Madrid

Just a few days after returning from our holiday, we were off again. We went to Madrid for a planning weekend for World Youth Day, which will take place in August this year.

At the end of WYD in Sydney 2008, when Pope Benedict XVI announced that the next WYD would be in Madrid, Kev and I looked at each other and said, "We won't be going!" It's not that we don't like WYDs, in fact we love them, it's just that we are no spring chickens. Later that year we found out that we would be moving to Rome to be in charge of the ESM - a job which involves bringing a group to run a mission at WYD.

So we went to Madrid on Friday morning, along with about 20 others from the Emmanuel Community in Europe, to plan for the Emmanuel Pilgrimage. It was great to be involved in the preparation, but they were long days. The Spanish eat so dang late! Dinner was at 9pm each night. After that we would keep going with the planning. Not easy for a girl who likes her sleep. I will need a lot of grace during WYD!!!

Saturday was our sixth wedding anniversary. Being in Spain together was a nice way to celebrate. In the afternoon we went on a walking tour of the city with the rest of the group. Madrid is great, but not as spanishy as I thought it would be.

Hele and Kev in front of the Cathedral


Some fancy little piazza

That night we continued with our conference. After lunch on Sunday, we left for the airport. We got back to Rome on Sunday night. Once again, we were tired but happy!!