life as we know it

It is 8:55pm on Sunday evening.

It has been a long week...and a long weekend...and now we are back to another week....

But it's great! So no need to fret about me!

Most of you didn't know this, but last weekend I was able to take another trip to England and surprise Gemma!! I had set it up with her roommate and her boyfriend, who I must say, did a wonderful job of keeping it all a secret. The picked me up at the Durham train stationed and carried my bag to her apartment (such gents). On the way, Charlie (bf) was texting Gemma saying he had a surprise for her. When we got their he knocked on her door and told her to come open the door because his hands were full. Then he stepped aside so I would be the first thing she saw. When she opened the door and saw me she said: "Oh, hello"...short pause.."Kelly!" and excitedly hugged me and told me she was so happy I had come...etc, etc. It was a very nice surprise if you ask me.

It was their last week of Epiphany term, so the whole house was pretty stressed with school work. I brought some candy from Switzerland to ease the tense nerves...it was much appreciated. I would say what candy I brought, but the only one y'all would have heard of is gummie bears. Real classics. So, since I knew Gem wouldn't have tons of time to waste with me, a planned a trip to see another wonderful British friend in Whitby, which is on the coast. It was perfect because she was home for a few weeks on break from her job as an au pair in Switzerland. (confused much? We met in Switzerland through that au pair group, became friends, then decided to go to the next level of friendship and meet the family). And that was also perfect, because York is about midway between Durham and Whitby, so I also got to see Jason who I worked with at Camp Pine Forest. Crazy times, eh? I kept marveling at how you meet people and think you are never going to see them again...and then, you do! It was great. So I got to go to York that Saturday. And then Sarah took me around Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay (which is also on the coast). She took me to the train station near her house which was made famous as the Hogsmeade station in Harry Potter, and we went on the only running steam bus in the world, engineered by the one and only driver of "Thomas the Tank Engine" and "The Hogwart's Express." Unfortunately, his epic train driving achievements are the only thing I can really say for him, he didn't seem to be the cheeriest of men. I was truly disappointed.

On a more positive note, this past weekend was the YAGS winter retreat. I may have mentioned YAGS before, but I don't really remember, so I will again. YAGS is the young adult group at the church the Fiores and I attend. I have been going most Tuesday nights and I really enjoy it. The retreat was held at the Fiores Peillonnex home, so I was a little nervous about my home being invaded by quite a few strangers, plus not getting some time away from my job site; but all in all, I really enjoyed myself and got to know some great people. There was a couple from Kentucky who had great Southern accents and made me homesick for the South. And there was a physicist who attempted to tell me about his work (because I asked), and made me realize how little I really know about anything science related. I sat on the couch for a few hours one day and played trivia games in front of a fireplace...which if you know me at all is pretty much my heaven. And it was pretty warm (the weather didn't concede to the ruse of the title "Winter Retreat"; so I got to take a long run...which I really overdid and am now consequently ridiculously sore. Which I don't say to boast...because basically I am admitting that: Yes, months of not running DOES have an effect on the body. You can't just pick up where you left off. Thank you body for teaching me my lesson. So, we'll be working on that.

And I think the best part of the weekend was just being able to talk about God and the things he is doing in my life openly with my peers. I mean, it has already been an amazing blessing to have Michelle around for constant spiritual encouragement and conversation...but I am so far away from my amazing community of believing friends and my Tuesday Night girls, and I miss the sense of community and comfort that a mutual love for Christ creates. There is literally nothing like it.

So that is all for this post. I sincerely wish I could master the whole "short and sweet" genre.

Will work on that. Love from across the ocean!