In eight days, I will load up my three suitcases and dog and board a plane. We will spend the night in a hotel and continue our journey the next day.

I still don’t have all the details worked out. Details like, how on EARTH do I plan to finagle three suitcases, a kennel and a dog who is terrified of her own shadow through the airport -not once, but twice? I keep saying she has no idea what she is getting into -she will go to sleep one night, expecting the next day to be the same as it has been every day of her life and will be in for a surprise of a lifetime…but really? I think her and I are in the same boat.

People keep asking if I’m excited. People also keep asking if I’m sad. As if I can only be one or the other. The truth is? I am so excited. But I am also very sad. I am a mixed bag of some serious emotion. Top that with a cold that has been kicking my butt this week and a busy schedule and well, I will be needing more than the normal amount of tissue these next few days.

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The days leading up to our wedding were more chaotic than most days!

My sister and her family arrived, which was no small feat, considering they are from England and there was a very real possibility they’d be turned away at the border. Then there were multiple showers to attend. Andrew showed up, his people slowly started to trickle in, decor needed to happen, licenses obtained, hair and dress appointments to be had, food prep…the list goes on and on.

To be completely honest, as hard as I tried to “slow down and enjoy” the process, all I really remember is being over the moon excited. In fact, I’m pretty sure Amanda was more anxious about everything than I was, and for good reason. She put so much work into making things look perfect -I couldn’t have asked for a better day and all of it went down amazingly, thanks to her.

Not only did she put together all the decorations as well as the flowers and arrangements, she decided last minute that we needed an arbor -and got to work arranging for dad to build one. We built, painted and assembled said arbor the day before the wedding.

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We are still waiting for our wedding photographs to come back, but I figured our four week, almost one month anniversary would be a good time as any to make this official: On July 3, I made my way down the aisle (probably a bit too quickly) to be pronounced man and wife with my best friend.

There aren’t too many moments in my life that I would consider as having bragging rights to. In fact, I’m generally late to any life experience (and those who know me best know that I hate being late). But having successfully dated and now married this one here, is perhaps one of my first accomplishments that I feel is worth bragging about. Don’t get me wrong, I 100% know that this was none of my doings, that God orchestrated all of this and has somehow managed to keep me from messing it up too badly and any bragging rights I have aren’t even mine. But marrying this guy, who started out as a complete stranger that I debated about not talking to, then turned into my best friend is not something I take lightly.

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This past week I’ve been an emotional wreck. Sure, I’ve gotten up every morning (earlier than I’d like), taken a shower, put on makeup and smiled. I made it to about Thursday before I completely melted down and almost lost it on my group of rambunctious 3 and 4-year old’s who were all apparently, dealing with their own “big emotion” stuff. We survived…but that night I cried harder than I have in a long time.

The worst part? I had no idea why. I couldn’t pinpoint what was going on, I couldn’t find the ‘one thought’ that was making this all a gigantic mess. I couldn’t begin to untangle things because I didn’t know what was causing it…and as a result, everything…and I mean everything, was becoming a major deal. Kids not following directions? I wanted to scream. Dinner not working out? I wanted to panic. Change of plans? My mind literally, could not handle it.

I’m mostly a ‘let it roll off my back’ kind of girl, so this was new for me…not the emotional part, the letting of everything build.

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The school year is wrapping up for us. One more week and we will officially be done. We had our preschool graduation last Friday…saying good-bye to those kids, who have been a daily part of my life for the past nearly 300 days was difficult.

Back in August when I first took the position, I didn’t realize, completely, what I was getting into. I understood on the only level that I could. Having only worked part-time, not having an entire class to call my own.

The end of the school year has me at a loss for words. It has been an amazing year. Unpredictable and full of uncertainties, sure, but amazing nonetheless. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of energetic, spirited and spunky preschoolers. Getting to hang out with them, teach and learn beside them has been the highlight of each and every day. They will always hold a very special place in my heart.

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