Recap

So I'll attempt to get you caught up with the happenings in Winchester-- I was sick, then blessed with visitors, then sick again, but I still can't believe the amount of time that has passed since my last post.

Let's see, where to begin? I vividly remember wanting to post something a couple weeks back ... Ah yes, the week following 4th of July weekend was quite a turning point for me. The holidays, as I think I mentioned, were pretty rough. I was feeling pretty lonely, missing my family and friends like crazy, but come Monday morning (perhaps even Sunday) I really felt revived and renewed and ready to once again put my all into the summer program and to enjoy every minute of the time I get to spend here in Winchester.

I began spending every morning in Panera Bread that week-- sipping a frothy chai tea latte and reading the Bible, journaling, listening to what God had for me for the day. I can't even begin to describe the difference this made in my time with the kids. Even though I was coming off a cold/flu, I had an incredible amount of energy, and passion, and just a down right love for what I was doing.

Yes, this was truly a blessed week-- first because of how God was restoring me each morning (go figure, make yourself available to God and God will fufill God's promises to give you peace, and life abundant!-- I swear, everyday I identify more and more with the Isrealites who seemed so forgetful of the things God showed and taught them, desperately in need of constant reminders). But even aside from these insights and moments of replenishment, the week was blessed because I had VISITORS!

First, two of my fellow interns, Hannah and Charles, who are serving in Alexandria, VA, and whom I have come to ADORE, drove down/up/across (not too sharp with Virginia geography..) to come see me. We spent the day in downtown Winchester, exploring antique shops, coffee shops, and one particularly entertaining joke shop. After a wonderful day of taking pictures, playing games, and souvenier shopping, we headed back to Pastora Martha's house, where I had another guest-- JEFF!

I can't tell you how good it was to have a piece of home hold me in its arms. Ah, to have familiar sights/sounds/smells-- it was intoxicating! It was even more incredible to watch my two worlds intersect, to see Jeff in Winchester, Jeff with Hannah and Charles, Jeff with Pastora Martha, and, later in the week, Jeff with the kids, at the church, serving in our ministry.

His visit came and went as a blur. We took an amazing trip to D.C. over the weekend, spent some time with his family there, and spent an afternoon wandering around The Mall (not sure if that needs capitalizing or not, but I feel as though it deserves a big M). :)

I loved visiting the museums, and especially the Lincoln Memorial-- I've got a soft spot for both Lincoln and sculpture, so put me in a building that combines the two and I'm a real happy camper. It was great sharing such a neat, historical place with someone I care so much about, and especially on such a whim and with such spontanaety! At one point Jeff and I just looked at each other and said aloud, "How are we in D.C. together?"-- quite the blessing, for sure.

Anyway, after our day of leisure, it was back to work. Jeff stayed almost all week, testing out his children's ministry skills, and I must say he's a natural. We had a great time serving alongside one another, taking pictures of each other with the kids, sneaking peaks of the other when we could-- watching each other talk and sing and laugh with the kids, each time falling a bit more deeply in love at the sight of it all (sorry if this entry is a bit mushy, I just can't begin to describe what an incredible experience it was to share this piece of my life with someone I love so much).

After a few days in, though, I got sick yet again-- this time with something that knocked me clear off my feet. It was nice having Jeff around-- he was able to cart me around to the doctor, the pharmacy, even IHOP when I was desperately craving eggs, while Pastora Martha and our wonderful volunteers carried on with the day's events.

It was sad to have him leave Thursday morning-- we swung by the church so he could say bye to the kids and they just about buried him in a great big bear hug. After that, he took me back to the house, where we said our goodbyes and I crawled back into bed.

I've spent the rest of the weekend recovering from whatever kind of bug it was that flew into my system-- for a little while we were afraid it was mono, but slowly the antibiotics the doctor prescribed began working their magic, and I'm finally beginning to feel a bit more like myself.

That is about all the recap I have time for tonight, but it does feel good to know you are all back in the loop! I will post pictures of Jeff's visit, perhaps sometime tomorrow. I hope this post finds all of you doing well, and enjoying the summer. I love you all and can't wait to see you (family and friends) when I get home.

As always-- Amor y Paz,

Nicole