weekend retreat - the end is near

this friday (tomorrow), myself and the igniters, and a few friends they have invited, head off for their final retreat. then the following weekend, we will celebrate their graduation. i can't really believe it's been 10 months since they arrive. i still remember picking steph up from the airport (zoe and i couldn't find her for ages) and grace, with her mum's help, moving in, and kingsley arriving in the office.
this team will always be special. they were my first. and i lived with them too. they are all so different in some ways. but we all get along well.
so this weekend we are heading up to newport for their final retreat. they were allowed to invite some friends, so sherry, iris, cheryl, sean and mike are coming with us. what an unusual bunch, as in, who'd think, a jamaican, 2 australians, an el salvadorian, and a few canadians (and one of those born in hong kong), ranging in age from 17-40. i can't wait. the weather's going to be nice (it continues, woo hoo) and i am going to go swimming.