My vestry has given me a wonderful gift – a “mini-sabbatical” for 4 weeks beginning January 9th! I cannot wait. 3 1/2 years of dealing with our post-Katrina world and ALL that entails has taken a tremendous toll on me and my family.
Why only 4 weeks? I am due a longer sabbatical, per my Letter of Agreement. But with the building project ongoing, I didn’t feel I could be gone for 3 months at this time. I will take the rest of it sometime later in 2009 (probably after our “official” consecration of the new building August 15th – we should occupy around Easter but will have both our Bishop and the Bishop of the Diocese of Florida, who helped us out SO much in our building campaign available on August 15th so the BIG PARTY will be then!
The plan for January is complete respite time. My wife just lost her job, so she will be free to join me for most of it. We are traveling to St. Lucia for a week for our 25th anniversary (WOOT!), then will do some other traveling until early February. I am fortunate my middle child is in nursing school and living at home so she can take care of the 9th grader. It’s all coming together very nicely.
I feel I am really limping to the finish line to get to this respite time, and I am oh so very grateful for the support of my vestry and wardens and parish for this time away to recharge my batteries.