Gratitude

Day 9

          In the interest of transparency, I will say that it is now Saturday, March 2 ... except for an official evaluation and reflection tomorrow morning, the program part of the trip is over. I am enjoying a relaxing morning at Farset (more on Farset later ...) getting caught up on the blog, doing laundry, and enjoying some down time while the rest of the group has gone on a day trip to Newcastle at the foot of the Mourne Mountains. I did this trip last year with Sarah, and it was a wonderful way to end the week, but today I felt the need for some time to myself. Later today I will wander to the City Centre for lunch, perhaps at Madden’s, a pub with my dad’s family’s namesake and one I have been meaning to visit for some time. We'll all meet back at Farset tonight for dinner.

          I am exhausted – both physically and emotionally.  This week has gone beyond even my own dreams and expectations. There have been bumps and challenges for sure, but in the end, it’s been an amazing experience. For me, it’s the culmination of three years of thinking and planning, and five months of intensive working with a team of 8 incredibly amazing young women who have taught me so much, and who I know will do great things in the future. 

So, now I will work backwards to tell the story of the last few days. Below is the group doing an art reflection Tuesday evening with Steph and Matthew.