The last chapter...

I'm heading back to school tomorrow (instead of tonight, thanks to thick fog and heavy downpour) for my LAST semester of college. I can't believe that I am at this point...It's just so surreal. This year I'm facing graduation, finding a job (* prays for position at Zoo Atlanta*), moving back to Covington to save on rent, planning a wedding, figuring out what I need to register for, looking at a home for Tom and myself to buy for our married life, and being in or attending weddings for what feels like half the people I know between 20 and 25.....It's overwhelming. At this point next year, I'll be less than six months from my wedding and probably just as overwhelmed, if not more so. Life has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it.

The good thing is that I can trust that life has good things in store for me. Come what may, God knows where my life will be and what I'll be doing. So that's one less thing I have to worry about. It's not always that easy to let go of the worry and realize that God is the only one who can control my life, but when I do, I have a peace that I can't even describe, so I try to remember to trust in him when I go about talking about my "plans" for the future. I know what I would like to do, but I don't know that I won't be flippin' burgers at McDonalds when I graduate, so I just have to trust that God will put me where I should be.

This break was really wonderful-I was so ready to get out of Athens to just breathe free from classes. I needed a chance to spend some time without that constant dread of the next paper, exam, lab report, group project, or homework. I spent a lot of time with my family, friends, and Tom, which was great. I got to sleep late, go shopping, watch tv, see movies, read books, and look at lots of wedding location and reception possibilities online. The last part was not really relaxing so much as it was necessary. I've looked at places from Athens to Atlanta to Lagrange to South Carolina, and let me tell you-planning this stuff isn't as easy as it should be. There is A LOT of stuff to consider, and I am in awe of my friends who can pull together in mere months (Seth and Rachel, Henry and Dana, and now Esther and Ben, to name a few who planned it under 6 months!!). Anyway, I really would rather keep it within an hour or so of Covington so that it's not so difficult to plan or for people to attend. I would LOVE to have it at The Vines Botanical Gardens in Loganville because it would be perfect, or in Athens because there are so many beautiful picture opportunities, but it kind of depends on budget stuff and location size and church availability and a million other factors that make it stressful to figure out. Atlanta isn't out of the picture, but I haven't had a chance to research it as much for places that I would actually enjoy having a reception at that we could also afford. It's just a lot to think about.

Tom and I did get our wedding bands in Atlanta towards the end of the semester (and I love them), and over the break I got my wedding dress. I wasn't thinking I would get a dress until this spring, but I had to go to David's Bridal anyway to pick up a bridesmaid dress for a wedding I'm going to be in this June, so I made an appointment to try on dresses while I was there. I was expecting to go in, try on dresses and veils/headpieces, and to take pictures in them, then to leave and look at the pictures later and continue to just think about what I like. But after trying on about a dozen dresses, I had found one that fit PERFECTLY and that I loved. We were still not sure about buying it that day, but when entered into the computer, the lady found that is was discontinued, meaning there was a slim chance I could get it anywhere if I didn't buy what was available and someone else got it. It also meant that other girls wouldn't be likely to wind up with my dress since it won't be made anymore, and it meant that we were getting a huge discount. All signs pointed to buying the dress, so we got it along with my favorite veil!! =) I am so happy that that is taken care of.

I also got to go to the Georgia Aquarium (FINALLY =) on the 4th of January. It was SO fun. Tom took me-he bought us a pair of annual passes for my Christmas present so that I could go whenever I want, and so that I could have him come with me so I wouldn't be alone. =) I saw some MASSIVE fish there, and I touched some cool stuff. In the touch pools, there were sea anemones, starfish, sea biscuits (or something similar to it in texture but purple and spiky-it might have just been a different version of an anemone), horseshoe crabs (I've touched one before), stingrays (touched and swam with them before), and sharks......I ACTUALLY TOUCHED A SHARK. I know-I'm a freak who loves animals and sea mammals and touches sea anemones and swims with sting rays (that don't have stingers) but am TERRIFIED of sharks and don't like to touch fish (unless feeding them to dolphins or some other creature like that). But I touched it. I think once is enough for me-they don't feel nice. They feel like they look. And they're scary, even if they are only 3-4 ft long.

I also heard from my Costa Rican family today! =) Wilfreddy called to tell me Happy New Years, and to catch up some. Their dog, which had 3 puppies a few weeks before I arrived, has had 5 more puppies since. Someone should spay Pella, but she does make the CUTEST puppies ever. Of course, Freysal is so rough with them that they probably think all little boys are the scariest thing in the world and will grow up emotionally scarred, so maybe they should spay her anyway. They have too many strays in Costa Rica anyway. =)

I better run! I have class at 10:10AM and I have to drive from Covington to Athens beforehand in this yucky weather.
Here goes everything,
Meghan