The past few days have been a whirlwind of goodbyes, packing and cleaning.  Today was our last day to sort our four lives back down in to 8 suitcases and 4 rolling carry ons.  We are finally packed and are finishing the last cleaning of our sweet Gilesgate home.  We will miss this place that has been home to us this year.  It has been the perfect place for us.  We have shared meals with friends and family around its table.  We have celebrated birthdays and special days within its walls.  On cold winter days we gathered around its warm fireplace by the tellie waiting for a kettle to brew for a warm cuppa.

Joshua was trying to get to sleep earlier and he was feeling a bit sad as he lay looking at the trees from his bedroom window.  The new and strange became familiar here.  He was thinking about all of the friendships that  have grown during this year.  We were reminiscing about the first friend that he made here in Durham and about the last “Goodbyes” said at fencing today.

We enjoyed a brunch out with Mr. Ray yesterday in lieu of our normal “Field Trip Friday”.  Mr Ray remarked once, as I was taking another 200 photos of a Field Trip that, “this is the most photographed lot in all of Britain”.  Well I couldn’t have a Friday without at least one or two photos.

Last night Rob did a large chunk of packing while I went out for one last dinner with Kate and Lynn.  It was so nice to sit and linger over our meal, just us girls and “Nit and Natter” as Lynn calls it.  Regretfully I did not take any photos of the three girls last evening so I guess I will just have to hurry back.

A more mixed bag of emotions we could not have right now.  Excitement at seeing our family in the next few days.  Sadness at saying goodbye to friends here.  Exhaustion over a day of packing and cleaning and weighing luggage.  The joy of seeing our cousins, pets and friends again and the unsettled feeling of our things being packed up and not out and available as we need them.  Over all of the emotions rides the feeling of wonder, awestruck wonder, at the journey God set before us this year.  We feel a humming sense of anticipation at the next phase of this journey we are on.  We certainly could never have imagined this a short year and half ago.  What will the next years hold?……. blog post after next will be stateside…till then.

Cheers,

Beth