Love Is All Around Us....And So the Feeling Grows...

Esther Little, who I have grown up with and consider to be another sister, basically, got engaged tonight! Ben Bratton is the most blessed guy in the world to be able to call her his fiance! I am so happy for both of them, because they are a really great couple, and they are truly awesome together-I can see how God placed them together.

He was so sweet in making her proposal special-from showing her the house he is building for their life together to flying in her family to help celebrate the special day, he had it covered. No wonder she was in tears all night-she was so happy! And, it doesn't hurt to have your prince charming ask for your hand in marriage by adorning it with a beautiful engagement ring, which is what she said he has done. =) YAY!

I could not be any happier for her-it is such an exciting feeling to think that someone has taken that huge step in asking you to be the person they can love for the rest of their time on this earth. It makes you feel so special-knowing they planned it out and made a big deal in making you have a memorable and unique moment that is just for the two of you. But more importantly, it is really amazing to realize that you have a strong foundation in your relationship through God, and it is wonderful when He has led you to that point. I am SO happy that they are engaged, and they want to get married in MAY! Whew!

Gotta go to bed now...just wanted to make sure it got documented- December 19, 2006-Esther got engaged!
Love,
Meghan

ps-Also, Roxi Veal found out that she and her husband are pregnant! how exciting has today turned out to be!!?? YAY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME!!!!!!!!

YAY!! I am THROUGH with Finals! Thank goodness! Now I can enjoy Christmas Break!

oooohhh...exámenes finales....

Este tiempo, próximo año, no necesitaré a estudiar para los exámenes finales. Yo puedo tener un trabajo y ganaré dinero en lugar de mis exámenes. Para ahora, tengo un examen de literatura española en la mañana. No quiero a estudiar. Por eso, estoy aquí…con blogger y sin mis libros-(¡muy malo, Meghan!) Está tiempo a volver a mis notas y libros otra vez. ¡Hasta luego!

¿No comprende? Está bien....

This time, next year, I won't need to study for final exams. I can have a job and earn money instead of exams. For now, I have an Spanish Literature exam in the morning. I don't want to study. Therefore, I'm here...with blogger, and without my books-(very bad, Meghan!) It's time to return to my notes and books again. Until Later!

[I didn't wanna write anything toooo long...just enough to get the point across. Meghan+Finals+Foreign Language= Procrastination]

angry, annoyed, bent out of shape, boiling, burned up.....

Sometimes people make me "teed off." At least that was one alternative for angry that I found when I went to thesaurus.com. I was ANGRY tonight, but that didn't seem like a strong enough word. I couldn't find a strong enough one on that page either, but it made me less angry to laugh at some of the alternative words they chose.

Check it out.

It might be deadly...

I am a firm believer that I have had senioritus since I was about a junior or so in high school, but it has NEVER tested me before as much as it has this semester. It's AWFUL. I just want to be done. At the same time, I realize that I am never going to attend another football game as a student, I will never be a part of another rush as an active sorority sister, I will never try out for a Rho Chi position again, and I will never have another "Thanksgiving Break," "Christmas Break," or "Spring/Fall Breaks" like I have had (or will have).

For some reason, none of that seems that sad to me right now, and I think it's because I am still here. When next year comes around and I need to call to find out the code to get into the Gamma Phi Beta house, or I am working instead of rushing girls, or I am working instead of having a break, or I am attending GT football games with Tom and wishing we were at UGA (haha), I think it is really going to hit me that it's all gone and never coming back.

But right now, so help me, I can't WAIT for finals to end, for Christmas Break, for hanging out, and for my last semester of college. Even though that means the career search-hopefully at Zoo Atlanta- and even though it means paying my own way in the world, I will NEVER have to take a test again or write another paper...at least not like I do now. And THAT is awesome.

Last night I was up till 5:30AM working on a Spanish Lit paper that I started researching to write about 5 days ago. I had met with my teacher, I had gone to the library, I had looked up sources online...and used an online translator a little to understand some of it. And I was still up trying to write it. I got up at 9 to finish it, and I finally got it done and turned in. Hallelujah! I am SO ready to never have nights like that again. Next semester I am taking Spanish Culture and Literature, which is my the only thing standing in between me and my minor at the moment. (there is a small problem with positioning of one of the Spanish courses I took this summer, but I plan to have that fixed pronto). I can't say that Spanish Lit was one of my favorite courses to take for my minor, but the good thing about it is that it's pretty much over. I have the final, which is going to be horrible, but then I'm out like a light...unless I get a C- or below in the class, which shouldn't happen. I am not sure what I have right now in there, but I am pretty sure it's a B or more.

Tomorrow we have a paper due in my Social Psych class, and I have to say that I am REALLY grateful that I had an awesome group for that lab. I don't usually have a high opinion of group work, but in this case, it was awesome! I also have an extra credit paper due in my drama class as well as a million journal entrys due. Other than that kind of stuff, this is the best elective I've ever taken at UGA. It's awesome.

Next semester I plan to take a 4-hour Psych course (as of now: Developmental Psychology Lecutre+Lab) as well as the 3-hour Spanish Culture and Literature course. I will also continue to do Psychology research (Psych4800)- this time for 6 hours a week instead of 9- for 2 hours of credit. That will total to 9 hours, which is what I need to graduate. I hope to spend my extra time (because that is WAY less hours than I normally have for school) volunteering with different groups in the area that help animals. I also want to get the ball rolling for wedding planning, which has pretty much been at a standstill thanks to school.

I am VERY tired, so I need to go to sleep now. Just think-Wednesday, December 6, 2006-I am going to my last classes of the second to last semester of any education that I will ever receive. YAY!!!! In my acting class, we get to do fun improv games and to eat and drink if we bring stuff in. AWESOME. Acting is the best elective at UGA-so fun. Hands down--the best.

Alright, sleeping for real now. G'night!!
Love,
Megs

Books, TV, Movies....All types of entertainment!

Hey Yall,
I just felt like writing a bit (I guess "typing" is more correct...), so here I am. Lately, I've picked up The Inheritance Trilogy. That's the one that starts off with Eragon, in case any of you didn't know that book is only the first third of a long story. I saw a commercial for the movie on tv while I was on fall break, and it reminded me that I had wanted to read Eragon but never gotten around to it. I mentioned it to Dad, and he told me he had the book and that I could borrow it. So I started reading it last Monday and finished it by Thursday. I thought it was pretty good, so I bought Eldest, the next in the trilogy. So far, I'm pretty satisfied with the second book. In fact, it's a lot more fun to read than my textbooks, which has been a constant frustration lately, as I'm forced to quit reading what I want to read in order to pick up my notes or books and study. I sometimes wonder if I would enjoy the books I read as much if I didn't compare the excitement of reading them to the boredom of studying. This semester I also read 1-12 of the Stephanie Plum Novels by Janet Evanovich, as well as some other books she wrote. Her books aren't really deep and they're definately very secular, but they're fun to read when you want to take a break from studying or deeper thoughts. It always makes me sad to reach the end of a stack of books because it's like taking a journey with a friend, then realizing that when it's over, you can't go anywhere you haven't already been. That was how I felt at the end of LOTR, Stephanie Plum, and other novels or series and how I will definately feel at the end of the Harry Potter series and The Inheritance Trilogy.

Tom said this weekend, "You probably love reading as much as I love music." For those of you who don't know-that's a LOT. I think he said that after I mentioned that sometimes I get frustrated when I am tired and reading a book because I want to sleep but also continue the story, and how great would it be if I could just close my eyes and keep reading in my dreams-like...have a selective dream sequence...so that I wouldn't have to take a break in the story. I know-I'm a book nerd and a major geek. That's ok with me. =)

This weekend, I also got caught up on some studying for Psych 4200, in which I have a test in less than 24 hours. Then I got caught up on some quality tv. I watched 4 episodes of Smallville so that I would be up-to-date, and I am really loving where the show is headed. It's so great. =) I also watched every episode of Heroes that had come out from the beginning until last week so that I could watch it tonight (which I did). I am really impressed with this show, and I really enjoy it. Hayden whatshername from Remember the Titans and Ice Princess and Neutrogena commercials is in this show, and I think she is really talented and pretty. This show made me realize how much TV I have seen in my life because I found myself pointing out to Tom every character on the show's acting background that I was aware of. "This dude is from Alias." "This one is from Gilmore Girls." "She was in Final Destination." "She was the lil kid from Remember the Titans." "She was on Everwood." "I've seen that one before on My Wife and Kids. He played Piano." Yeah. I know these ppl from everything.

And then there was Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Wow. After having read the entire series of Hitchhiker's Guide..., I just have to say the movie did NOT measure up. I was really disappointed with it, because I had heard that it was hilarious. I think parts of it were funny, but the book was just amazing-it was so funny that I would literally laugh out loud at it...in public sometimes, which was embarrassing at times.

Also this weekend, I got to meet (finally) Jose, Tom's "little brother" in Theta Xi. He was so much fun to be with, and so was his friend Callie, who went on the datenight with all of us to Dixieland Fun Park. It was...different. We had fun, but I think that this website had pictures and discriptions that would lead a person to believe the place contained a lot more exhilarating experiences in store than it actually does. But no worries, it was fun anyway because of the company. =) Also, if you clicked that link, I am laughing at you right now, because you are having to look at that awful website. =)

Alrighty, it's almost midnight, and I still have more studying to do. Yay.

Love,
Meghan

Fall Break

I reallllly needed that fall break, and I wish it wasn't over....back to reality. *sigh* That means for this week that I have meetings and psych research and a cog psych test, a drama quiz, and a Spanish presentation-and it's only Monday. I should be on a bus right now, but instead, I'm in my apartment because I have what might be a stomach virus from playing with my niece Madeline yesterday, who had the same oh-so-lovely symptoms.

Over the break, Mom and I looked at reception sites online, and we visited the Vines Botanical Gardens in Logansville. It was beautiful, but expensive, so we'll have to see. I have a lot more places I want to look before I'll pick a place. It would be awesome to know already, though. I plan to wait on picking a dress for myself until next semester...I don't know what new styles will be coming out with the spring, and I don't want to pick something out now only to regret it later. But I need to get it early enough to have it altered since nothing is ever the perfect length on my short body. I also signed up with the wedding channel (.com) and made a website for Tom and myself: http://pattonandmcfarlin.weddings.com so feel free to check it out! As we know more, we will add info-where things will be held, hotel info for out-of-towners, registry info, wedding party info and pictures, and more. For now, it mostly has a welcome page, a how we met/how we got engaged page, and a page with pictures of our matron of honor and best man (Kristen and Ben). Anyway, it's all underway, and the more I think about it, the more I realize how many decisions I have to make. There are a ton of details!

I went to the PAC homecoming game with Tom, Ben, Henry, and Dana on Friday night, and it was fun to see some of our old teachers and to finally talk about being engaged as excited instead of correcting people to tell them that we aren't. Now we don't have to worry about the rumor mill stirring up engagement stories for the two of us!

On Saturday I had the "joy" of watching GT pull a win out of their behinds over Miami and of hearing Tech fans talk about UGA being beaten in Jacksonville. yay. I also got to see Jim and Mandy and Elizabeth-she is such a cute little girl! She's teething, so she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth to chew on it-not least of her favorites to eat when I held her was my hair. haha At least she didn't spit up on me.

Sunday, we had sherry chicken, rice, green bean casserole, corn off the cob, crescent rolls, jello, and brownies with ice cream for dessert. YUM! One of my VERY favorite meals! You can bet I brought those leftovers back to Athens with me. Tom came over for lunch, and we had fun playing with Tyler and Madeline. Anna Kate didn't get up until after Tom left, but she is SO cute, and she was actually smiling every now and then at Lisa. It was so sweet. I got a half grin out of her when I was talking to her. =) She is a beautiful baby, and she seems to favor the Jackson looks more than Patton looks, which is different than Tyler and Madeline.

And now it's Monday; I'm back at school, sitting at my computer in bathrobe and looking awful. lol I don't think I'm going to make it past my apartment doors today since I don't want to deal with this virus or bug or whatever in public. Oh the joys of going back to school. hah
Love,
Meghan

Isn't it ironic...dontcha think?

I just think it's weird that the last two posts are back to back. I mean...I dunno. From breakups and downers to engagement and uppers. Irony.

And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the act you've been waiting for...

I'm engaged! I'M ENGAGED! I'M REALLLLLLLLY ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!! It feels so crazy that I am at this point in life. I'm SO excited. It was almost a week ago, and it still hasn't completely sunk in. I told my sorority sisters tonight, and it was so overwhelming-3 years ago I was 18 and listening to seniors tell their engagement stories, thinking-wow, I wonder if I'll get to do that!? And I just did. Right after initiation, I told about 185 girls (some weren't there) that I was engaged, that I have a sparkling diamond ring on my finger and a promise from my perfect guy in my heart. I'm so happy, I could burst. =) To read Tom's side of it or see pictures, you can visit his blog. To hear my side of the story, from an email I sent out earlier, you can read below!

Most of you know that Tom and I got engaged on Friday, Oct. 13!! But I just wanted to send out the story as well as a picture so yall could see how beautiful the day was and what an amazing job Tom did!! =)

Tom told me that we had dinner reservations for 5:00pm on Friday at a restaurant that we hadn't been to before, so I was excited about trying somewhere new. He said he wanted it to be a surprise, so he didn't tell me where it would be. After I drove to Atlanta (that took a couple hours due to traffic), I got changed at his apartment to go out to a nice restaurant. Then we drove to some random paylot, and he told me we had to walk the rest of the way. I was just trying to figure out where we were going, and before I know it, we were in Centennial Park. I had never been there before, but always wanted to go, so I was pretty excited to walk through it.

It was really pretty-about 5, and the sun wasn't set but was getting there-kind of a golden color. And we walked over to the fountains and then Tom stopped walking (so I did too). He asked me if I ever read over the emails that we sent back and forth when I was in Costa Rica this summer, and I said that I hadn't. He said there was something in them he wanted me to see, and then out of no where appear these papers. They ended up being some of our emails. He had blurred out the words from the emails except in the paragraphs that were important for me to read, and in those paragraphs, he had circled the important words. The first email had lyrics from a song that we both love that came out in high school:

Those notes you wrote me
I've kept them all
I've given a lot of thought of how to write you back this fall
With every single letter in every single word
There will be a hidden message about a boy that
loves a girl

He circled "this fall" and "hidden message." Then there was only one word circled per email after that, making up: "I" + "wanna" + "get" + "engaged" (about here I stopped reading and he had to tell me to keep going) + "tonight." I think I quit breathing for a minute or two, but Tom didn't-he proposed! =) With the light shining through the fountain, you should have seen the way that ring looked!! It's so beautiful!!!

Then a random guy from Maryland who is in town of a convention told us that he was taking pictures of the fountain when it happened, and would we like him to email them to us? And of course we said yes, and he took some more "staged" engagement photos too. So, I am really looking forward to getting those. Then Tom told me that we were going to eat at The Sundial, a restaurant that revolves at the top of The Westin, giving an amazing view of the city. We had gone there for his 16th birthday, again at 18 for his brother's (Ben's) 16th birthday, and again when we were sophomores in college. We both love that restaurant, so it was perfect! And we could even see where he proposed from our seats!! I was still shaking, even after we ate. =)

He told me then that the night wasn't over and that I had to follow him in my car to another surprise. We went back to his apartment for my car, and then I followed him back to my parents' house-where my mom and dad, and his, and Ben, were all waiting for us with chocolate cake and champagne!! It was so nice to get to share the night with family! And then I noticed a picture (the one attached) of us in front of the fountains, sitting in a frame on the table. I was so confused as to how they got it, and I asked if the Maryland guy really was a plant. He wasn't, but Tom had gotten one of his fraternity brothers to hide in the park with a hat and glasses so I wouldn't see him, and he took our picture from a distance. He had lab, so he didn't get out there until we were doing the "staged engagement" for the Maryland guy, but it is a GREAT picture-it shows off how awesome the location Tom chose was.

Overall, Tom made such a big deal of it, and I felt SOOO special! It was perfect for us, and I am so happy, and I know that I am SOOO blessed to get to marry such an amazing guy. God definately has blessed us.

I hope all is well with all of yall, and let me know how yall are doing!
Love,
Meghan

And that is about the whole shebang! I'm really excited, and I am so glad I can finally share it with everyone!
Love,
Megs

My Dear, We're Slow Dancing in a Burning Room...

I officially love the new John Mayer CD, Continuum, and that title is the name of one of his songs from that album. I thought I would have to listen to the cd several times to like it since I knew he was switching up his style again, but I was wrong-I like this new type of music for him, and I enjoyed the cd right away. I bet I just didn't like Vultures as much on the music video because there is nothing more in the video than them playing the song.

Anyway, that's not the point of this post. The point actually ties into the title, which is about a couple that is hanging on to a love that is going to burn out-and they both know it. I kind of feel like that is what is happening all around me. When I was a senior in high school, everyone told me and Tom that we would never make it through college-especially since we were going to be at separate schools for 4 years, but we were determined. Our freshman year wasn't easy-more like an uphill fight to keep our relationship going, but once we realized we were willing to fight that hard to make it work (and realized God was really behind this relationship-because we never would have made it if it hadn't been His will), it got easier. We made it through, and it's been easier since then.

But it still freaks me out a little bit when other couples don't make it. I know that sounds weird. It's not like I am judging other couples-I don't know everything about other people's relationships, and I think that if they break up, it's probably because that is what they should have done. It's just that it sucks to see people that wanted the same thing that Tom and I wanted ending up going down the way people always say couples will. Whether it's couples that started dating in high school or at the beginning of college, it seems like a ton of my friends have broken up lately, both at UGA and at other schools. I feel so bad, because I want to make them feel better and be there for them, but I don't even know what to say-I just imagine how much it would hurt if Tom and I broke up. And I realize that this must be somewhat what if feels like to people my parents age when their friends end up getting divorced. The statistics are against you all, but it still shakes you when one of your friends ends up on the receiving end of that negative statistic-they're hurt, and it shakes you because you know that no one goes into a relationship expecting it to end. But relationships do end. They seem great, they go on for years, and then someone changes-usually both someones change, but they don't necessarily change together. And then the chemistry is different...it's too hard, or it's just not what they signed up for or who they thought they would be, and it's over. It's freaking me out.

Not that I think it will happen to me and Tom, just that...I don't know...It changes things for everyone. Robert Lee said to me and Tom the other day that if we broke up that we wouldn't have to get over it because the universe would have exploded and no one would be around to sympathize. It made us laugh, but it also made me think, because for the people going through that, their "world" did change. And it changes for the people around them. You have to adjust to your friends as they see themselves in a newfound light. They are going through pain, and you have to feel their pain a little bit if you want to be able to support them. And you have to be able to understand a little bit of their surprise at the end of it all, even if everyone knew it was coming-even if they knew it was coming. And you have to try to balance the relationships so that no one feels an alliance of friends to one of those individuals and not the other. It's hard, and it's awkward, and it's sad for them, and so it's a little bit of all of that for their friends. And it's even more awkward and hard to adjust when those individuals finally start to move on-or date other people. You want them to be happy, but it's hard to adjust to the idea of them with anyone other than that person they've always been with. And it's especially hard if one person gets over it or moves on more quickly than the other person.

I didn't intend for this post to be so down, it's just that I was listening to that song in the car, and I realized I had a list of close friends that have had to call it quits on their long-term relationship in the last year. That song is realistic in the way that couples have fights, so it really has always stood out to me as just kind of raw and honest. These situations are kind of sad, and I just had to write it out because when I keep it to myself, it makes me all uncomfortable inside. I get over my nervousness by talking it out. That's how I do things.

Love,
Meghan

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, by John Mayer

It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm;
This is the deep and dyin breath of
this love we've been workin on
Can't seem to hold you like I want to
so I can feel you in my arms
Nobody's gonna come and save you
we pulled too many false alarms

We're goin down
and you can see it too
We're goin down
and you know that we're doomed
my dear
we're slow dancing in a burnin room

I was the one you always dreamed of
you were the one i tried to draw
how dare you say it's nothin to me
baby, you're the only light I ever saw

I make the most of all the sadness
you'll be a b**** because you can
you try to hit me just to hurt me
so you leave me feelin dirty 'cause you can't understand

We're goin down
and you can see it too
We're goin down
and you know that we're doomed
my dear
we're slow dancing in a burnin room

Go cry about it why don't you
Go cry about it why don't you
Go cry about it why don't you
my dear, we're slow dancin in a burnin room
don't you think we oughta know by now
don't you think we shoulda learned somehow
don't you think we oughta know by now
don't you think we shoulda learned somehow

I need a nap

I have been passing out on my bed totally wiped out often lately, and when I wake up in the morning, I feel like I don't have any energy. I don't go out and party at night...so I've come to this conclusion: I keep putting off studying every weekend until I am back at school, then I am up to hours that are just not decent in an attempt to catch up. This goes on all week, I am committed to too many other things throughout the week meaning I do my homework when I should be sleeping and do group things when normal people do homework, and by the weekend, I am so sick of school I just want a few days to not think about it. And the vicious cycle continues. So I need to get over the not wanting to think about it on the weekends thing so I can have a normal sleeping pattern.

I just finished a lab practical for Cognitive Psych, and I have a paper due tomorrow for that class and I also have to do part of a paper for my Social Psych group, and I have a test in Social Psych on Thursday. Before doing the lab practical, I was at Mary Caroline and Anne Marie Armstrong's school, Prince Avenue Christian School, because Mary Caroline is the Star Student this week, and Jennie has a "surprise guest" coming to eat with her every day for lunch. Today was my day, but I was (surprise, surprise) late to get out there, so I grabbed my food and went outside to the playground to eat while she and her classmates had recess. I talked to her teachers and classmates and got to know some of the people that she sees every day, so that was interesting. She showed me the classroom and wanted me to stay through class, but I had work to do, so I had to leave. You should have seen their faces when I told them I would be in class until 6:15 pm today. It was hilarious. They are in 2nd grade, so for most of them that is me being in class until about 2 hours before they go to bed. haha I was definately feeling like a grown up since they all called me a "guest," got me a chair to sit in with the teachers, let me walk ahead of them, and whatever else. It was kind of weird, but kind of like being "the cool kid" so I found it amusing. =)

I feel as if this semester is FLYING by. It's crazy...I mean, I just got back from Costa Rica, and all of a sudden, it's almost Halloween. It's halfway through my second to last semester of college, and I can't believe I'm at this point in life. I feel again such an uncertain feeling in my life...like I KNOW I don't have any control...about my future after graduation. Even when I was a senior in High School, I knew that logically I had options, but I only wanted one. Thankfully, that is what God wanted for me too, so I went to UGA. But now, I feel like I only want one type of job, and what if I don't get it? I don't know what else I would really enjoy doing. I am praying for God to be over it, but it still weighs on me. A lot of people (believe it or not) want to work with exotic animals, and only a few jobs are open to them. I don't have a 4.0...I mean, my GPA is ok, but it's not amazing, so I feel like God is going to have to just really open the doors for me if I am going to get a job at Zoo Atlanta. I know I have the determination, desire, and attitude that would do well there, but I have to get past the interviews to prove it. And I have to get an interview first. One step at a time, I guess. I just guess it's strange to feel like my world is changing again, into something I've never done before, into something that will change my life. That's huge. But God is bigger, so I guess I have nothing to worry about. What a relief. =)
I have to go to Spanish Lit,....then Social Psych, then Cog Psych Lab. Then Pref Singers. Then spend hours doing papers and studying. This work entails: Acting Journal due with 24 entries, Paper due for Cognitive Psych, Intro part of paper due for Social Psych, Quiz for Acting, Quiz for Spanish, meeting with two teachers to talk about different paper topics, Social Psych Exam. And that's just the academic part. I am so tired.
Please, pray for me!
Love,
Meghan
ps- I got a new picture from a friend who went to Costa Rica with me. It was taken on a mountain when we were on a taxi ride from town to our homestays and had him pull over for picture. It's at the top of the page.=)

As of today...

*I got 2/3s of my test grades back from last week and did way better than I thought I had.
*I got gas for $2.29/gallon.
*I saw the people I babysit for for the first time since April.
*I finished the season finale of Grey's Anatomy Season II, meaning I am totally caught up for Thursday.
*I got stuff for Jennifer and Justin's engagement party on Friday-I'm in charge of decorations.
*I have gotten way too little sleep.
*My room is messy, and I need to do laundry. And take out the trash.
*I have been asked about getting engaged every week this semester at some point at least once.
*Jordan (my older brother) is 24!!!! Happy Birthday, Jordan!
*The dawgs have shut-out against teams the last 2 weekends, and I am hoping they do it again against Colorado on Saturday-my final parents weekend with Gamma Phi.
*I had a decent conversation with my Spanish teacher, finally.
*People finally changed stuff up on my facebook page, and I'm not bored to tears with is anymore. .....I have never really cried over the facebook. Just to be clear.

I need sleep. Goodnight.
~Meghan

I'm done.

Or at least, I feel like I should be. I am so worn out. I've had assignments up the wazoo since school started back, and I had 3 very long and difficult tests this week. It's funny because the one that I had today, I felt the most prepared for and didn't even finish-not because I didn't know what to put down, but because it is on Spanish Lit, causing me to have to write (in Spanish) forever. I had 1.25 hours to take that test, and it wasn't enough time. Therefore, I will earn a grade lower than I should in that class because I couldn't write a good (or complete) essay before it was taken from me. Caca. There's some Spanish for you.

I guess this shouldn't kick in 'til next semester, but I have BAD senioritus. I just want to be done. I mean, not with college life. I like living with friends in a fun town with no job, a free gym, and fun activities provided by my sorority, with my parents paying for everything. That's awesome. It's the classes that follow you home part that's murder. I hate that when I am "done" with classes for the day, I have papers to write, tests to study for, homework to do, participants to run in psych studies for 9 hrs a week, and so on and so on with no sleep and tests that display (what feels like) nothing of my ACTUAL capacity to learn the material taught in class since they are so ambiguous or so long that they are impossible to do well on. That I can do without. At least when you have a job you get paid more to work overtime.

In other news, I am working a little at a time to add to my room in my apartment, and so far I am pretty happy with the results. I bought some frames and hung them in my room. They are all matching frames with some of my favorite pictures from the Costa Rica trip I had this summer on display. I also bought a little lamp for the bookshelf/bedside table/thing next to my bed, and I think it looks really good there. And I replaced my 2yr old shower caddy with suction cups that wouldn't work with a new shower caddy that I assembled the other day and is using tension between the floor and ceiling to stand. I basically was hanging from it to pull down the post far enough to make go in initially, but now that it's in, it's great. I was tired of bending down to pick up everything off the floor where it had fallen. Spare me the jokes about how bad that would be in a co-ed prison. That's gross.

I am so happy that tomorrow is Friday. I will have gotten through another week of classes, Tom will come visit me in Athens, we will go to the UAB game on Saturday, and fun will be had by all. =) At least, that's the plan. Tom and I were trying to go through our calendars and make them mesh a little bit, and we were kind of exhausted by looking at how every weekend is dedicated to one game or group or something, but I know that this won't last forever, and I am really happy that we are able to be packed out with plans for our spare time-we can actually GO to the games and have dances and groups we belong to are having get togethers we can attend, and it's just great to have that many good options. Sometimes, we were saying, you just wanna relax and have nowhere to be. But it's nice to have the problem of too many fun things than nothing ever at all.

Tonight was big sis/lil sis for my sorority, and we brought another girl into my "family" within Gamma Phi. My lil sis(Jessica P)'s lil sis(Sophe) now has a lil sis(Jessica B) of her own. That Means- I am a Great Grand Big Sis. JP is a Grand Big Sis. Sophe is a Big Sis. And Jessica B is a Lil Sis. I feel SOOOOOOOOOOOO Old. Both Jessicas are blonde, and they are the only blondes we have ever had in our family since before I was in college, so that's kind of funny. I told Jessica B that she had to adopt a brunette lil sis next year; can't lose those traditions. We only make exceptions for exceptional blondes! haha =) Anyway, I know that sounds very sorority and very girly, but I do LOVE my "family", and Claire and I had them all over as well as some girls in a different "family" that we decided to mush into one big family, and we had Claire's family too...so there were 11 of us over here. It was so much fun-lasagna, salad, sweet tea, garlic bread, and dessert-YUM!! Plus, Grey's Anatomy was on tonight, and let me say that I blame Claire for this, but I am pretty much hooked on this show. It pretty much is a somewhat medically related soap opera/WB drama-ish type show as far as the morals/lack thereof goes for the storylines, but it's SO fun to watch. Probably because about 9 of the authors for the show are women, so they write what we want to watch. There is no way any of that stuff could go on in a real hospital without people losing their jobs. Anyway, I have the first season dvds done with and want to watch the second season now. The third season starts next Thursday, and Claire drops whatever she is doing and practically drools everytime the commercials for it come on tv. I didn't get it before. Now I am starting to do the same thing.

I must go to bed...have to be in class at 9am. boo.
~Meghan

Welcome to the planet....

My niece, Anna Kate, was born Tuesday at 2:17pm, and she weighed 7lbs, 9oz. She is precious, and although I saw her the day she was born, I am going back to Augusta to see her again on Saturday. This time Tom will be coming with me, and I am really excited. It's so fun to watch Madeline and Tyler react to Anna Kate. Tyler loved looking at her nose, of all things, commenting on how hers is little and his is "big." haha And Madeline was asking to hold her, telling Jonathan to wrap her up, and demanding to have her buddy. ("buddy" is the official Patton name for kids' blankets for those of you who don't get that part. My siblings and I all had one, and Tyler and Maddie have one. Now Anna Kate does too, though it would appear she'll have to be a scrappy fighter if she wants to hold onto it and not let her sister take it away.)
I love her already, and if you want to see pictures from that day, check out my moblog!! (The link is also on the righthand side of this page, for future reference.)
Friday, Tom is coming into Athens for Gamma Phi's field party, my last one(!!!) with my sorority. I LOVE our field parties. They are so much fun...live band, big bonfire, food/drinks, dressed out in comfy clothes...which for me will entail a cowboy hat and boots, haha, and sitting on blankets under the stars with your sisters and boyfriend. It's so fun! I can't believe I'm a senior. I feel like I was JUST a freshman. This is weird.
xoxo,
Meghan

YAY!!!

On the last day of rush, my phone decided it would quit working. This was really odd since it was less than two weeks old. (Basically, when I returned from CR, my phone had corroded, so Asurion-my insurance company- sent me a new one. Then that one quit working.) Needless to say, I was upset since I was in Athens and had no way of communicating with anyone. I couldn't talk to Tom or get in touch with friends well at all for about 3 days, then Mom brought me dad's phone to borrow, which was great, except that I only have about 4 numbers in my phone memorized-Tom's Cell, Mom's cell, Dad's cell (which I was using), and Home. I have mom&Dad's down because they are exactly the same except for the last number. Anyway, I have been accidentally rude by taking no calls on my cell phone because it hasn't been working, and I am sorry if you left me a message and got no return calls because I haven't gotten the messages for the last week and a half or two. But I finally got ANOTHER phone from Asurion yesterday evening, and it's a different model, so maybe it won't crap out on me. I'll try to return calls and stuff this coming week! I still have to get this phone to have all my old numbers and then activate and program it.
BUT YAY FOR MY NEW PHONE!!!!!!!
Love,
Meghan

The beginning of the end...

Last week, I went back to school for the last year of college...and as far as I am concerned right now, for the last year of any school in which I will be enrolled. I am in a new apartment with new roommates, just because I wanted a change for my senior year, and so far it's been great. It has taken quite some time for my things to get put away in any type of order, but it's getting there. It's overwhelming to move out of a place with two years worth of stuff into a smaller room and bathroom and to find a place to put everything. But it's getting there. I definately got a lot of help from Claire, one of my roommates and best friends.
I was a rho chi again for my senior year rush, and I had a fantastic group of girls. I am so proud of them for trying it out; rush is so hard-you are emotional and stressed and tired all the time. But of my 19 girls in my group, 15 went Greek, and I am really excited! ALL of my girls are great and I hope they love being at UGA. There were 1300 girls coming through rush this year; that's the most UGA has ever had rush! =)
My classes and outside life is going to keep me very busy this semester, as usual. I kind of think that when I graduate, I'm not going to know what to do with myself. Work, obviously, but I've always lived with friends in college, and I've been a student since I was 3 or 4 years old, so to not be going back to that will be a really foreign experience, and I kind of think I might freak out a little bit. It weirds me out just to think of it.
Well, I'm going to work on my room some more, then I'll get ready for bed-I'm exhausted!! I miss everyone at home!
Love,
Meghan

Week 4 Email

Welll....I'm not really sure I sent one. Can't find one anyway for week 4. I'll try to update on the end of my trip at another time. =)

Week 3 Email

Hi yall!
Let me say, first off, that I miss home so much! I really am loving my experience, but there is just no place like home. And that means people, food, my house and bed and pets, my car, stores, and easy contact with others....It's funny how I haven't lost weight with all the walking I have to do. I think it's all this rice...
Around July 3rd, I started getting an upset stomach, and it continued for 5 or 6 days, which was no fun. Other people were getting sick too, and not just in our group, but also my "dad" and one of my "cousins" here. My mom here made me tea with a bush that grows outside their house, and it helped at least as much, if not more, and any drugs I was taking to help my poor stomach. And my lil sister here, Kimberly, gave me a foot massage. It was about as good as a 6 year old could do, and I told her that it was my favorite part of the day. She is such a cutie.
My family is getting very comfortable around me. The parents talk to me a lot, and so does the oldest son, Wilfreddy. He is 14, and really nice. I was on the back of the family motorcycle (actually, it's a dirtbike) the other day where he was dropping me off at a house for a cousin's (10 year old that another girl in our group has in her homestay) birthday party, and he forgot to tell me the muffler wasn't covered, and I burned my leg. Lucky for me, I had cortizone with aloe, neosporin, and a prescription creme from dad, not to mention 3 boxes of bandaids packed. Let's just say I am a doctor's kid and I am also very accident prone, so i know to be prepared. lol I've been keeping it clean and taken care of, but Wilfreddy felt really bad for forgetting to tell me; apparently that muffler is infamous for scarring burns. We'll see, i guess. Everyone at the ecolodge was worried, especially my teachers, who suddenly remembered a policy that we can't ride on our families' dirtbikes, even if that is how they get to areas 2 miles up a mountain. Needless to say, they were worried about what mom and dad would say and wanted me to call mom and dad about my leg, and I told them that my parents wouldn't be too surprised about my hurting something. Mom and dad laughed when they heard that, and mom said "I guess they don't know that you fall down just walking out your apartment door, huh?" lol It was nice to talk to people who know that it wasn't worth getting all worked up over.

Friday, my group got a break to go to Manuel Antonio, four hours away. It's a beach town, and we all couldn't wait to get there. We swam in the beach, went out to eat, did some shopping (my bargaining skills have improved), ate snowcones on the beach, got a lil sun (Nothing next to what I would normally have in Georgia by now), and went to dance areas every night. It was only after we finished our stay that someone told us how sharks are rampant at the beaches there, and I am glad I didn't know. I didn't get attacked, and I didn't feel anything swim up against me. I did get bowled over by the waves though. There is a BEAUTIFUL national park there that we went to, and we saw even more moneys there than the rest of the city (though they are everywhere there) and more iguanas too (also common). The beaches are gorgeous, and it was fun to lay out and swim there. That is where I got knocked over, and it was kind of funny. Basically, everyone was laying out except for myself and two other girls, Katie and Suzie. The waves were not overly strong, but getting stronger, and since there are rip tides frequently drowning ppl in Costa Rica, we were getting out. I was in about to my midthighs (I'm short, so not that deep), and walking out when all in a sudden I got pulled back VERY STRONGLY. I looked over and saw that everyone in the water was like me. Katie and Suzie and I were fighting it but it sucked us back. I was bending forward as hard as I could since I was still standing, when suddenly a huge wave came behind me and pushed me (and the others) over, and it was HUGE. It washed up all the way to where people were laying out. It did is so quickly that it washed over half of our stuff before we could even react. Not that I could do anything from my place on the ocean floor. We kept trying to get up and getting knocked over. Water was pouring out my face, and my swimming suit was on sideways and full of sand before I could get up. I finally got straightened out, washed the sand out of my towel, hung it on a tree, and once again thanked God that I had bought a waterproof hiking bookbag before the trip to hold my stuff (ipod, camera, books, etc) when going around. It was funny looking back to see suzie and katie and myself getting pushed over every two seconds, but it was really out of no where, and a lil scary because of that. Asha, another girl in our group, lost an earring because it was so strong, and pulled it out, and other people were chasing down coverups and shoes that the ocean had stolen. Last night, my roommates and I were eaten alive in our sleep by bugs, and woke up from itchiness. I guess somethings are standard across all of Costa Rica.

As far as the dancing every night, I went with the group but I didn't actually dance. I started to one time because I thought it would be the meringue (sp??) with all this twirling and stuff, like all the other people on the dance floor. But the dude kept trying to talk to me and figure out where I was staying and not doing twirly dancing even when I said I wanted to. He wanted to dance with his hands on my waist even after I told him I wanted to dance like the other ppl, so I just left him on the dance floor. He ended up not being gay like the other good dancers that night. He followed me off the dance floor and I told him "I have a boyfriend, it's not like that. I don't want to dance. I'm tired. NO" (in spanish) so he finally left. That was SKETCHY, so I ended up leaving not much later. I didn't want him to try to talk to me again. That night, some of the kids in my group had a lot to drink and thought it would be a great idea to jump into the ocean at 3am. And to leave all of their things unattended on the beach while they did so. They came home without their wallets and cameras, their purses, and one of the guys had on field pants that were zipped down to shorts, so they stole only one of his pants extensions. Not sure how to explain that last part except that their are a lot of weed lovers in Costa Rica. Anyway, that was the dumbest idea they had during that trip, and they definately paid for it. Oh well.
Tonight, we are back at the Ecolodge, and tomorrow we go back to our homestays. We will be there for 6 more days, I think, and then we are done with classes and going to travel then it's home to the good ole US of A!! I hope to hear back from you all and to hear what is going on in your lives!! I miss you all!
Love,
Meghan

Week 2 Email

Hey there yall!! I don't have long to type... I need to get back home before it is dark. And it's a bit of a walk.

I have now moved in with my homestay family, and they are very nice. The parents are SO sweet, and they have 3 kids. The oldest is 14, and he speaks perfect English. The other two are an 8 year old boy and a 6 year old girl. They are fun, but tiring (what kids aren't)? And the 14 year old is so helpful. I mean...I don't know...I already am struggling to cover all the language barrier plus keep up with class and not be rude. So, his help is a blessing from God. But yall remember, I still need prayers.

Speaking of God, I wanted to let yall hear about something cool that happened at my homestay right after I moved in. I actually am pasting this from and email I wrote April earlier...last night I just was struck with how much comfort the Lord can give me. I opened my bag at my homestay house (I moved in yesterday) and was looking for something, so I took out my big bible and the dad asked me what it was. I told him it was my bible, and this look of awe came over his face. He asked if he could hold it, so i said of course, and gave it to him. I wanted to cry at the look of wonder on his face. He held it with such reverence...and he touched it as if it was more precious than gold...which it is, actually. And he looked all over at it, but he couldn't read it since it's in English. So he showed it to his wife. Then his oldest son, who is 14, looked all over at it as well. They all told me that they thought it was beautiful by saying "Que Linda!!" as they turned the pages, which means "How beautiful"/"That's beautiful!" It was so humbling to realize that I often ignore my bible when it is maybe the most important thing I own.

Then that night, oh my gosh, the bugs are ATROCIOUS. (sp?) Anyway, they are awful. And they were all in my room, and you would have laughed at me freaking out (silently so as not to wake the family) and batting them away. But I felt so alone, even though the family is just great. And I didn't want to read anything long because the light from my flashlight kept attracting bugs. So, I put aside my book and my journal, and I read in my bible. I looked for and read the passage by Paul about learning to be content in every circumstance. I was so grateful for it, and I was finally even able to fall asleep despite the bugs...until one bit me on the neck at 4:30AM. But we won't go into that. lol. Suffice it to say I am really learning to appreciate my relationship with the Lord more than ever...being removed from all that is comfortable will do that to you, won't it?

I have NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER had more appreciation for all the blessings I have in my life in Georgia. I knew I was blessed, and even spoiled, but I never knew what it was like to live in any other way. Well...now I do. There are bugs in the house all the time, and actually, they get into every place in Costa Rica...the UGA Ecolodge, the hotels...everywere. There are rice and beans with every meal. And I mean-EVERY-meal, even breakfast. And they are the staple. The house I am in is smaller than half my basement, and none of the walls are thick or even go all the way to the ceiling (maybe are 9 ft tall), so everyone can hear into every room in the house.... I have never had my mom talk to me while she cooked and i took a shower, but that happened with the mom this morning. Speaking of showers, I have found the cure for long shower takers. It's called: Cold Water. I guess, to this family, the water is hot compared to the water some families have, which comes from a mountain waterfall. (no joke). The roads here are the most rocky I have ever ridden on, and no gravel driveway is worse in GA. I would say April's driveway is comprable to the roads here. I am also going to eat everything (yes, I swallowed zuchinni last night), including fish if need be, except crab meat since I am allergic. I feel that I should since I am in their house.

That being said, I feel like I am exactly where I should be. The family is nice and was so excited to have me. They actually think my Spanish is alright (it's pretty bad), because the people that have lived with them before barely tried to speak Spanish. Besides the 14 year old, no one speaks English, so it's helping me to learn. I have the little girls' room to myself. And the first thing they did when I put my bags down was take me outside to see their dog's 4-week old puppies!! There are 3, and they are PRECIOUS!! They have also got a pretty cat, 2 horses, and some cows and chickens. I don't want any jokes about how it's no different than UGA from you people, because it IS. It's a lot more like Covington than Athens. =) And of course, the fact they love God made me sure He was over this trip. Yall don't know how much I appreciate your prayers.

Amazingly, I haven't gotten sick so far. I assume that is due to prayers as well, because I am normally SO sick. Everyone else here seems to have awful allergies and fevers and all kinds of stuff, stuff I normally get at home. It should be even worse here, but so far I have been fine...I've only even had ONE upset stomach, which is nothing compared to what I expected.

This weekend was very full. Friday night, we all went to Santa Alana. We all did salsa dancing (our teachers want us FULLY emerged in the culture), and I was very pleased at the tastefullness of it all. I only danced 3 times, no worries, Tom!! just teasing! =) It was fine, we were like...a foot apart. Lots of spinning and stuff, and our teachers went and did the same stuff we did. In fact, they were really good dancers. I stepped on feet a lot and turned the wrong ways, but it was fun. Saturday morning we all got up and went to a mountain to walk a suspended bridges hike through the cloud forest, and I saw my first Costa Rican monkey!!! It was really cute, and I don't think he liked us very much. That afternoon we repacked then took off with most of our stuff to move in to our homestays. The rest of our stuff is locked up here. This morning I woke up early, showered, ate, and came back to the Ecolodge because we all went on a zipline tour of the same mountain, and it was SO awesome. We were SUPER high up (maybe 436 ft on one of them) and sometimes came down at speeds up to 40mph. You could slow yourself down, but I always made myself go as fast as I could until they made me slow down! I was also waving at people and looking behind me and flapping like a bird at times...I got a lot of "Girl, you're crazy!" and at the end, one teacher asked if I was the bionic woman. hahaha I am grateful not to have a fear of heights. Now my fear of sharks...that might keep me on the sand at the beach. We go in 2 weeks to the beach, I think. I also rode to get groceries on the 14yr old's dirtt bike with him. (see previous comment on roads) That was my first time on any motorcyle-ish thing, and it was rather scary, but he was really good and slow.

Ok, if I don't leave now, then I will get stuck walking those roads in the dark, and I don't want that since they have a good amount of snakes here.
Much love,
Megs

The first week in Costa Rica...

Hey yall! I know I said I would post to this from Costa Rica, and that didn't happen...long story short, the internet there is iffy at best, and it was easier to just email. So here are the emails I sent out from there each week... (ignore the ">"s because they just showed up when I copied the email. I will try to fix it later when I have more time.)

Howdy yall!> I'm in Costa Rica right now at the Hotel La Amistad, and although it has> only been a few days, I feel like it's been a week already. San Jose is an> interesting city, and it could not be more obvious that all of us are from> the US. I feel like we walk around with signs on our foreheads that say "I'm> foreign, please stare. And hitting on my is acceptable." If you ask someone> something in Spanish, they tend to reply in English. And my first day in the> city, I had a bunch of teenage boys asking the guys we are with for my name> and telling them to have me call them. They said "Hey!! Beauuutiful! Bonita,> hey, Bonita!" Which was kind of weird, considering in Athens there are> so many girls, that when we walk into a room, it's no big deal. I guess San> Jose is more like Tech in that sense, haha.> The city itself is such a mix of everything. There are McDonalds> everywhere and some other places like Pizza Hut, Church's, Burger King, and> stuff, but if you are from the US, it's strange. Also, there are so many run> down looking buildings and poor people, tons of markets and people selling> lottery tickets EVERYWHERE, but then there will be a beautiful and well kept> building in the middle of it all. One such building is the Teatro Nacional,> where we did a tour yesterday afternoon (In Spanish) and then returned that> night to hear an orchestra perform. It was beautiful, and it was fun to> hear. After the intermission, there was a baby that would NOT quit making> noise, and the mom didn't take it out. The music in that part was supposed> to be dramatic and very serious, with a lot of solos, and after about 1> minute the director stopped the music, turned around, and asked Very> Politely (again, in Spanish) for the lady to take out her child. He said> that he loves children but that it is very hard for the soloists to> concentrate with that going on and for the audience to pay attention, and> for the respect of his performers and the audience, could the baby please be> taken out. Almost everyone there started clapping, and it made me think of> how people feel when someone is told to shut up in a theater when they> continue to talk on their phones during a movie.> Today, about half of our group went somewhere in San Jose-very early in> the morning- to run a 10K race. That's 6 miles through the city. Not for me.> But, we were all really proud of the ones who did it; they all finished, and> I was really impressed. They all got medals and t-shirts for participating,> and that is just a cool story anyway. I slept late and told them good job> when they got back. haha. We all went to eat at a pizza place-I felt bad for> the waiter who took our order in Spanish, haha- and then we returned to the> hotel, where I got on the internet.> Tomorrow we will go to the SLRS-the San Luis Research Station- which is> owned by UGA. It has an ecolodge that we will stay at, and one of the girls> informed me that she read that it is Jessica Alba's favorite vacation spot.> That doesn't really mean anything to me except that it should be beautiful> there...not really a Jessica Alba fan. But, I am excited to be in the> mountains and to see the classrooms and stuff. It costs $5 an hour to use> the internet there, and we have to walk to a pay phone to call, where as> here it is $2 an hour for the internet and we have phones in our hotel> rooms. The downside of moving there is that we have to start class....a> necessary evil of STUDY abroad, right? ha. Oh well, maybe then I can get> some more practice in. While everyone here speaks to us in English, our> teachers only speak to us in Spanish. In about a week I will be moved in> with my family, and I am sure that is when the real Spanish help will kick> in, though I do pity them for their time trying to figure out what I am> saying. I hope I get a family with kids, but it seems like everyone here> wants to have a family with kids as well. There are a couple of couples with> no kids that want us, so we will see who ends up with them. Whatever> happens, I am sure it will be great to be there at last.> Alrighty, I have to run.> Much love,> Meghan>

Adios Amigos

Howdy!
I am currently taking a break from packing-but only to say that I am about to take off for Costa Rica at 4AM!! Can you believe that? well...actually, the plane leaves at 7, but I have to be at the airport at 4:50 AM. (Thanks Mom, for taking me at that horrible hour).
I am excited and SUPER nervous. Mainly about my Spanish, but also about being away from/missing people (especially Timmy) for 5 weeks, possibly having my stuff stolen, offending someone (especially my host familia), and how I am going to get along with everyone. I feel like the group that is going has a lot of nice people (12 girls, 3 guys. Eat your heart out, Techies), but I also feel like people can get to each other under stress and that I am older than a lot of the people going but they are all better than me at Spanish. EEk. I need to quit worrying. If God didn't want me to go, I wouldn't be going. The end.
I'm out of here. I hope that you all have a spectacular 5 weeks, and I'll try to update every now and then from the internet hole that is the rainforest of Costa Rica.
Much love,
Megs

ps-I can't believe I forgot this!- Disney was so much fun, my 21st bday was so much fun, and watching my nephew and niece react to Disney World was hilarious. I'll try to add pics later.

Hey there, strangers!

Hey yall,
SO...it's been a while...because it has been a very busy summer. I have been redecorating my room in C-town. It's been a slow but steady process, and I am pleased thusfar with the results. The walls are now blue, with white trim and doors (and display thingy and bookshelf and window seat). The bedding is brown and white-very simple, and still waiting to get a big "M" monogrammed onto one of the display pillows. My search for the loveseat is over, and after a dramatic delivery day, it has finally found a home in my room. And I am sitting on it right now! =) I still need window treatments. I have display shelves (dark wood) on the floor awaiting their arrangement on the wall above the loveseat. Baskets are in some of the shelves of the display case-thing...I don't really know it's real name, and it really helps out with organizing my stuff and making it look great (think pottery barn look...but I paid less $$). My bookshelves that rise from the window seat are starting to look good, though 3 shelves are still empty. I have one of my Aunt Donna's side tables now since she passed on, and it is next to my loveseat. TONS of my stuff was thrown out, some stuff was saved for my future kids or current niece and nephew, and some stuff is being sold.
Tomorrow, I am planning to go to Stone Mountain (that night) to watch the laser show with the Covington crew, and then on Thursday morning, my fam (that's for you Tom) is going to start the Looooooooong drive to Orlando, Fla. We are staying here. I am really excited because it looks like a fun place to stay, and we can thank my Aunt Annita and Uncle Carl for the awesome price we got (for the total of 11 ppl that will be there) since they are timeshare holders at Orange Lake. We are going to Disney World, and I will turn 21 on Friday!! YAY! I am so excited. Not really like "I want to go get wasted" excited, but more like "I can finally have a drink with my friends if I feel like it" excited. =)>
On Tuesday I return, and I plan to do A LOT of laundry that night because I have to PACK PACK PACK Wednesday, as well as go to Athens to get my books for summer classes and my ipod...maybe I should go tomorrow instead...but anyway, I have to pack really well because I have to be ready to be at the airport at 4:30 AM Friday morning. Fun times, right? I should prolly just get dropped off Thursday night and sleep in the airport. We'll see. I plan to use the Alejandra packing method, since she has a lot of experience with packing a lot in a little space and under 50 lbs (rules of the plane). That means, bust out the plastic baggies, roll up your clothes, and cram it in!! =)
I will then be gone for FIVE WEEKS. In COSTA RICA. For 3 weeks, I will live with a local family, and I will walk up the mountain to class. haha I better get toned legs. I will be traveling throughout Costa Rica with the group (all 15 of us-12 girls, 3 guys... there are teachers but they are not included in that 15), and we will get to do a lot of cool stuff like a zip-line tour of the rainforest, horseback riding tour, hikes to waterfalls and other cool places, visiting an active volcano, going to beaches...though very rarely, visiting cities...I am super pumped about that. Less excited about the availability...or lack thereof, to the outside world. I will prolly get to call Mom and Dad and Tom once a week. That will stink. I hope to journal while I am over there. I have a thumb-drive, so I am thinking about blogging and saving it to that and then uploading it when I get to internet cafes or when I get home. I also have to see what I can do about pictures...I might have to buy an extra memory card because I am NOT bringing my laptop with me, and I can't just install my camera's software onto a computer there. We'll see I guess. I am the most nervous about my Spanish communication...it's pretty weak, despite the classes I have taken and done pretty well in. I am also taking a Latin American Film class...a class that I haven't even got all the prereqs for yet, so that is making me nervous. Not to mention that I am one of the oldest students on the trip as far as I know, and I don't seem to know as much Spanish as the other ppl. I am just going to have to study hard and pray harder. Getting better in Spanish is what this trip is all about.
Alrighty, until I type again...adios!
Love,
Meghan
ps-the rumors about engagement were squashed when Tom and I went to PAC for Mrs. Crawley's retirement party and made it clear to ppl that asked that they had received incorrect information-that it was JORDAN who is engaged, and not me. =)

Hi, I'm not engaged. And how are you?

Hey there folks,
It's been an interesting weekend. First of all, Tom and I both forgot that Friday was our six-year anniversary, which was pretty amusing to both of us. It would have been less amusing if one of us had remembered, I'm sure, but since I remembered at about 2AM Thursday morning, I reminded Tom, and we had a good laugh. He was still sweet enough to go out and buy me a dozen beautiful red roses on Friday, and that made me happy. We had already made plans for the entire day, so there was no lovey-dovey dinner or anything, which is fine. We went out to eat lunch with my mom, then worked in my bedroom, throwing junk out and looking at old notes that I had saved from 8th grade up. Some were so funny-notes that Tom and I had written as friends about ex's and about wanting to know "who 'the one'" is (!!!lol!!!), notes between me and other girls, notes from when Tom and I were dating but in high school still, even some from when I was going out with other boys, but I would only allow us to read about...2...of those before insisting on throwing that stuff out. lol No ex-boyfriend memory lane for me, thank you very much. Especially not with Tom. Now that stuff is residing in the dump, and I feel no loss. I kept all of the notes that were between me and Tom, because those are hilarious (and kinda cute) considering that we are still together. We also found some stuff that I drew and wrote when I was really young...from 6 years to about 3rd grade...and it's reallllllly funny. Tom had fun reading my handwriting...which hasn't changed much...and trying to sound out what I was trying to spell. Let's just say that yu shld be gld tat I cn spl betr now. It mks rding ezer. (that was from when I was 5 or 6. I promise I could spell fairly well once I was actually learning that stuff in school!) hahaha!! =)

Anyway, after cleaning out most of the stuff in my room, I went to Tom's house to hang out with people there, and there was a pretty good turn-out. We ate and hung out...intentions were to swim, but it was chilly (that didn't stop Henry or Tom...and it wouldn't have stopped Ben, but he hurt his hand at work that day), then we were going to watch a movie, but we all talked for so long that it would have been too late to start one. Most of us ended up hanging out in Ben's room listening and singing along to music and talking...and Dana was sleeping half the time. lol.

That night, April spent the night with me, which was AWESOME because I don't get to see her nearly enough. Darn other states. Taking almost all of my hometown girlfriends away. Anyway, she and I hung out, and as is the trend, I had a lot of work in my room to do, so I did that while she kept me company. And it is for that reason that I found out at 2AM that my entire high school...which isn't that big, but still....thinks that I am engaged. And I'm not. Jordan is, to Sarah Cormack. And I'm not. And they shouldn't think that. GRRRR. This is the SECOND TIME that a rumor has gone around that Tom and I are engaged, the first time being our FRESHMAN year of college. People in small towns, and especially in small schools, LOVE to talk about other people. And while engagement rumors aren't exactly hurtful gossip, it's annoying because by the time Tom and I are actually engaged, it will be old news. It will be the third time that they have heard we are engaged to each other, so no one will be excited. They might not even believe it. I haven't even been to Piedmont in a year (and that was only one time that year for Ben's graduation), and I haven't spoken to any teachers since that time either.

So how did it happen? Apparently when Anne St. Clair (family friend) was talking to Judy (my old cheerleading coach and lady in charge of admissions at PAC) about Jordan, it wasn't clear that it was him that was engaged and NOT me. Judy told April that I was engaged when they talked on the phone, which led to a back and forth of "no, she's not," "Yes, she is".... And she said, "I haven't put an announcement in the paper yet because I haven't heard from her or her mom yet." That would be because I am not engaged.That was on Thursday. Then the next day, Vicki Mills (works at PAC) was helping April and her mom decorate for a party when April brought me up. And Vicki said, "So you heard, right?" And she said that Judy had made an announcement to the teachers in the teachers' lounge that Tom and I are engaged. And again, she and April's mom tried to convince April I was engaged. So by the time that April tells me this on Friday night, I am freaking out.

Why? Because one of our (AWESOME-one of the best ever, no lie) teachers from Piedmont, Mrs. Crawley, is having a retirement party on Sunday...today, actually....and I am planning to go. So is Tom. And now we are going to have half the people coming up and not believing us when we say we aren't engaged. And it's supposed to be Mrs. Crawley's thing, so this is really annoying. Saturday, April left, and Tom came over to help me get some stuff set up on Ebay. Mom and Dad and I all painted my room blue (Yesssss!), and tomorrow, I plan to work on repainting the trim white after Mrs. Crawley's party. But before the painting began, Tom and I decided it would be best if I set the record straight about our so-called engagement. I called the Nelson house, Ivey answered and told me that she had heard about me getting a ring, I asked for her mom....who was at PAC getting it ready for the party. So I called her cell phone and let her know I am in fact, NOT engaged. And I told her I had heard she had announced it to the teachers, so I didn't want them thinking that anymore. And she told me that she had not said anything to anyone but April...which is curious since Vicki Mills said something to April and Ivey said something to me, but nevermind. The point is....in case you missed it....I AM NOT ENGAGED YET. And when I am engaged, I would like for people from home to pretend that they care and that they are hearing it for the first time. Thank goodness I can surprise my sorority sisters with it, or I might not have anyone to be surprised for me. lol

Ok, it's 3AM and I have to be at church at 10:50. After that it's off to face the hand-grabbing, "where is your ring??" asking people who still think whatever about me and Tom, but mostly, it's off to celebrate years of wonderful teaching and giving from Mrs. Crawley. She is really going to leave huge shoes to fill.

Love,
Meghan

Ready for the END

Hey there,
I am in the midst of exams and counting the days until I am OUTTA HERE!!! I turned in a project yesterday, had two finals today, and am worn slap out. Ends up that the Span 3030 class I needed for the Maymester isn't being offered, so I am going to be at home and stuff for the month. But I'll be busy-as usual! Plans as of now?
Thursday-Study for Film final and meet my friend Ashley for lunch. Take dresses to UPS to ship them out to my aunt. Babysit that night.
Friday- Film Final at 8:00AM. Pack up and head to Atl. Study for Psych final (that final is gonna hurt me) at Tom's apartment and then go TO LOOK AT RINGS with him. sorry. did I mention that? hehehehehehehe I have never been able to do that with Tom before, and I am soooo excited. We aren't picking out ANYTHING, and I don't want to even know when he does. I just want to go look at stuff, get my ring size, make sure that what I've always said I wanted is what I definately like, and to show Tom what kind of stuff I am into. Poor guy isn't gonna know what hit 'im. LOL ok...back to Friday. After studying and "shopping" I am going to Mission Impossible III with Tom and friends, and then to Taco Mac for a friend (Nate, one of Tom's fraternity brothers) 21st birthday.
Saturday- STUDY SOME MORE. Then go to Conyers at 4 for Jennifer's appointment at David's Bridal for all the bridesmaids to get fitted. Everyone is going to meet there then eat afterwards, but I am going to have to head back around 6:30 or so to go to Tom's apartment for a party for everyone from home and some from school (meaning...Tech and State since it's in Altanta) at Apartment 1 (it really earned it's name with those guys living there! =)
Sunday-Go to church in Covington, then STUDY AGAIN. Then head back to school.
Monday-Psych Final and then meeting at 5 for Spanish study abroad in Costa Rica. Then packing and BACK to Covington.
Tuesday-Go to Fla with Tom and his family!
Thursday-Come back from Fla then pick up Alejandra from Emory
Friday- Go to Jonathan's graduation from MCG (yayuh!!)
Saturday-Take Alejandra to the Airport

After that my plans before leaving for Costa Rica are to go on vacation with my family-I'll turn 21 at Disney World haha, redecorate my bedroom at mom and dad's house, go on a trip with Mom and Kristen, visit Tom during his summer semester in ATL, hang out with friends from home, keep up with my Spanish, and babysit. Then leave for Costa Rica on June 16th. July 23rd I return. Then it's visit with friends, move my stuff to my new apartment in Athens, Rho Chi stuff during rush, and then MY SENIOR YEAR!!!!!!!!! AMAZING!! Sooooooo yeah. Always busy.

Ok. I'm out.
Love,
Meghan

ps-After this summer, I can add Costa Rica to the map at the top!! Fun times!! =)

Hey there, Sweet Thang

Check out this ADORABLE picture of Mandy's precious lil girl sleeping! Her name is Elizabeth Pearl Fill, and she was born at 5:30pm on April 24th. She was 6lbs, 8oz. And everything about her is cute as can be. I can't wait to go meet her myself, but in the meantime, I just enjoy the pictures. Tom is so happy to be an uncle, and I am sure Ben is excited too. I keep laughing though that they are Uncle Tom (cabin) and Uncle Ben (rice). It just throws a wrench into my thoughts about them as uncles because of their names. But anyway,...cute, no? =)
Love,
Megs

YAY Weekend

That's the kind of weekend I had-FUN. It was so nice to be tired because I was having so much fun that I was up late instead of because I was doing SO much work that I couldn't go to bed until late and had to get up early.

Friday I went to Atlanta. I FINALLY got to meet Alejandra's boyfriend, James, and he is so nice. He and Tom are very much alike, and we all got along really well. After eating and hanging out at Alejandra's place, we all four went to meet Justin and Jennifer and Justin's roommie Lance at the theater to watch Silent Hill. That was a waste of 2 hours of my life. WHAT A STUPID MOVIE. By the end we were all making fun of it. After that, Tom and I returned Alejandra and James to her place then went to Theta Xi, where we picked up some guys and went out to Malibu Grand Prix-a racetrack, arcade, and putt-putt place. It was SOOO fun. I raced against 6 guys and got SOAKED because it was raining and there were puddles all over the track. But I held my own....I was going too fast on some turns and spun around a lil and I also nailed the edges of the track a few times, but it was fun. We got back around 5 AM, and we were all SO tired.

After waking up around 2:00pm on Saturday, I did laundry at Tom's, and watched Y Tu Mama Tambien for Spanish so I could write a review on it. That movie....way to sexual for my liking. That's all I have to say about that on here. Tom took me to Marble Slab bc I was CRAVING like CRAZY some ice cream, and then we were stuck in our parking place for a while because the ppl who came in behind us were too close. Then that night Zach Harris and Liz and Chris-Jessica's roommate and her boyfriend, came over to hang out. Daniel's brother Zach also came over, and so did Justin and Jennifer. We all had pizza and hung out till about 3AM. It was SO fun, and the guys were cracking us up all night. Get them all together, and they are hilarious! =)

I had to come back to Athens earlier than usual today because we had Gamma Phi Beta's Senior Celebration at 6:30. It was at East West and only cost $7 (free for seniors). When it was finished, Claire and I went down to Cold Stone because we were both craving something sweet. I think I have had in this weekend all the ice cream I am ever allowed to have again-Marble Slab AND Cold Stone. What a fattie!! haha.

Oh yeah! I got my hair cut Thursday, and I am so happy with it! It was so long and heavy, very unattractive in my opinion. I was just tired of it. So I got it cut and now it is SO much lighter! =) I took a before and after picture that I will post on here, but I think it is funny because I happened to look AWFUL in the before picture-not just my hair, but also my face. And then in the after picture, I am so much happier that I just look better, so it's like I had a makeover though all I did is change my hair. lol =) Pics at the top....

Also at the top is a pic of some of the girls that performed in Beta Choral Cup and me at Chilis the other night after Beta Choral Cup. We didn't place, but we did a good job, and I am SO HAPPY that it is OVER!!!!!!!!!! Oh happy day! It totally consumed my life, and I am so happy that it is done! I was SO sick and tired of those practices and ALLLL of the other stuff that it entailed that I had to do. Thank goodness it is over! =)

In other news, Mandy is supposed to have a baby by tomorrow, and no later than by Tuesday! I CAN'T WAIT to see pictures and finally find out what they are going to name her! =) I won't have to call her "baby Fill" or "Gwyndolen" as Ben refers to her, anymore! =) I wanted to go with Tom this coming Saturday to see her, but it turns out that I had already said I would babysit that night and couldn't find a replacement. Stinks for me, but what can I do-Can't break a promised babysitting job.

It's supposed to be in the 90s tomorrow!! YAYUH!!!
Love,
Meghan

Blurb

Things in my life:
1. Beta Choral Cup was tonight, meaning I no longer have to dedicate outrageous amounts of my life to it. IT IS OVER. YAY!
2. Study abroad is testing me right now....as is my lack of control over registration for the fall. I REALLY hate not having control over my life, and I guess God is telling me to get over it.
3. Exams are coming. FAST.
4. Mandy is going to have a birth by this time next week. YAY!
5. I turned in my paper and did my Spanish Oral Presentation on Monday, and now must do extra credit and study for a test in Psychology Research and Analysis (statistics applied through psychology) booooooo.
6. I'm still tired all the time. I want to go to sleep RIGHT NOW, but I have hw to do. Last night, I fell asleep at Claire's apartment and had to wake up long enough to drive to my own apartment and go back to sleep.
7. I can't find Esther's address, so I never mailed her the birthday card I got her. And I was late mailing James's birthday card.
8. It needs to stay nice and warm/hot outside. I love it.
9. I no longer have to go to Rho Chi meetings....until August anyway. YAY! Remind me to take my sorority letters off of my car by May 1st and to make myself invisible on the Facebook to ppl I don't know by May 1st too.
10. I have to dress up for class tomorrow to get extra credit for my careers in psychology class, but I don't want to because I have to get up even earlier to do that, and I have class from 9-4:30 tomorrow. I don't even want to go to class(but I must-boo).
11. I bought Transporter 2 but haven't had a chance to see it yet. Hopefully it'll be as good as the first one.
12. I have a problem being on the internet when I should be doing other things. Like homework. Like right now.
Peace-Out playas.
~Meghan

Calling all angels...

Hey yall....
I am SO stressed about life right now. I need any and all prayers yall have time to offer on my behalf because I am going to need patience, mercy, love, and diligence to deal with some situations that will/might occur this coming week. Plus I have a lot to do with school...speaking of which...it's almost 2AM and I have a lot of Spanish to do. A LOT. So I am going to do that and then go to bed. My body is tired, and it's also sick (go away pollen! allergies are ruining me!), so I think that is adding to the stress.
Goodnight!
Love,
Meghan

Zelda

Hey there friends!
For those of yall who grew up loving Zelda, as most of us did, you should see this trailer.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB89-9X6YS0.

Tom sent the link to me in a gmail, and I was so excited at first...but he didn't sound super excited about it, which should have told me something. I haven't talked to him about it yet, but basically it looked to me like the original Chronicles of Narnia movies....just low budget and stuff. But still, I know I will see it because...well because I love the Zelda games, even if I am just watching ppl play them instead of playing them myself. Plus, Link has always been the cutest fictional character in my opinion. WOW that sounded wrong because: A) he is fictional, and B) I have a boyfriend, yet am talking about a character in a game. Ok. Go check out the link to see....Link. OMG I am cheesy.
Love,
Meghan

As Promised

...an Update!
Alrighty, the week before spring break was such a stressful week that going to Savannah was just what the doctor ordered. Claire and I took off on Monday to the oldest city in Georgia...and also probably Georgia's most beautiful city, and we had the most chilled out week. Every night we went out to eat with Nana, my mom's mom, and then Claire and I watched a movie at Nana's house and read magazines and hung out. No going out for crazy nights....We're not crazy….welll….not THAT kind of crazy-we are goofy-crazy, and I'm not old enough to even set foot in any bar anyway. I couldn't even go into Wet Willie's downtown in the middle of the afternoon because of a new city ordinance, so Claire had to get me a Weak Willie (the only virgin drink in the place). It was right before St. Patrick’s Day, and the water was dyed green in all the fountains around Savannah. We went all over the city, went to River St., went to Forsyth Park, went to eat at Sweet Potatoes, Carey Hilliard's, and Jalapeños. We went to Tybee Island but only stayed for about an hour on the beach, and we went to Wilmington Island to see Mema and to visit with Payton and Jessica. Well, we went to see everyone, but those were the three we saw, and it was a lot of fun. =) Payton kept saying he was going to 'fire' everyone. At any moment he might say, "SCRAM! You're fired! Pack your bags! I'm calling a cab!" And later when I told him that I was around first so I was higher on Mema's list, he said "No you aren't! I'm erasing you off the list!" I told him he couldn't and he said, "Yeah I can! I work with God!" It cracked us all up-I couldn't even respond to him because I was laughing so hard. He is about 5 yrs old, and he is so funny.

When I returned home, I was busy non-stop, right down to the time I left. I babysat, went to Mandy's baby shower, visited with Tom's family, hung out with friends, and visited with April. It was good to do all of those things, but I was worn out when I returned to school, and felt like I needed a week long nap. lol Then my car broke down this week, and people have been so phenomenal taking me around, but I hate bumming rides all the time. The dealer couldn't get it to screw-up for them the way it did for me, so they couldn't fix it, and I got it back today free of charge, but not fixed. I'm really happy that tomorrow is Friday! I am going to go home so that I can take care of the animals while mom and dad are in Savannah for Dad's medical conference. While there, I am going to have some Covington ppl over to hang out. Saturday evening I am headed back to Athens because I have to go to a Rho Chi meeting at 9AM on Sunday, and I have to babysit at 5:30 on Sunday....I really don't ever leave a lot of time unscheduled, do I?
Alrighty...Spanish Homework!
Love,
Meghan

Ps-there are pics from all of Spring Break below, from babysitting (Yes, I did wear a crown with Abby-I was the “queen”) to the park with Tyler and Madeline to Tom and Tyler at the lake to Savannah with Claire! We have some goofy pictures in there. =) And, no, it’s not an engagement ring on my finger-it’s a promise ring Tom gave me!