My last day of 22

So today I woke up excited to have tea with some friends. I was impressed. I voluntairly got out of bed at 0630 so that I would have time to go to the gym pre-physical therapy (they're trying traction on my neck for my incessant headaches & migraines) so that I would have enough time to get my homework tonight before game night with one of our small groups from church.

I sat down with my soggy Wheaties and Philip was still online. I opened an email that he had sent me and found out that one of the guys he comissioned with was killed at pilot training yesterday morning. It's one of those things that makes you gasp and physically have the wind knocked out of you. He IMed me and we talked a little bit and then I called and "tucked him in." It was a good reminder of how fragile life is an how important the interactions we have with people are. We never know when the words we speak will be the last things a person hears from us. He finished class and headed to Minnesota to see his family at his cousin's wedding, see his grandparents and spend a couple of days with my parents too. We're both very ready for him to be home on Wednesday.

Of our first 12 months of marriage, he has been away from home 4 of them. It really hasn't felt as bad as it sounds. However, this will be the first time that he knows that he won't be moving/relocating long term in a couple of months, so we can finally settle at home together.

This afternoon I had a wonderful time at tea. It'll probably be the closest I'll get to "celebrating" my birthday (I'm in class all weekend and don't think anyone actually knows it's my birthday) this year. I was able to walk into town to meet with the girls because it was so nice out (sorry for those of you stuck in the Midwest). It's maybe a third of a mile from our "village" to the town square (where they were having market today. . . mmmmm). I wish I could take you all to Emily's Tea Room. This place is this tiny little shop that is the true English tea experience. It's amazing. Everything looks like you're coming out of some kind of storybook. Totally the real deal - from the waitress uniforms, to the BEAUTIFUL china and the amazing scones. It's great.

I got home around 3 and was able to get a lot more studying/writing/preparation for class this weekend completed than I thought I would be able to. Tonight we had game night with bunch of couples from church. SO MUCH FUN!!!! Everyone got to see the competitive-refuse-to-lose side of Joy.