Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

What an emotional roller coaster of a week..

Monday night, Sergio and I met up with my supervisor and her two children who are university age for Scotskins at Joe’s. We’re discussing the possibility of teaming up to start a new young adult’s group in Port Williams. We all agree that the one at Acadia is too hard to integrate into and doesn’t do a very good job at ministering to those who don’t know Jesus. So instead of just complaining about it, we’re going to do something about it. Everything is still in the works, but Sergio and I have been praying about it a lot and are trusting God will work things out just the way He wants them.

From Tuesday until Thursday, I was getting up before the sun, so that I could put in my office hours early and go home early to spend my last couple days with Sergio. I was exhausted. Sergio spent those days packing everything – everything! He has to be out of Tully the day he comes back, so he had to move everything to Eaton’s storage room before he left and what he couldn’t store there, he had to move up to my apartment. It was just a tiring week. We went for a couple walks through Wolfville and managed to get out to Boston Pizza for desserts one night. I think I cried at some point every day that week. Even though I didn’t want it to, Thursday night came.

Boston Pizza desserts

Thursday after work, we did all the actual moving. That took forever! We left Wolfville three hours after we had planned. But Sergio put up my canopy and curtains for my bedroom. He moved up his fans to keep the place nice and cool and left me his TV and speakers with the cord to connect it to my laptop so I can watch movies in my room on the TV. So, at the very least, I’ve got some new additions to my room!

We left Wolfville Thursday night, and Sergio took me out to dinner at Swiss Chalet in Bedford. I splurged and got dessert….

After dinner, we drove out to Kelsey and Zach’s. Zach and Sergio went out to walk the dog, Ricki, which allowed Kelsey and me to have a nice sister chat. I miss my sisters so much. It breaks my heart to think we’ll never get to be back in that farmhouse where we grew up all together.

Sergio and I headed to bed pretty early since we had to get up at five to head to the airport. Friday morning was easily my least favourite time period of the summer. We left the Withrow’s at 5:30 and had a sleepy breakfast at Tim’s. Then we drove to the airport. Gosh, it was hard. I tried to be as strong as I could be because I knew it wasn’t easy for him either. Needless to say, it was a tearful goodbye.

I had to rush down to Berwick from the airport to get to work for 8:30. The road was little blurry, but I made it only fifteen minutes late. But they knew what I was doing that morning and were very understanding.

When I got off work on Friday afternoon, I popped over to Berwick Camp and visited with Grammy Jones, Aunt Suzanne, and her three kids. Berwick used to be so special to me, but now that all my friends are gone, it’s just a campground filled with memories. I can’t wait to have kids of my own to take them there, but, until then, it’s pretty dull. I did enjoy chatting with my grandma. I walked around camp with Lindsey for awhile and got to have a much needed nap. That evening, Lindsey and Jake were in the annual camp talent show! Lauren was supposed to be in it too, but she was sick with strep throat all week. Grammy and I went to watch the show. Jake got on the stage to do his break dancing routine, the music started, and he ran off. :) Oh, well. At least he’s cute. But Lindsey got on the stage and did two of her Irish dance routines. She looked adorable. She’s heading out to a competition in Niagara Falls this week.

Jake discovers Instagram

Jake before he ran off stage

Saturday morning was pirate themed

Lindsey's Irish dance hair piece

Lindsey and I playing hairdresser

I spent the night in the loft of the cottage which was my Berwick bedroom for many, many years. It was almost surreal sleeping up there again. When I was woken up in the morning by Jake’s friend singing about a snail outside the window, I packed my stuff and hit the road.

I made to my parents’ house in time for lunch on Saturday. I basically spent that day laying low. I was exhausted and emotionally drained. I was also working on Room, a book Patty-Sue had told me to read. It was very different from what I usually read, but interesting – a pretty quick read.

Saturday night, I drove out to Ryan Blaauwendraat’s farm and met up with a group of my friends from high school. It was me, Adrianna, Lydia, Ryan, Jeremy, and Matthew. We went swimming in the pool there and sat around a campfire for a few hours reminiscing about the good old days at CCA and catching up on each other’s lives now. I don’t know what it is about those friends, but every time I’m with them, I feel very loved and accepted. We all understand each other’s backgrounds and have the same basis of what’s important to us and, generally, the same goal for our lives. They are just very easy to be around. It makes me so sad that I don’t get to spend more time with them – especially with everyone spreading across North America at the end of this month. But I know that no matter where life takes us, those guys will always be my friends.

I didn’t get to bed until super late that night, because Sergio asked if he could talk to me when I got home. Three hour time difference means when it’s a late night for me, it’s a normal night for him. But I miss him dearly, so I don’t mind losing a bit of sleep.

On Sunday morning, my butthead sister Courtney didn’t wake Abby and I up for church so we missed church. But Courtney went. After lunch, Mom took Grandma McInnes, Abby, and I out to Grandpa’s house in Pictou to swim in his pool. We used to be out there all the time in the summer when I was little, but I couldn’t tell you the last time I had been out there to the pool. Abby and I had our own Olympics. But she’s a much better diver than me because she was on the swim team, and I kept losing my bottoms. We had a lot of fun though.

Abby

I got the chance to have a nice conversation with Grandpa. He’s lonely. He and Grandma are divorced, but they still love each other very much. They still go on dates and have sleepovers and kiss, but they just can’t stand to live together. He misses the company.

Mom and I headed over to Aunt Lynn and Uncle Jimmy’s house because they are Grandpa’s neighbours and we wanted to see their yard improvements. Their daughter (my cousin) Jessica is getting married in September, and she’s having a backyard wedding so they had lots of renovations to do. It looks great though! I’m really excited for her wedding.

Speaking of her wedding…

She left the invitation on her front door because no one was home. We didn’t see the invitation until my dad found it in the woods near our house. We figure Ralph saw his name wasn’t on the envelope, and he got mad. There was a bite mark right off the top!

Wedding Invitation

We stopped for ice cream on the way home.

Scotsburn <3

After dinner, Mom and I went to play a couple holes of golf. It was hilarious. We just walked out our back door and got in the golf cart then we drove down to the hole we wanted to start on and played from there. We only did three holes though because there were other people, and we both hate golfing when we have to wait for the people in front of us. When we were done, we just zipped back up to the house and parked the golf cart beside the back door.

Loading up the cart

Mom 

View from the fifth tee

Abby and I watched a movie on the home theatre that’s now fully installed in the loft with Apple TV and Netflix. Sergio thinks we shouldn’t bother going to the theatre anymore because we could just spend the ticket money on gas to get to Truro and watch a movie there. We’d get a meal and a night away out of it too!

Home Theatre

Monday morning I was so rudely awaken by the lawn mower outside the window. I headed over to Grandma McInnes’ because she was going to teach me how to quilt. A woman came in to my work a few weeks ago and did a quilting demonstration. I’ve always loved quilt work, and I’ve learned from my job that people lose the ability to do the things they are good at. So I figured if I want to learn, I had better do it now while I still have an able teacher. She got me started on a little quilted rose that I can frame. So, that’s my project for now. When I finish the quilting part, I’ll take it back to her for the next step. She was thrilled that I wanted to learn something that was so special to her and her mother.

Quilting

On Monday afternoon, I skyped Sergio for a bit. He’s enjoying being with his family, but he’s missing his Canada family. And I’d definitely have to say I notice his absence.

Mom and Dad took Abby and me out for dinner at Jack Astor’s. Courtney is working at camp for the week so she wasn’t with us. Funny how much more you appreciate your parents when you don’t get to be with them anymore.

Jack Astor's

I stayed Monday night at Grammy Jones’ house. We watched the Olympics together and continued our conversation from Berwick. She made me a batch of chocolate chip cookies to take home.

I hit the road early this morning and worked at the office in Kentville.

And now here I am – my first night alone in Wolfville. So far, not enjoying it too much. I’m making my dinner of chicken fingers. I only have three nights until I go home again though. And thankfully, Sergio and I both have iMessage so we can talk throughout the day. I’ve got an exciting weekend coming up though, and I’m just going to focus on that because it’s a lot closer than when he comes back.

Eighteen more days!