Absence = Fondness

It's almost midnight. The week has been a long one without Gilles. I just talked to him a little while ago and he's made it over the border and is officially back on Canadian soil.

Gilles has been away for a week now on a mission trip to Kentucky. He and 149 others from our church and community headed last week for Neon, Kentucky to help demolish, clean-up, rebuild, encourage and basically be a blessing to some people in a very poor mining community.

This is his sixth trip to Kentucky and he loves it. For a northern French Canadian lad, he has a lot of southern blood flowing through his veins and he just thrills to the sound of toe-tapping, hoe-down, knee-slappin' bluegrass music. During one little chat we had today before the cell phone cut out, he told me he got to play spoons with one of the hometown bluegrass bands last night when he visited the General Store (meeting place.) I can hardly wait to hear the details of that story.

It's been a busy week at home without him. There is that lovely old adage about the heart growing fonder when your loved one is somewhere in Kentucky. :) It's true. I really have to admit that I missed Gilles. At first I scribbled a long list of 'things to do' on the dry erase board. I thought I would be distracted and not have a chance to get lonely. But I was. I missed that man that I first met 32 years ago! And I am so excited about him returning home in a few hours. Woo! Hoo! Thanks, God for blessing me with a great hubby.

I'm also praying that the other 149 'missionaries' make it home safely soon! I can't wait to hear the stories. Tomorrow promises to be a chatty day (around the Belec household, at least!)