- Meandering about Salisbury while visiting some of the best friends I have in the world. Somehow my soul seemed thirsty for the stories that history has to tell, all the intricacies of the lives lived before mine... I soaked it up in Salisbury Cathedral and the tiny village of Britford a country lane's walk away from where my friends live.
- Visiting my 7 year old godson Alex. So grown up and so delightful! What a privilege to be entrusted with praying for a child's heart and growth... His family are just dear dear people of God.
- Spending my anniversary with my handsome man. He took me up the London Eye after nightfall to overlook the gorgeous city of London...
- A getaway up to North Norfolk with a best friend where we stayed in a timeshare house, talked non-stop about all the deep heart stuff, took a boat tour out to Blakeney Point where all the Grey Seals were coming in from the North Sea to give birth to their precious little fuzzy white babies!, took in a Christmas Spectacular Variety show with hundreds of pensioners, and wandered about beautiful sleepy grey-stoned villages! It was too lovely.
- Spent a weekend in the Cotswolds with my darling cousin Emily looking after my darling 2 year old goddaughter Lily, the child of some of my best friends in the world. It was so familiar and cosy, and again, such an honour to be entrusted with the care of such a precious little treasure. And in my favourite area of England, no less!
- Spent a week becoming acquainted with my cousin Emily's part of England where she's studying for her MA in Bristol! There is nothing like sharing life with someone how is as much sister as friend :) I just felt so enveloped by His love... And I had never known how beautiful Bristol is!
- Devon!!!!!!! Charles and I met down in Devon for the weekend and stayed with his fabulous great aunt and great uncle and second cousins on the sea! It was seriously magical. I had no idea Devon was THIS lovely! And it was really precious to me to meet Charles' extended family because his immediate one is so very small. They were so delightful and being in their presence felt somehow familiar, as if they reminded me of being with my own aunts and uncles and cousins :) What a blessing of a weekend!
- I visited my old hometown of Gloucester, stayed with a dear friend, and visited other dear friends. The chance to just relax in the presence of old friends was precious-- reminding me of how He has surrounded me with so many families in leaving my own...
- My fabulous English travels finished with a few days on the Isle of Sheppey with a bestie, and then a few last days with Charles in London. It was precious to put up his Christmas tree together, spend time with his church friends, have a few lovely dates out in the city, and just relish spending time together. It would be our last chance until the end of February!!
- And then on December 13th, I arrived home for Christmas for the first time since Christmas 2008! And walking into my childhood home, I felt as if I was taking a true deep breath for the first time in MONTHS. It is such a lovely feeling... And such a lovely home!
AUNTIE IS HOME!!!
And so blessed to be so...
