten or need and I am sure that I will be able to live without my precious shoe collection among other things. I am trading those things for a semester Europe. An easy trade off in my mind. 
     Every time I look at the clock I cannot help but think how soon I will be in London. Thirteen years; that is how long I have wanted to go to the United Kingdom, ever since I listened to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on cassette while we were living in China. To be honest I do not remember really even paying attention to them. I must have grasped something though because I remember thinking of Hermione Granger as a mountain ranger on top of a rock, with a walking stick, bossing everyone around with a castle behind her. Now all the books are written and the movies done, and I am no longer six. I find it funny, though you may not, that I started dreaming of England when I first started elementary school, and I am actually going there as I begin college. I spent a semester living in a castle that I love dearly, and soon I will be in a country that has many castles that are all much older than Grey Towers. I need to stop dreaming of the future for now and concentrate on the present, and how I am going to fight all my makeup and toiletries in my suitcase.  

Home is Where the Heart Is

This is just a test to see if this works. I am currently at home, but I will be leaving for London in three days, which is rather scary to be honest. I know that it is going to be amazing though, so I am just taking deep breaths and keeping calm. It is not so much as the distance from home that scares me, but that I want to do so much and have things go so perfectly. Nothing I can do though, but hope and pray. All is well.