La Verna Spiritual Center

La Verna Spiritual Center                                                                              January 9, 2012 *early

I’m sitting here in the dark listening to dogs bark all around this building.  It is a full moon so maybe that has something to do with it.  The roosters have been crowing for hours but it’s not really time to get up yet… they probably can’t sleep either with all the dogs barking.  After a lovely dinner, we were all given our room assignments by the nuns.  Drew and I are the only married couple traveling to Ndu so we were given a double bed with our own bathroom.  Our first thought was how “romantic” it was, we have barely had time alone since our departure last Thursday.  We laughed when we sat down on the very creaky bed in this quiet retreat center run by nuns.  Not that it mattered, we were both so exhausted that sleep came before I remember my head hitting the pillow.  Drew is still enjoying his sleep, but with all the noise and the full moon coming through the window, I’m not sure how he’s doing it.

My kids are all sleeping in rooms upstairs and down the hall, I know they are fine but they seem very far away.  Ellie is in a room with Kaley, Alyssa and Kym and the boys are in a room down the hall from them.  Levi’s head hurt from all the riding, which sometimes makes him sick, hopefully he is sleeping if off. My mind is busy and just wanting to get on with our day…. Coffee would be nice too

Finally started drifting off to sleep after typing this… then the nuns started chanting.  I laughed so hard at all the strange noises.  Once I got over my giggles, I heard the nuns singing and worshipping and I closed my eyes listening to the beautiful voices.  Bummer that it was time to get up because I’m sure I could have slept in peace at that point.