We're here - a review of the 23rd -25th

If you're interested in a day-by-day review of our first few days here on the island, then you'll be interested in this review, if you're not then you probably won't. Anyway I thought it would be nice to give you everyone a taste of the rush that life has been since arriving. On July 22nd we left O'Hare and arrived on the 23rd in Heathrow. After arriving at Richard and Heather's (the wonderful people we are staying with) we enjoyed lunch in their back garden. By 2:30 we were off to 47 Winchester St. to see our "new" cottage that we'll be moving into soon. It is quaint, many more pics to follow at some point. Then we walked around the village some, I increasingly became more and more tired until collapsing into a nap around 4 pm. They say not to nap when trying to get over jet lag, but I don't see that, this nap I had was heaven sent. We slowly put some stuff away and then had a delicious supper once again in the back garden. After they went to house group we were online a bit, and then in bed by 9:00. Unfortunately we both woke up at midnight, with that excruciating thought of "what if I can't get back to sleep?" but alas we both fell back asleep and didn't arouse on Thursday until 8:30, what a night of sleep! C ya jet lag, it's over you only held us for one measly night.
Dave and Jeanette (the leaders we are working with) came and collected us to go to Andover for some accommodation business, then they took us to the Kings Centre in Oxford, oh the memories from Bible College there. Mark Eley gathered us there to go to his place where Katherine was waiting for us. We chatted for hours with them, some year team people came over as well, everyone had a fine time. We dropped into bed at 12:30 that evening, they gave us their bed, what awesome friends they are:)
Friday, July 25th we puttered a bit, and then started off on the journey northward to Teeside. A mid trip stop at McDonalds was spot on, and a non-traffic filled drive made for a smooth run. They dropped us off at Pete and Debbie Latham's house where we drank a cuppa and shared some stories together. Dave finished work that night, turned up and we talked about his trip to Niger and Burkina Faso, then Mike Bilson arrived soon before eating a killer pasta supper and then we were off to the church for the wedding rehearsal. We wound our way through the town, until finding St. Aidan's church where we welcomed warmly Beth, Jonny, Anna, Terry and others, the rehearsal had just started. The rehearsal was fun, Rebecca both felt more comfortable about our duties in the wedding (we weren't sure what to expect) this was a relief as I was concerned about not doing everything right. Right after a group of friends (Ellen, Tash, Dave, Mike, us, Rachel and Jazzy) decided that we must go out for a drink so we landed at Joe Rigatone's, a nice place on Linthorpe in the heart of Middlesborough. I think that found our way home by 11:30 and in bed by 12:00. I dreamt about forgetting to speak at the wedding, or saying the wrong things, a sure sign that you know that you're nervous, and I was.