Goodbye for the Summer

We love living in a university town. Durham feels so empty without the students already! The last two weeks have been full of goodbyes as most have graduated and/or gone back home for the summer. This post is a reminder of just a handful of students who have meant so much to Nathan and me this year.

Remember when we went to Fighting Cocks? This is proof that I actually went inside.

This is my Bible study (Focus) group that meets on Thursday nights, minus Octavia, whose name is written on the piece of paper that Harriet is holding. Yay table 3!

This is our adopted family. We adopted university students Tom (on the left) and Jessie (on the far right), who just finished their first year. But we bucked the system and unofficially adopted a Christ Church associate, Nat (between me and Jessie), as well. We've shared great Sunday meals and memories together, and I really love when they bring us chocolates and cards to compete for the title of "favorite child." The jury's still out on that one, so I guess the competition will continue into next year.

"Father" and "son"

Us with our "daughters"

Nathan had some guys from his Focus table over for a farewell barbecue last weekend, and in the middle of eating a spontaneous wrestling match broke out between the Bible study co-leaders - my Nathan and the other Nathan. The boys call them Nathan the Grey and Nathan the Younger. 

I loved it! I didn't have my camera nearby for this match, so thanks go to Justin for capturing the action.

My Nathan clearly had the advantage of not being in a sport coat, but he still won pretty easily. I felt like my mom, shouting, "PIN 'EM BABE!"

More wrestling and some thievery from Tesco to come later this week...