"nothing is as it has been & i miss your face like [heck]"

sometimes {like this week} i don't post for a couple of days so i have more for one post. maybe that's a lie. i just haven't felt like it. but really, are you ready for this post? well, audrey's dad has been in the hospital for a few days, so i've been on my own a bit. i've become quite independent. i made myself dinner the night before last. nobody boils noodles like i do. proud? yes. i don't really remember what i did. i learned how to do a fishtail braid. i would post a picture but i didn't take one. today was a really gorgeous day & audrey had to be at the hospital again, so i took a wander around town. i told someone that i gave myself a  three hour tour of richester & he asked how i made it last that long. yes, it is a small village but it's so quaint & beautiful. i walked down by the river & sat for a while, basking in the sunlight.

there was a cat.

if you look to the side, you can see all the elderly folks enjoying the sun with me.

after that, i walked back up to that lovely church from before.

this time there was no wedding. it was silent. call me weird but i spent a significant amount of time walking around the cemetery, reading gravestones. the ones closest to the church date back to to the 1800s. the inscriptions were beautiful & detailed, listing who they were, when they passed & how old they were when they did. i saw far too many that had died before the age of six. i'm sure you've already made the assumption, but i cried. shocking, yeah? i didn't really take any pictures because it felt irreverent, you know? 

but i had to take this one. i love the inscription.
"farewell vain world, i've seen enough of thee.
i value not thy sentiments of me.
they smiles i did not count nor frowns did fear.
blessed hope i rest till Christ appear."

i was there for approximately an hour. then i made my way to yet another historical church. but of course, i stopped off at the catholic church & explored their cemetery.

this church is old. i don't know how old. just really old. there's no electricity.

it was so quiet & peaceful. i sat in stunned silence for a while.
then, i sang hymns. echo-y, old churches do wonders with rusty vocal chords.

so, that was my afternoon. this evening i went to a bible study for the youth in our church here. the leaders had asked me to share my testimony, so i was nervous about not knowing anyone & talking in front of people i don't know. it turned out to be a small group & they were quite nice. i shared, no problem & the lesson happened to be about trusting God, just like my testimony. crazy, no? well, God is good & i'm really glad i went. can i get a 'holla' for stepping out of my comfort zone? the worst part was that it was one of the guy's birthday & there was chocolate cake at the beginning but i was too nervous to eat. but now i'm fine & i want cake... better luck next time. 

so, there's my day{s} for you.  this post was slightly less substantial than i thought it would be. the only thing i didn't tell you is that i've been watching a lot of rom-coms. & jane austen movies. & romantic dramas {rom-drams?}. but that would be embarrassing so, that's about it. love lots. 

p.s. keep audrey's dad in your prayers. he's not doing great.

p.p.s. i really miss you all. i watched that adorable video that randall made me on facebook for the fiftieth time last night & bawled my eyes out. have you seen it? it's perfection. :)

the end.