Emma and Sister Morgan

It has been five years since Emma came home for a visit and waiting for her to make it through arrivals seemed like an age.  When she appeared I gave her the biggest hug ever, I did not want to let go!

 I sent this picture to Kath on her phone ~ she was shopping in Tesco when it came through and Mary Grace was trying to kiss the phone!

 Em and Sr Morgan who hails from Colarado.

 Meeting properly for the first time!  The last time Em saw Pip was when she was four months old.

We had an interesting journey home, Dave and I were both tired so several wrong turns were made :-)

 Still hugging, I could not believe she was "home"

 Saying Grace and serving salad and baked potatoes at 10pm!

Em and Sr Morgan stayed in the caravan.  The last time Em stopped it was in the folding camper and she mentioned this upon arrival, to which I replied that they had been upgraded and it was four star accomodation these days!

 Snapping away, again ...

 ... and again.  Photography and video editing is part of Em's work at The Home Of The Mother TV Studios.

After the wedding they spent a day in Pip's school sharing about The Home with the Key Stage 2 kids (7-11 years).  The kids asked some really good questions and it looks as if the school will partner with The Home's school in Equador.  Em shared a really sweet story over tea that night about a spanish boy having started at the school and  knowing very little English.  When they realised this was the case they spoke to him in Spanish and his face lit up!  After that they acted a translator for him when he was partaking in class discussion about their visit :-)

The week sped by really quickly and before too long, habits were washed and ironed, bags packed and passports/tickets checked.  The checking of passports is a long standing joke for the last time Em visited when Benedict was Pip's age he hid her passport as he did not want het to go!!  I had completely forgotten about that story.

 On the last day the two of them cooked potato corquettes and cheese/tuna omelettes for lunch.  We then made our way along the motorway to Ladywell Shrine where we were meeting some friends and the Sisters were also being collected by a family known to them in the Manchester area.  They would be taking the mega bus from Manchester to London the following morning, in order to attend mass at Westminster Cathedral and then fly out from Stansted later in the day:

 Canon Benedict Ruscillo was Fr Luiz' Uncle and he in turn is Benedict Luiz' God Father!  We chose the name Benedict as it is Hebrew for God's Blessing and Luiz as a second name was intentional, but we laughed when we also realised that he had been named after another priest too!

 Shrine to Padre Pio.

Our dear friends Aunty Maureen and Uncle Bryan.  They cheered our spirits when we had to say goodbye, which was the hardest thing ever and plenty of tears were shed.  As a treat they took us out for tea at a local pub near to their home and then we all attended evening mass at The Cathedral.  By then peace had been restored to my soul and I was able to give thanks for the many graces and blessings we had received that week.

God is good!